Shukan Bunshun Asks Court to Dismiss Comedian Matsumoto’s Lawsuit

Jiji Press

16:24 JST, March 28, 2024

Tokyo (Jiji Press)—The first oral argument in a lawsuit filed by Japanese comedian Hitoshi Matsumoto against the publisher of the Shukan Bunshun weekly magazine was held at Tokyo District Court on Thursday, with the Shukan Bunshun side asking the court to dismiss the case.

In the lawsuit, Matsumoto, a member of the popular comic duo Downtown, is demanding that the Shukan Bunshun side pay about ¥550 million in damages and publish an article correcting its report that claimed Matsumoto sexually assaulted women.

Matsumoto did not appear in court on the day.