Fuji Television announced in a 10-hour news conference on January 27 that its executives will step down over the network's response to a scandal involving former TV star Nakai Masahiro.

This was the second time the scandal-hit broadcaster held a press conference, which drew 437 reporters and 191 media outlets, after it received criticism for barring cameras and freelance journalists from the first one it held on January 17.

Fuji TV Chairman Kanoh Shuji / Due to the company's lack of awareness of human rights, we were not able to provide sufficient care. I would like to offer my sincerest apology to the woman who was involved.

Fuji TV Chairman Kanoh Shuji and President Minato Koichi announced they will step down to take responsibility for the situation.

Minato said that the Fuji TV employee that  was reportedly involved in the scandal denied the magazine's coverage that he cancelled a party, which allowed Nakai to meet the woman alone.

Minato also said that the employee has denied knowledge of the party. 
 
The executives said they checked the employee’s smartphone and messages too. They also mentioned that Nakai told during interviews with Fuji TV that the employee was not involved.

However, the network has been able to confirm that the woman participated in a barbecue at Nakai's home at the invitation of the employee in May, prior to the party in question.

Minato also said that in August 2023, he received a report saying that trouble had occurred between Nakai and the woman in June 2023.

However, the case was not reported to the compliance office because the woman had allegedly wanted to return to work without anyone's knowledge of the incident.

The outgoing president admitted that Fuji TV had held onto values and procedures from the past, and stressed the need to re-create new procedures to update them to current standards.

At least 75 companies have pulled their commercials from Fuji TV programs in the wake of the scandal.

The executives also unveiled during the conference that commercials on its streaming service TVer are also being affected. 

Fuji TV Vice Chairman Endo Ryunosuke said that the company was refunding advertising costs to sponsors who suspended commercials on the channel. 

Hieda Hisashi, Fuji's executive managing advisor and an influential figure in shaping Fuji TV's corporate culture, was absent from the news conference because he "does not execute business," according to Kanoh.