Fuji TV Scandal Involved Sexual Assault That Occurred in ‘Extension of Duties,’ Says 3rd-Party Committee

The Yomiuri Shimbun

18:33 JST, March 31, 2025

An incident between former TV personality Masahiro Nakai and a woman was “sexual violence that took place as an extension of duties at Fuji Television Network Inc.,” a committee of outside lawyers concluded Monday.

At a press conference Monday, Akira Takeuchi, a lawyer and the chairman of the third-party committee, cited five pieces of evidence as the basis for the conclusion. These included “short messages exchanged between the woman and Nakai, as well as interviews with people with ties to Fuji TV,” Takeuchi said at a press conference.

Takeuchi also said the company’s failure to respond to the woman’s complaint constituted a secondary offence against her. He added that there was a corporate culture that was tolerant of harassment.

A weekly magazine reported in December that a woman was subjected to unwanted sexual advances after a dinner party at Nakai’s house in June 2023, and that Fuji TV employees were involved in organizing the party.

Fuji TV and its parent company Fuji Media Holdings, Inc. set up the third-party committee to investigate the scandal.

Monday’s report stated the woman was a former presenter at the TV station and that “There was no evidence employees were involved.”

However, the woman’s participation in a barbecue party at the same location as the dinner party but two days earlier can be viewed as “part of her duties at Fuji TV,” the report said.

Due to this conclusion, and the nature of the relationship between Nakai and the woman, as well as the situation around dinner parties involving TV personalities and staff, the report found that the assault occurred “as an extension of duties” at Fuji TV.