Tokio pop group member removed from TV show over past conduct
KYODO NEWS - 12 minutes ago - 13:37 | All, Japan
A member of Japanese all-male pop group Tokio has been removed from a popular TV program due to past conduct that breached compliance rules on multiple occasions, a TV network said Friday.
Taichi Kokubun, 50, was removed from "The Tetsuwan Dash," a variety program aired by Nippon Television Network Corp. and fronted by the members of Tokio.
The decision to remove Kokubun was approved at an extraordinary board meeting, based on findings from a third-party probe. Kokubun has accepted the decision, the network said.
"The Tetsuwan Dash" will continue broadcasting, the network said.
Kokubun debuted with Tokio in 1994 and has an extensive career in television and radio. After the Fukushima nuclear crisis in 2011, he helped promote farming produce from Fukushima Prefecture on the variety program.
Related coverage:
Ex-Tokio pop group member released after arrest for drunken driving
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NHK
23 minutes ago
- NHK
TOKIO's Kokubun Taichi to halt activity indefinitely due to 'compliance issues'
Kokubun Taichi, a member of the Japanese band TOKIO, is suspending his activities indefinitely due to breaches of compliance rules. This was announced by his management agency on Friday. Earlier in the day, Nippon Television Network, or NTV, said it was removing Kokubun from a popular weekly program, "The Tetsuwan Dash." It cited the 50-year-old's multiple past acts deemed problematic in terms of compliance. Kokubun said in a statement that, after spending long years in the entertainment world, he lacked a proper understanding of his position. He said he was naive and conceited, and acted poorly. He said he will halt all his professional activities indefinitely and reflect upon himself. NTV has not said when the compliance-related problems took place or what exactly happened for privacy reasons. But it says they are not the kind of issues that warrant the filing of criminal complaints. NTV says it first learned of the problems in late May. It says that, based on a probe by third-party lawyers, the company's board approved Kokubun's removal from the show at an extraordinary meeting on Friday. It says "The Tetsuwan Dash" will remain on the air. NTV President Fukuda Hiroyuki told reporters that the program has been airing for a long time and is loved by its viewers. He said this makes it all the more necessary to strictly enforce governance. "The Tetsuwan Dash" featured segments in which Kokubun and other members of TOKIO engaged in farming and other activities in Fukushima Prefecture and other rural locations. Fukuda said the broadcaster will offer an explanation to the local people who have supported the show, and will seek their continued cooperation. Kokubun debuted as a member of the all-male band TOKIO in 1994. Due to his friendly character, he has emceed variety shows and other programs, while also pursuing acting roles in TV dramas and movies. Prior to Friday's announcement, Kokubun had six regular programs on TV and radio. He also appears in several TV commercials.
Japan Times
3 hours ago
- Japan Times
Pop group Tokio's Kokubun to leave Nippon TV program over compliance violations
Nippon Television Network on Friday announced its decision to remove Taichi Kokubun, a member of male pop group Tokio, from "The Tetsuwan Dash," its popular variety show, as he has been found to have committed compliance violations. Kokubun, 50, has accepted the decision, which was made based on the results of an investigation conducted by external lawyers over the compliance violations, according to the major Japanese broadcaster. Nippon TV will continue to broadcast the program. The firm and its parent, Nippon Television Holdings, decided on Kokubun's removal at their extraordinary board meetings the same day. Nippon TV President Hiroyuki Fukuda held a news conference on the matter later in the day, but he refrained from mentioning specifics about Kokubun's problematic acts out of concern for "privacy protection." "The Tetsuwan Dash" began airing in 1995, featuring Tokio members.
The Mainichi
3 hours ago
- The Mainichi
Tokio pop group member removed from TV show over past conduct
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- A member of Japanese all-male pop group Tokio has been removed from a popular TV program due to past conduct that breached compliance rules on multiple occasions, a TV network said Friday. Taichi Kokubun, 50, was removed from "The Tetsuwan Dash," a variety program aired by Nippon Television Network Corp. and fronted by the members of Tokio. The decision to remove Kokubun was approved at an extraordinary board meeting, based on findings from a third-party probe headed by lawyers. Kokubun has accepted the decision, the network said. In remarks to reporters, Hiroyuki Fukuda, the network's president, declined to elaborate further on the cases, citing a need to "protect privacy." He said it was not a criminal matter. According to Fukuda, the probe was established after the misconduct came to light in late May. "The Tetsuwan Dash" will continue broadcasting, the network said. Kokubun debuted with the then five-member Tokio in 1994 and has an extensive career in television and radio. After the Fukushima nuclear crisis in 2011, he helped promote local farming produce by appearing in commercials. His removal from the Nippon Television program comes amid increased scrutiny of Japan's entertainment industry following recent revelations such as a sexual misconduct scandal that emerged at Fuji Television Network Inc. involving popular former TV host Masahiro Nakai. Tokio's former agency Johnny & Associates Inc. also renamed itself and a separate agency was established after hundreds of sexual abuse allegations against its late founder Johnny Kitagawa.
