Key takeaways:

• Masahiro Nakai retires after sexual assault allegations linked to a 2023 dinner party.
• Dozens of companies, including major brands like Nissan and Toyota, have pulled advertisements from Fuji TV.
• Fuji TV president acknowledges a lack of transparency and plans to open an independent investigation.
• The incident is part of a broader wave of sexual misconduct allegations in Japan's entertainment industry.
• Nakai expressed regret, stating, "I'm really, really sorry for saying good-bye this way."

Masahiro Nakai, one of Japan's most prominent television personalities and a former pop star, has announced his retirement, a decision propelled by ongoing allegations of sexual assault that have triggered widespread backlash against Fuji Television, where he worked. Nakai's retirement comes in the wake of reports detailing his involvement in a scandal that involved a 90 million yen ($578,000) settlement with a woman over an alleged assault at a dinner party organized by Fuji TV staff in 2023.

Dozens of major companies, including automobile giants Nissan and Toyota, along with the retailer Seven & I Holdings, have pulled their advertisements from the network as a response to the allegations and the perceived lack of accountability on the part of Fuji TV executives. Initial reactions from advertisers were muted, but grew fierce following a press conference in which Fuji TV president Koichi Minato disclosed that the company had known about the scandal six months prior but had failed to act. Minato's admission that Fuji TV had not been transparent regarding the situation drew criticism from both the public and shareholders.

Nakai, who was immensely popular as a member of the iconic boy band SMAP, expressed his remorse in a statement, acknowledging the trouble caused and announcing his decision to step away from the entertainment industry. "I am truly sorry for causing trouble and losses to so many people," he articulated. Despite denying any violent conduct, his claims of a resolved dispute did little to diminish public outrage against both him and Fuji TV.

This incident surfaces amid a broader reckoning within Japan's entertainment sphere, where increasing scrutiny and exposure of past misconducts have gained traction. The fallout from these allegations not only impacts Nakai personally but also significantly alters the landscape for Fuji TV, with plans for an independent inquiry into the matter underway. As the company grapples with the implications of the scandal, Nakai's high-profile retirement is emblematic of a changing attitude towards accountability in Japan's entertainment industry.