Fuji TV Regains 80 Pct of Sponsors, 1 Year On

Tokyo, Jan. 29 (Jiji Press)--Fuji Television Network Inc. has regained about 80 pct of its sponsors who suspended commercials in the wake of a sexual abuse scandal involving former TV star Masahiro Nakai, which led to the resignation of its president about a year ago.

In December, the number of Fuji TV’s sponsors recovered to 86 pct of the level a year earlier.

The scandal shed light on the company’s governance system. In May, its parent, Fuji Media Holdings Inc., adopted a reform action plan that prioritizes respecting human rights.

Following a management renewal, sponsors began to slowly resume commercials in the summer. Fuji TV aims to restore the number of sponsors to pre-scandal levels by this April.

In its report, the third-party committee that investigated the scandal criticized the Fuji TV side, saying that harassment-related damage was “rampant” throughout the company.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]