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Asahi Shimbun
20 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Asahi Shimbun
Women in broadcasting feel at the mercy of male bigwigs
The main building of Fuji Television Network Inc. in Tokyo's Minato Ward (Asahi Shimbun file photo) An independent investigative panel's report about rampant sexual harassment and abuse at a TV broadcaster was described by some media outlets as 'shocking.' But for one woman in her 30s, the report's details revealed nothing new. In fact, it brought back memories of her own horrible experiences as a TV announcer. 'Reading the panel's report left me heavy-hearted,' said the woman who formerly worked for a major TV network. 'This was just like what happened to me.' The report resonated with many women who have experience in the broadcasting industry. The panel of legal experts was commissioned by Fuji Television Network Inc. to look into allegations that TV celebrity Masahiro Nakai engaged in sexual misconduct against a TV announcer. The report, released in March, concluded that Nakai sexually assaulted the woman. It also said sexual harassment and abuse were rife in Fuji TV working atmosphere, and female workers, including announcers, were expected to tolerate sexual advances from VIPs. The woman in her 30s who worked at a different Tokyo-based broadcaster said a well-known TV personality harassed her when she was in her second year at the company. At the tforime, she appeared in a late-night entertainment show on an irregular basis. After each taping, a wrap-up party was held. She was always made to sit next to him, and he constantly put his arm around her waist and gave her hugs. When the parties ended, she frantically did her best to avoid him. But staff members often tried to get her to take a taxi with him alone. One day, after the last show was recorded, she managed to catch a taxi alone. But she received a text message from the celebrity before she reached her apartment. 'Where are you now? Where is your place? I will be there,' the text said. The woman, flustered, replied: 'My place is so cluttered that there is no space for you to sit down.' His response was: 'I can do 'it' while standing in the entrance.' The woman was so shaken by the sexual insinuation that she did not reply. The following morning, when she told her boss about the text messages, he showed concern, saying, 'That must have been tough.' He promised to arrange her shifts so that she could avoid bumping into the celebrity when he visited the TV station. After the texting incident, however, she heard from multiple colleagues that she was expected to be cast as a new MC of a popular program bearing the TV personality's name because he had asked, but she had been removed from consideration at the last minute. She was also bypassed for roles in other programs. 'I was shocked as my work was disappearing,' the woman said. 'All I did was protect myself from sexual abuse.' She said she sometimes wonders even today whether she would have been better off if she had tolerated the celebrity's sexual advances. But her answer always comes back as 'no,' and she has no regrets, she added. The report about Fuji TV said the sexual assault against the woman occurred in June 2023 after the announcer attended a private dinner with Nakai as an 'extension' of her work. The victim told the panel she felt she had 'no choice but to go along with a bigwig in the entertainment industry,' given his clout in the broadcaster. She also feared she 'might not be cast in programs' if she refused to meet him, according to the report. LOST JOBS AFTER REJECTING TV HOST A magazine late last year broke the story about Nakai's 'misconduct.' A 28-year-old announcer with a local TV station said she initially wondered why the Fuji TV announcer did not take steps to avoid the danger and protect herself. But after reading the findings of the independent investigation, she said her view shifted. 'The same thing could have happened to me if I had been put in her situation,' the woman said. She said she is aware that 'professional skills alone are often not enough to land a role in popular shows.' She has witnessed numerous instances in which announcers in the good graces of the company's board members have been cast in prime programs. In hopes of advancing her own career, she has attended drinking parties with client companies on the request of the broadcaster's sales department. The woman said the Fuji TV victim, like her, worked hard with the goal of appearing in a certain program she had in mind. The Fuji TV announcer's drive was used to sexually exploit her, the woman said. The Fuji TV investigation committee described women in broadcasting as 'vulnerable' to sexual harassment due to a power imbalance. 'While they are employees of a broadcaster, they can appear in a program only after being cast by the program's producer, putting them in a position where they need to be selected,' the panel's report said. 'It is not surprising for female announcers hoping to be cast in a program to feel they are not equal to people with the authority to appoint,' the panel stated. These powerful people include officials in programming departments, producers, directors and TV show hosts, it said. MERIT-BASED HIRING Yasuhiro Kato, who runs a school for students aspiring to be TV announcers, said he focused on professional skills when he was in charge of the department of announcers at Mainichi Broadcasting System Inc. in Osaka. He insisted on having the final say on whether an announcer sought by a program production crew should actually get the assignment. 'I had repeatedly told the production staff that an announcer's job is to grab the hearts of viewers and listeners by the way they deliver the news. They must work hard for years to hone these skills,' he said. Kato suspects that viewers, not to mention influential executives, place the emphasis on the looks of women who read the news. He called for a change in the way society thinks of female professionals and the value of being young. (This article was written by Midori Iki and Saori Kuroda.)
