TOKYO (TR) – Masahiro Nakai, a former member of the boy band SMAP and television personality, apologized this week over reported “trouble” with a woman more than one year ago.
“I am very sorry for the inconvenience this has caused everyone,” Nakai said in a statement made on Thursday. “Some of the reports are not true, and I am very sorry for the other party and all the people involved.”
The incident took place in 2023. Tabloids reported last month that Nakai, 52, was one of three people scheduled to attend a dinner party. However, after one executive from Fuji Television Network Inc. cancelled he was left alone with an unnamed woman in the entertainment industry.
Further details as to what transpired thereafter are not available since, as Nakai said, a settlement was reached with the woman.
“I have refrained from making any announcements due to confidentiality obligations associated with the settlement with the other party,” he added in the statement. “I have caused many difficulties in my own activities, so I would like to share as much as I can.”
It was also reported that Nakai paid the woman 90 million yen in reaching a settlement.
After the scandal surfaced, Nippon Television Network Corp. removed all scenes featuring Nakai from a program that ran on January 7.
Fuji Television said on January 8 that a program scheduled to air January 12 and emceed by Nakai would be replaced. It also said that Nakai would not be included in any future programming for the time being.
Nakai acknowledged that while there was in fact “trouble” with the woman there was “there was absolutely no violence, such as raising one’s hand, in this trouble, as some reports have stated.”
Nakai closed his statement by saying, “Finally. All of this trouble is due to my shortcomings.
There is another party involved in this matter. I sincerely ask that you refrain from speculating or slandering [her regarding] this matter. I sincerely apologize to everyone. I am truly sorry.”
