Nintendo suspends commercials on major Japanese TV network amidst sex scandal 

Nintendo announced that it will be discontinuing its commercials on Fuji Television (aka Fuji TV) following reports of a sex scandal that involves the Japanese TV network and Masahiro Nakai – former leader of the boy band SMAP as well as a popular host, presenter, and actor.

The scale of the case and public outcry in response to it has caused a total of 50 companies (including Toyota and Kao Corporation) to withdraw their support for the network, with Nintendo being the latest to join the boycott (source: The Nikkei). 

The allegations against Nakai started back in December 2024, when it was reported by Japanese weekly magazine Josei Seven that a dinner for Fuji TV employees had been planned by a company executive. According to another weekly magazine, Weekly Bunshun, only Nakai and a single woman ended up attending the dinner. Nakai then proceeded to sexually assault the woman and eventually paid a 90-million-yen (roughly $578,664 USD) out-of-court settlement.

While Nakai issued an apology on his official website, the issue has snowballed to the point where Fuji TV hired external lawyers to investigate the scandal, as suspicions arise that the company may have a “culture” of using female presenters to entertain male celebrities. 

Moving forward, the absence of the Nintendo commercials on Fuji TV will be replaced with Advertising Council Japan (AC Japan) public service announcements that come from the non-profit organization. Nintendo’s decision to back out has been met with approval from the Japanese public, with fans on X expressing relief.