TOKYO (TR) – Japan’s public broadcaster NHK is facing intense public backlash after revealing on August 5 that it mishandled a case in which an employee developed PTSD after being sexually assaulted by a program guest, reports Smart Flash (Aug. 6).
According to a press conference, the assault took place following a social gathering. The traumatized employee suffered a breakdown, took a leave of absence, and formally reported the victimization to the network more than a year later.
However, when the employee pleaded for a transfer to a different department, NHK’s personnel division callously refused, citing a strict company policy that employees “must return to their original workplace.”
It took over three years following the assault for the victim to finally be transferred to a requested department. The employee was subsequently diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
“No memory”
The network admitted that the personnel department essentially swept the incident under the rug, failing to report the matter to the risk management division. NHK’s president and top executives only became aware of the situation in April 2025, after the employee demanded an explanation through a labor union.
NHK has since apologized to the employee, admitting that its response was inappropriate and failed to recognize the gravity of the human rights violation.
However, the network is keeping tight-lipped on the details, refusing to disclose the time of the incident or the identities and genders of the employee and the guest, claiming it wants to “prevent further human rights violations.”
The accused program guest reportedly offered a familiar excuse to the network, stating, “I was drinking and have no memory of it. If it is true, I am sorry.”
Public anger mounting
Public anger is mounting on social media, with users on X branding NHK a “crime cover-up organization.” Outrage was further fueled by the revelation that the personnel staff who denied the victim’s transfer request were only handed light warnings.
Industry insiders are drawing direct parallels to a recent, high-profile scandal at Fuji TV involving television personality Masahiro Nakai and a female announcer. In that case, Fuji TV management dismissed the announcer’s assault report as a “private problem,” bypassing compliance departments entirely. That cover-up was exposed by News Seven in late 2024, ultimately leading to Nakai’s retirement, the resignation of Fuji TV’s president, and a third-party committee investigation.
“Both networks share a common trait of trying to maintain the status quo by delaying transfers and failing to report to risk management,” an entertainment industry insider noted. “Furthermore, both companies were extremely cautious about initial information disclosure.”
With the assailant’s name still hidden and NHK’s internal punishments amounting to a slap on the wrist, the crisis management standards of Japan’s major broadcasting networks are once again being called into severe question.
