Context
Fuji TV, one of Japan’s most prominent TV networks, is recently embroiled in shocking scandals regarding the sexual exploitation of female talents. This woman named Aoki Kanon 青木歌音 used to be a talent who performed on a show associated with Fuji TV. In this video, she confesses her experience of being sexually exploited and traumatized by a powerful figure from Fuji TV. She says that in the entertainment industry, especially the circles of Fuji TV, sexual exploitation of female talents is normalized.
News report of her accusations: https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/076385650bf7822fa1d2ac4f3e4e487b66335cb6
Highlights
- Accusations Summary: Aoki Kanon accuses a powerful Fuji TV figure of sexually exploiting her and publicly humiliating her in sexual ways
- Mental Health Impact: The exploitation caused her significant mental distress, leading to consequences like uncontrollable shaking and coping with alcohol abuse
- Cultural Issues in Fuji TV: Sexual harassment and exploitation of female talents were normalized within Fuji TV’s circle, and powerful figures were untouchable due to their status
- Career Consequences: Aoki’s decision to speak out has led to her current agency canceling her contract
- Era of Change: Aoki says that TV networks are losing their former god-like status, allowing talents to challenge corrupt practices without fear of total career destruction
Translation
My accusations regarding the sexual exploitation that happen at Fuji TV are making news headlines. Many of you have probably seen my following social media posts regarding my experience of being sexually exploited by a powerful figure from Fuji TV.
“Fuji TV has many pushy people among their producers. When I was an announcer, there was a powerful figure from Fuji TV who made me get in his car. He wouldn’t let me get out of his car until I satisfied his sexual needs. If I refused, he would get angry. I suffered from mental illness and had to be medicated.”
“I don’t think I will be able to get gigs from Fuji TV after going public with my accusations. If this was 10 years ago, I’d have limited choices in my career; however, nowadays, TV networks aren’t gods anymore. At the time, I was scared to offend them. But I’m no longer afraid of TV networks. I have learned how to survive without relying on TV networks.”
At first, I didn’t want to publicize my accusations. Some years ago, I publicly accused a comedian of sexually exploiting me. I received a lot of criticism for doing so, which is why I gave up on these things. On the internet, when victims tell the truth, they get criticized. I was so disappointed and decided to stop telling the truth. However, my social media posts have made my current agency decide to cancel their contract with me, which is why I am making this video.
My current agency had told me before to not start controversies on the internet. I understand that, but I feel like if I don’t speak out this time, the world would never change. I am publicly making these accusations to speed up the process of cleaning up this corrupt industry. I am seeing how the publicization of these scandals are speeding up changes within Fuji TV. I still feel a deep sense of hatred about my traumatic past. I feel that these corrupt trends must be cleaned up. Even though my agency told me to say nothing, I told my manager that it’s necessary to clean up the corruption and I would go public even if the agency tries to stop me. After hearing that from me, my agency had an emergency meeting with me to cancel my contract. Even though I don’t want to bad mouth my agency, I question whether it’s right to stay silent on this issue. Since my agency manages many talents who depend on gigs from TV networks, they can’t represent a talent like me who publicly announces that talents no longer need to rely on TV networks.
I used to work as a talent for a program associated with Fuji TV. There was a powerful figure from Fuji TV who sexually harassed me and did many bad things to me. This man used to work with the producer Nakajima Yuuichi 中嶋優一, but his status was even higher than Nakajima. In the Fuji TV circle, it was normalized to sexually harass women. The powerful men who produced famous shows were revered by those around them, and it was impossible to protest against them. At the time, I was willing to do anything to be on TV. After work, he frequently told me to ride in his car and go to dinner with him; it was impossible to say no to him. At first, spending time with him was fine. Later on, he started to frequently ask me to meet him in private and forced himself on me. At work, he would publicly make sexually offensive comments about me like dirty comments about my breasts; he would sexually harass me in front of everyone. I couldn’t protest against him in a straightforward way, and all I could do was to try protesting in joking ways. When I protested, I was not invited to go on the show for 2 or 3 weeks. I had to apologize in order to be put back on the show. After work, he would command me to do things with him like getting in his car and kissing him. When we were intimate, it felt like I wouldn’t be freed until I satisfied his needs.
Eventually, I started to mentally break down. When I saw him during work, like when he was watching me when I was in the studio, I would start shaking. That was when I realized I was having mental problems. To calm my nerves, I would secretly intoxicate myself with alcohol when working. I was doing shows while drunk.
One time, he made me dine with other producers in Roppongi. Out of the blue, he said to everyone that I had nice breasts and told me to show my breasts to everyone. I thought that I had to follow his order because if I didn’t, he would do something even worse to me. He often intimidated me by showing me photos of him doing sexually intimate things with famous female talents and telling me that he’s the only person who can talk to some powerful figures as equals. He made himself appear very powerful, which made me scared to say no to him. The only saving grace was that the show was soon terminated before things between me and him further escalated. If things were allowed to continue, I would have gone mad.
Finally, we are living in an era when TV networks are no longer gods, and we finally have a chance to fight back and win against these powerful enemies. You might wonder why I am not telling you the name of the man. I will only be able to publicly say his name if 1) my personal safety can be guaranteed and 2) I have enough money to fight against lawsuits from him. I don’t have concrete evidence because I didn’t collect evidence like voice recording. At the time, I was so brainwashed that I didn’t even realize that I was being exploited.
Even though I am unable to publicly say his name, I think my statements can still help improve the culture of the entertainment industry. As more public accusations come forward, I hear that the powerful figures in the industry are becoming a lot more careful and respectful about how they interact with talents. Even if I am powerless, I can still help expose the industry and put pressure on it. I hope those who were watching me show my breasts in the restaurant are watching this and feeling scared. I want them to know that if I really want to publicize their names, I can punish them with social pressure.
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