Major Japanese advertisers, including Toyota and Nissan, are abandoning their spots on broadcast powerhouse Fuji Television after a sex scandal involving former boy band idol Masahiro Nakai. The scandal, which involved an alleged sexual assault at a 2023 dinner party, led to a JPY90 million settlement with the victim.
Fuji TV’s president, Koichi Minato, faced criticism for his handling of the situation, including his lack of transparency in keeping the incident under wraps for six months. An unnamed female announcer has since come forward with allegations that senior executives arranged multiple gatherings where Nakai was allegedly assaulted.
As a result, several major advertisers have pulled their ads from the network, including Nissan, which confirmed Tuesday it is monitoring the situation before making further decisions. This scandal marks another dark chapter in Japan’s entertainment industry, which is still reeling from recent revelations about abuse within prominent talent agency Johnny & Associates.
Source: https://variety.com/2025/tv/news/masahiro-nakai-sex-scandal-fuji-tv-1236279810