On Monday, investigative sources revealed that Shinji Saito has been referred to prosecutors over allegations of sexually assaulting a woman and performing nonconsensual sexual intercourse on her whilst on a bus at a filming location. Saito, 41, who is a member of the popular comedy trio Jungle Pocket, said, “it was a reckless act that caused trouble for the other party and my own family.” However, he claimed it was consensual. The victim said she will never be able to forgive the comedian for what he did. His agency, Yoshimoto Kogyo, terminated his contract. Saito’s case is the latest in a long line of recent sexual assault scandals involving celebrities and well-known figures in the entertainment industry in Japan.
Hitoshi Matsumoto
At the end of last year, the Shukan Bunshun weekly magazine published a story quoting two women who alleged that Hitoshi Matsumoto, one half of the popular comedy duo Downtown, forced them into sexual activities during private parties at an upscale hotel in Tokyo in 2015. One of the accusers alleged forced oral sex while the other claimed she was forcibly kissed. Matsumoto vehemently denied the allegations. “I’ll fight because it is totally groundless,” he wrote on X. He added, “I would like to go on hiatus as I will not be able to dedicate myself to comedy as I currently do while simultaneously engaging with the trial.” In January, Matsumoto sued Bungei Shunju, the publisher of Shukan Bunshun, alleging that it had defamed him by publishing the story. He is seeking damages of ¥550 million.
Hideo Sakaki
In February, director and actor Hideo Sakaki — best known for cult films such as Versus and Battlefield Baseball — was arrested on suspicion of sexually assaulting a woman in her 20s. He denied the charges. The incident was said to have taken place on May 23, 2016. Sakaki and the alleged victim reportedly met at an acting instruction workshop led by the director. They had reportedly been out for some drinks and food when he invited her to his apartment to “talk a little bit more about acting.” He later suggested she remove her clothes, so he could check what she looked like naked, as it would be difficult to land roles with a tattoo. In March 2022, four women accused Sakaki of sexual assault in the weekly tabloid Shukan Bunshun. He admitted to having sex with them, but claimed it was consensual.
Houka Kinoshita
In addition to the accusations against Sakaki, three actresses also came forward alleging that Houka Kinoshita sexually assaulted and abused them in 2011. The victims claimed that Kinoshita collaborated with Sakaki in sexual coercion by introducing young women to each other that were looking to break into the film industry. Kinoshita, who was dropped by his management, said there were “some differences from the facts,” adding that he didn’t remember certain things from 10 years ago. Two months after the allegations against Kinoshita and Sakaki broke, Japan was rocked by another sexual assault claim against a high-profile individual in the film industry. Sion Sono was accused of sexual harassment and assault by two unnamed actresses in Shukan Josei. Earlier this year, he reached a settlement with the magazine and the two articles featuring the allegations were deleted.
Johnny Kitagawa
Johnny Kitagawa
While there have been rumors about Johnny Kitagawa’s crimes for decades, it was only last year that the company he founded, Johnny & Associates, admitted to the allegations against him. Kitagawa, who once held the Guinness World Records for the most No. 1 artists, the most No. 1 singles, and the most concerts produced by an individual, was accused by hundreds of former members of sexual abuse, four years after he died. The agency, which changed its name to Smile-Up last year, said on its website that 999 people have reported allegations so far. As of September 30, it has proposed compensation payments to 524 of those claimants. Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Yasunobu Shiga, one of the accusers, said simply paying out money doesn’t settle the matter. He is concerned that the scandal is beginning to fade from people’s minds and described Smile-Up’s response as “insincere.”
