Photo/Illutration Fuji Television Network Inc.’s headquarters in Tokyo’s Minato Ward (Asahi Shimbun file photo)

I find myself asking: What if? What if the truth about Masahiro Nakai’s sexual violence had never come to light? Would he, a boy band idol-turned-celebrated TV host, still be appearing onscreen with the same familiar, composed expression?

Would we, the audience, still be laughing at his jokes, blissfully unaware of the harm beneath the surface?

The thought is chilling. And yet, the reality is this: we do know. The illusion has been shattered. No matter how clever or charming his words may now seem, they could no longer evoke the laughter they once invited.

A third-party investigative committee established by Fuji Television Network Inc. and its parent company, Fuji Media Holdings Inc., has released its report into the allegations of sexual assault committed by Nakai against a former Fuji TV announcer. I read nearly 300 pages of the report in a single sitting.

Again and again, I found myself halted by passages so disturbing they were difficult to process.

Among them was a moment that especially shocked me: when a Fuji employee informed Nakai that the victim was leaving the company, his response was chillingly flippant.

The disgraced celebrity replied with the weightlessness of a feather: “Got it, thanks. Feels like things have settled down a bit. You’ve helped a lot.”

Nakai has announced his retirement from the entertainment industry—a gesture that may offer closure to some. But even now, one must ask: why has he not offered a statement in his own words?  

As someone whose career was built on the unwavering support of viewers nationwide, or, simply as a grown adult, shouldn’t he feel more compelled to say something publicly?

Fuji TV’s response has been nothing short of appalling—so inadequate, in fact, that it leaves one at a loss for words.

In a public statement released on April 1, the woman at the center of the case said, “The damage I have suffered will never go away and what I have lost will never be recovered.”

She went on to add, “I sincerely hope that this will never happen again—not only in the media and entertainment industry, but in society as a whole.”

Her words are a profound indictment that carries undeniable weight.

And once more, I find myself asking: What if? What if something equally painful, equally unjust, was unfolding right beside me? Would I be too distracted, or too indifferent, to notice?

With my hand over my heart, I think of all the "what ifs" I failed to see.

—The Asahi Shimbun, April 2

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Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.

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