Fuji TV’s Press Conference on Nakai Scandal Lasts Over 10 Hours; Executives Face Questions and Criticism from 437 Audience Members

The Yomiuri Shimbun

16:51 JST, January 28, 2025

A press conference that Fuji Television Network, Inc. held Monday in response to a scandal involving now-retired TV personality Masahiro Nakai lasted more than 10 hours, as the broadcaster’s executives faced a flood of questions from attendees.

The session began at 4 p.m. Monday and ended shortly after 2:20 a.m. Tuesday, with some brief interruptions in the middle. A total of 437 reporters and others gathered for the media opportunity to find out more about claims published in certain weekly magazines that a Fuji TV employee was linked to the scandal involving Nakai and a woman.

Fuji TV held a press conference on Jan. 17, but the company was criticized for only allowing reporters from certain media outlets to attend it and not permitting TV broadcasters to film the event.

As a result, many companies halted advertising on the network. Fuji TV then decided to set up another press conference for Monday, this time without limiting the number of participants, and allowing TV crews to film the event. It also changed its usual programming schedule so that the entire conference could be aired.

At times, the air was filled with the voices of attendees shouting in dissatisfaction with the explanations given by Fuji TV executives and how the session was proceeding.

During the latest conference, certain questions were repeatedly asked, such as “Was the employee in question involved in the scandal?” and “Why is [Fuji TV’s] Executive Managing Adviser Hisashi Hieda not present?”