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Kansai TV President Toru Ohta has officially thrown in the towel, stepping down after a scandal that’s sent shockwaves through the Japanese broadcasting world.
The whole mess ties back to an ugly controversy involving ex-talent Masahiro Nakai and a former Fuji TV announcer — and it's hit Kansai TV (Kantele) hard in the pocket.
Ohta, who was a senior exec at Fuji TV when the incident first surfaced, admitted he gave the green light to Masahiro Nakai’s continued work activities even after the issue was brought to his attention.
That decision? It's cost Kansai TV dearly.
Sixty-three sponsors have pulled their adverts, leading to a predicted revenue dip of around 900 million yen for April alone.
That’s roughly a 30% drop compared to this time last year. Ouch.
Speaking to reporters, Ohta came clean: “I’ve resigned as president of Kansai TV as of today. The third-party committee’s report gave me a hard but fair slap on the wrist. I take that seriously and feel I can’t continue in this role any longer.”
That report he’s referring to?
A hefty 300+ page document released by Fuji TV on 31 March.
It didn’t hold back.
It slammed Ohta and other top brass at the time for brushing off the victim’s claims last June as nothing more than “a private matter between two adults.”
The report blasted their handling as lacking any real awareness of sexual violence or human rights.
Ohta, who held a key decision-making role when he was still with Fuji TV, found himself named and shamed directly in the findings.
The victim had reached out to Fuji TV, claiming she’d suffered sexual abuse from Nakai, but was reportedly ignored.
Instead, Ohta and then-Fuji TV president Koichi Minato allegedly chalked it up to a personal lovers' spat — a move that’s since been labelled tone-deaf and irresponsible.
The fallout? Massive.
Between January and March this year, Kansai TV has already seen a ¥300 million revenue dip, and things are only set to get worse this month.
With sponsor confidence at an all-time low, it’s no wonder Kansai TV’s leadership is scrambling.
Ohta’s resignation may be a move to take responsibility, but critics are calling it too little, too late.
Many within the industry and public alike feel the company’s slow and dismissive response reflects a deeper issue with how big media handles abuse allegations — especially when they involve high-profile names.
For now, Kansai TV is left licking its wounds, trying to contain the damage and win back trust from advertisers and viewers alike.
But with over 60 brands bailing and millions in revenue hanging in the balance, it’s going to be a tough climb.