The Mainichi
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Mainichi
Japan's Fuji TV airs probe into own response over Nakai's alleged sex assault of announcer
TOKYO -- A program reviewing Fuji TV's own response to the alleged sexual harassment of a former announcer by ex-personality Masahiro Nakai was aired on the network on July 6. Tokyo-based Fuji Television Network Inc. (Fuji TV) aired the program examining its internal handling of an alleged sexual assault case involving Nakai, which a third-party committee has acknowledged as sexual violence against a former female announcer of the network. At the start of the program, Fuji TV President Kenji Shimizu offered a renewed apology, stating, "We deeply apologize for causing concern and trouble regarding human rights and compliance issues." The alleged incident occurred in June 2023. Former Fuji TV President Koichi Minato and former executive managing director Toru Ota, who initially addressed the issue, appeared on the program to testify regarding the mishandling of their internal response. The program detailed the third-party committee's investigative report, released at the end of March, which found that the woman had experienced "sexual violence in the course of work-related activities." Minato stated, "I want to apologize (to her). I caused her pain by failing to fully empathize with her feelings." According to the program, when Minato and others first received reports of the assault in August 2023, they classified it as a "private matter between a man and a woman" based on reasons including the woman having gone to Nakai's apartment, and afterward did not conduct fact-finding inquiries with Nakai himself. Additionally, the third-party committee criticized Fuji TV, stating that "harassment is pervasive throughout the entire company," and that numerous gatherings had taken place focusing on gender, age and appearance to forge good working relationships with program participants and performers. The program featured confirmation of these practices with Minato, Ota and others who held such meetings. A female announcer who participated in gatherings organized by Ota testified, "He would always say things like, 'Female announcers are like high-end nightclub hostesses. A good announcer is one who can sell well as a hostess.'" Ota responded during the program, "I personally don't remember saying that, but I don't deny it at all since she remembers those remarks." Another woman who attended Minato's gatherings described them as "abnormal meetings, gathering only young, attractive women who could entertain clients." Regarding the corporate culture behind the scandal, the program also covered the responsibilities of Hisashi Hieda, who served as director for more than 40 years. The third-party committee had pointed out the harm of Hieda's significant influence over executive appointments. Despite three requests, Hieda declined interviews for the program. The investigation instead relied on testimonies from former executives and highlighted that Hieda's continued control over personnel decisions weakened Fuji TV's corporate governance. Ryunosuke Endo, former vice chairperson and a confidant of Hieda, revealed a meeting that took place the day before lasting more than 10 hours of press conference held on Jan. 27, where he appealed to Hieda for about 40 minutes to resign. Endo recalled saying, "If you don't step down, the situation will never settle." Endo also pointed out the harmful influence of Hieda's longstanding authority, expressing concerns that "executives and department heads trying to win Mr. Hieda's favor negatively impact younger employees' motivation significantly." Nonetheless, Hieda reportedly refused, replying, "I won't quit. Are you quitting without a fight?" Former Fuji TV President Ko Toyoda, who served from 2007 to 2013, provided written testimony stating, "It is true that Mr. Hieda controlled both executive appointments and their compensation, demonstrating a failure in governance." The program further examined the former programming department chief who introduced Nakai to the female announcer involved. An employee who had worked with this former chief testified that he and Nakai were mahjong companions. He said their relationship was such that if Nakai called with an invitation, the former chief would "drop everything, even private commitments, to hurry to him." Another employee explained that the former programming chief's promotion was largely due to his success in producing hit shows in collaboration with influential talents like Nakai.
12-06-2025
- Business
Fuji TV Pres. Confident of Parent's Board Candidates
News from Japan Economy Jun 12, 2025 16:02 (JST) Tokyo, June 12 (Jiji Press)--Fuji Television Network Inc. President Kenji Shimizu has expressed confidence that parent Fuji Media Holdings Inc.'s slate of candidates for its board of directors will lead group governance reform. "We have created a proposal for a new management team that has no influence at all from (former group boss Hisashi) Hieda," Shimizu said in an interview Wednesday. "It is a surprise that some believe his sway remains." He was discussing the candidates Fuji Media hopes to get approval for in its shareholders meeting on June 25. The Fuji Media group, which came under fire for its handling of a scandal, is in a battle with a major shareholder for support for their respective board candidates. Fuji Media has proposed 11 director candidates, of whom Shimizu is the only member currently on the board. The other 14 current directors, including Hieda, will step down. Meanwhile, the major shareholder, U.S. fund Dalton Investments, has proposed 12 candidates, including SBI Holdings Inc. Chairman and President Yoshitaka Kitao. [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.] Jiji Press
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
Fuji TV to Sue Ex-Execs over Response to Nakai Scandal
News from Japan Society Culture Jun 5, 2025 20:53 (JST) Tokyo, June 5 (Jiji Press)--Fuji Television Network Inc. said Thursday that it is preparing to file a lawsuit against former President Koichi Minato and former Executive Vice President Toru Ota over the broadcaster's response to an alleged sexual assault by former TV star Masahiro Nakai. The company decided to question the responsibilities of Minato and Ota for the matter under the corporate law. Meanwhile, the company demoted the then head of programming by four ranks for his alleged secondary harassment of the victim, a former Fuji TV announcer, as he delivered cash and other consolation gifts from Nakai to her in a hospital. He was also suspended for one month for another harassment case. For failing to take appropriate action despite knowing about the alleged sexual assault, the then production bureau head was slapped with a 50 pct pay cut and the heads of the announcer's office and the personnel affairs bureau were reprimanded. All of the punitive measures were implemented Monday. [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.] Jiji Press
03-06-2025
- Business
Japan to Set Up Panel on Broadcasters' Governance
News from Japan Technology Jun 3, 2025 18:12 (JST) Tokyo, June 3 (Jiji Press)--Japanese communications minister Seiichiro Murakami said Tuesday that the government will set up a panel to ensure the proper governance of broadcasting companies. The move comes after a third-party investigative committee found earlier this year that Fuji Television Network Inc. lacked governance over a scandal involving former television personality Masahiro Nakai, who allegedly sexually assaulted a then Fuji TV announcer. The first meeting of the new panel will be held this month. "To regain people's trust in broadcasters, it's necessary to take measures to ensure healthy governance under a framework based on autonomy and self-reliance," Murakami said. The panel will clarify the necessary governance for broadcasters, as well as the roles of broadcasters, industry groups and the government. [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.] Jiji Press
