Masahiro Nakai: Is the downfall of a Japanese star a turning point for women's rights?

In recent months, the Japanese entertainment industry has been shaken by a scandal that has not only led to the downfall of a popular celebrity but also put a major broadcasting corporation in crisis. The incident has also sparked a shift in attitudes towards sexual assault cases in Japan, where victims have traditionally remained silent due to feelings of shame. This shift highlights a growing awareness of the issue and a demand for greater accountability.

At the heart of the incident is Masahiro Nakai, a household name and a prominent host on Fuji Television, one of Japan's largest broadcasting companies. Nakai, also a former member of the J-Pop idol group SMAP, has been accused of sexually assaulting a woman at a dinner party in 2023. The allegations have sent shockwaves through the industry and raised questions about the culture surrounding such events.

The incident first surfaced in the weekly magazine Shukan Bunshun last December, the latest in a series of scandals involving celebrities in Japan, including the case of the late entertainment mogul Johnny Kitagawa. Investigators found that Kitagawa had abused hundreds of boys and young men over six decades. These revelations have prompted a broader examination of power dynamics and abuse within the entertainment industry.

While Nakai has not admitted guilt, he issued a statement apologizing for "causing trouble" and stating that he had "resolved" the matter with the woman through a settlement, reportedly exceeding $500,000. However, as public outrage mounted, Nakai was forced to announce his withdrawal from the entertainment industry in January, while denying using violence against the woman. Another television station, Tokyo Broadcasting System, also stopped broadcasting the program regularly hosted by Nakai. This illustrates the growing pressure on celebrities and media outlets to address allegations of misconduct.

The incident has had a devastating impact on Fuji Television. The broadcasting company's reputation has plummeted, its revenue is threatened, and some executives have been forced to resign. As public anger grew, prominent companies such as Nissan and Toyota withdrew their advertisements from the broadcasting company. Fuji Television later admitted that it had allowed Nakai to continue hosting programs even after learning of the allegations. This has raised serious questions about the company's handling of the situation and its commitment to ethical standards.

Keiko Kojima, a former television host who worked in the Japanese media industry for 15 years, told the BBC: "If this had happened 10 years ago, there wouldn't have been such a strong outcry." Sexual violence against women is one of Japan's most unspoken secrets. A 2020 survey showed that more than 70% of sexual assault cases in the country go unreported. According to a 2024 study published in the Asian Journal of International Studies, only 10-20 out of every 1,000 rape cases in Japan lead to criminal convictions, and less than half of those convicted of rape are imprisoned. This highlights the systemic challenges in addressing sexual violence and ensuring justice for victims.

Machiko Osawa, professor emeritus at Japan Women's University in Tokyo, told the BBC: "There is still a prevailing attitude of 'it can't be helped' or 'there's nothing you can do,' which is projected onto women – so they are encouraged to remain silent." She added that women are rarely believed, and there are not even proper mechanisms in place to report such incidents, which contributes to this culture of silence. Overcoming these deeply ingrained attitudes and establishing effective reporting systems are crucial steps in combating sexual violence.

Kojima said that the media industry, in particular, has long had a culture of impunity and a lack of accountability, and many young women feel they have to remain silent to keep their jobs. "It was common for men to make rude comments about women's bodies, appearances or age. I remember my colleagues and I being asked how many people we had had sex with," she said. "We were expected to answer with a sense of humor, rather than being angry or offended. I saw sexual harassment and other forms of denigrating women every day. For women, adapting to these situations was the only way to become a full-fledged television or media professional." This highlights the pervasive nature of sexism and harassment within the industry and the pressure on women to conform.

The Fuji Television case has also raised the question of whether dinner and drinking parties involving celebrities and young women are a common practice. Although Shukan Bunshun retracted an earlier report claiming that the alleged assault took place at a party organized by Fuji Television, Kojima told the BBC that it is indeed common to use women as "entertainment tools." "In Japanese work culture, it is a daily practice to semi-compulsorily take young female employees to events to entertain clients." "Men are happy when young women join them. Women are like a gift, and taking a young woman with you is a way of showing hospitality to the other person, and this idea is very common." This sheds light on the deeply ingrained gender dynamics and the objectification of women in certain professional settings.

