Fuji TV Sex Scandal Spurs Government Worries Over Public Trust

Alleged harassment has toppled TV host and spooked advertisers
Shares in parent company Fuji Media recover on news of probe

Fuji Media Holdings headquarters in Tokyo. — Fuji Media Holdings headquarters in Tokyo.
Photographer: Kiyoshi Ota/Bloomberg

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By Mayumi Negishi and Takashi Hirokawa

January 23, 2025 at 9:04 PM EST

Updated on

January 24, 2025 at 4:29 AM EST

The Japanese public’s trust in broadcasting could be hurt by a sexual harassment scandal at Fuji Media Holdings Inc., a cabinet minister said Friday, as the company struggled to control a problem that has roiled its shares and forced one of the country’s top TV hosts to announce his retirement from the entertainment business.

A slew of major corporations have suspended advertising on Fuji TV amid allegations that an employee was involved in setting up a meeting between former pop star Masahiro Nakai and the alleged victim in the incident. The company has set up a panel to look into the issue.