That's why the fallout from this scandal has encouraged women's rights activists. Minori Kithara, one of the founders of the "Flower Demo" movement, in which victims of sexual violence and their supporters gather in public places on the 11th of every month, admitted that she was surprised by how quickly and harshly sponsors reacted. "Even if it's more about self-preservation than human rights for sponsors, this is a turning point for the #MeToo movement in Japan. It's up to us how big we make it," she told the BBC. This demonstrates the growing power of activism and the potential for lasting change in addressing sexual violence.

Nearly 50 companies have already left the disgraced broadcasting company. The government has also withdrawn all recent and planned advertisements with the network. The Japanese government has called on Fuji Television to regain the trust of viewers and sponsors. So far, it appears to have done neither. The scandal, and the role the broadcasting company played in covering it up, has plunged it into a crisis management frenzy that seems to have further disgraced it and fueled more public anger. This underscores the severity of the consequences for companies that fail to address allegations of misconduct and prioritize ethical behavior.

Koichi Minato, then president of Fuji Television, admitted that the company knew about the allegations shortly after the alleged incident occurred. But he said they chose not to disclose it at the time because they "prioritized the woman's physical and mental recovery and protecting her privacy." After a news conference aimed at appeasing anger turned into a public relations disaster, the company held a second news conference that lasted 10 hours – designed to express remorse. Both Fuji Television Chairman Shuuji Kano and President Koichi Minato resigned – bowing humbly as they announced their resignations. Kenji Shimizu, the company's executive vice president, will replace Minato as president. These actions highlight the pressure on corporate leaders to take responsibility for their organization's failures and demonstrate a commitment to change.

However, these were seen as merely moves to save face and revenue, rather than substantive change, especially since the president's successor belongs to the same leadership cadre. Professor Osawa told the BBC that high-profile cases like Fuji Television are important precedents for changing these patterns. The incident is the latest in a series of high-profile sexual misconduct cases that have sparked discussions about women's rights in Japan. These include the case of journalist Shiori Ito, who became a symbol of the country's #MeToo movement after she publicly accused veteran television journalist Noriyuki Yamaguchi of raping her after meeting her for drinks in 2017. Although he denied the allegations, in 2019, she won a civil lawsuit against him. These cases demonstrate the growing willingness of women to speak out and challenge the culture of silence surrounding sexual violence.

Kojima said: "People have now started to realize that it's OK to speak out and say that this (sexual harassment) is a problem. We are changing what we take for granted." Both Kojima and Kithara said that progress in Japan is not fast enough. Kojima said: "I think it's time for that generation (of media leadership) to step down. The industry needs to create a new corporate culture. Change is slow." "The television industry has long ignored issues of exploitation and violence and has not properly dealt with victims. If the root of the problem is not changed, the same thing will happen again." This underscores the need for systemic change and a shift in attitudes and behaviors within the media industry and beyond.

Professor Osawa agreed that while change is happening, Japan still has a long way to go. Mainly because of the pervasive power imbalance in the country's male-dominated society. She added that while women have been joining the workforce for decades, they are still seen as "caregivers" and men are seen as "breadwinners" in a society still deeply influenced by patriarchal values. She said: "This is an important moment... but it is not clear how much attitudes will change." While Kitahara is hopeful, she said she is still angry: "Sexual violence has never stopped." "I still meet new survivors at the Flower Demo (protests) every month and learn about what happened to them. The other day we met a high school girl. When we started this movement (in 2019), she was probably still in junior high school," she said. "I hope that one day I will never have to attend a Flower Demo protest again." This highlights the ongoing struggle for gender equality and the urgent need to address the root causes of sexual violence in Japanese society.