TV host Kokubun steps down after misconduct surfaces
Celebrity entertainer Taichi Kokubun will step down from his popular TV show due to serious misconduct, Nippon Television Network Corp. announced, without disclosing the nature of the allegation.
Nippon TV President Hiroyuki Fukuda addressed the media on June 20 following an emergency board meeting, expressing regret over the situation.
'It is a serious and unfortunate matter,' Fukuda said.
However, he declined to disclose specific details of Kokubun's misconduct, citing privacy concerns.
Kokubun, 50, also released a public apology, announcing that he would be suspending all entertainment activities for the time being.
'The root cause lies entirely in my own lack of awareness of the position I hold, my complacency, poor judgment and inadequate behavior,' he said in the statement.
Kokubun rose to fame as a member of the popular boy band Tokio and later expanded into acting and hosting TV and radio programs.
His sudden announcement of suspension will leave broadcasters scrambling to reschedule or even cancel six shows in which he has been appearing.
According to Nippon TV, the company became aware of the issue on May 27 after a source alerted the broadcaster to Kokubun's misbehavior.
A subsequent investigation involving a third-party lawyer included interviews with relevant individuals. The findings led to the decision for Kokubun's removal from 'The! Tetsuwan! Dash!!,' an iconic reality show he co-hosted for three decades.
Despite the controversy, the broadcaster confirmed that the program will continue airing.
'This is an issue concerning an individual cast member, not the show itself,' Fukuda said.
He emphasized that no Nippon TV staff members engaged in any misconduct but acknowledged the broadcaster's responsibility for continuing to cast someone with potential issues.
The revelation comes as the entertainment industry increasingly confronts issues of harassment and human rights violations, typically involving sexual abuse and bullying.
Earlier this year, another well-known TV show host, Masahiro Nakai, retired from show business following accusations that he sexually abused a female newscaster from Fuji Television Network Inc.
Both Nakai and Kokubun are originally from Johnny & Associates Inc., now renamed, the powerful showbiz agency at the center of a major sexual abuse scandal involving its late founder.
(This article was written by Sachi Matsumoto and Yusuke Miyata.)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Kyodo News
7 hours ago
- Kyodo News
Kyodo News Digest: June 21, 2025
KYODO NEWS - 3 hours ago - 09:42 | All, World, Japan The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News. ---------- Japan to provide defense equipment to Thailand, 7 other nations TOKYO - Japan plans to supply defense equipment to Thailand, Tonga and six other nations in the current fiscal year as security aid, a government source said Friday, in bid to ensure safe sea lanes in the Indo-Pacific region where China is evolving its military posture. The eight countries -- also including East Timor, Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines and Sri Lanka -- are expected to be designated as the recipients of Japan's "official security assistance" framework, designed for like-minded partners, for fiscal 2025 from April, the source said. ---------- Chinese aircraft carrier moves from Pacific to East China Sea: Japan TOKYO - One of the two Chinese aircraft carriers operating in the Pacific moved to the East China Sea on Friday, the Japanese Defense Ministry said, after confirming their simultaneous operations in the ocean for the first time early this month. Together with five other ships including missile destroyers, the Liaoning sailed northward through waters between Okinawa's main island and Miyako Island, while the Shandong remains in the Pacific, according to the ministry. ---------- Tokio pop group member removed from TV show over past misconduct TOKYO - A member of Japanese all-male pop group Tokio has been removed from a popular TV program due to past conduct that breached compliance rules on multiple occasions, a TV network said Friday. Taichi Kokubun, 50, was removed from "The Tetsuwan Dash," a variety program aired by Nippon Television Network Corp. and fronted by the members of Tokio. Neither Kokubun, his company nor the TV network has elaborated on what the breaches entailed, but according to a source close to the matter, they involved behavior that could be considered sexual harassment. ---------- 87 Japanese nationals, family members evacuated from Iran, Israel TOKYO - A total of 87 Japanese nationals and their family members have evacuated from Iran and Israel amid conflict in the Middle East, the Japanese government said Friday. The evacuees arrived in Azerbaijan's capital Baku and Jordan's capital Amman by bus as local airports remained closed and none of them had health issues, Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya said. ---------- U.S. reportedly asked Japan to raise defense spending to 3.5% of GDP WASGHINGTON - U.S. President Donald Trump's administration has asked Japan to raise its defense spending to 3.5 percent of gross domestic product, a request that angered Tokyo and led it to put off a planned high-level meeting with Washington, the Financial Times reported Friday. The request was made recently by Elbridge Colby, U.S. undersecretary of defense for policy, the newspaper said, citing three people familiar with the matter, including two officials in Tokyo. ---------- Japan imperial couple visit Hiroshima A-bomb survivors nursing home HIROSHIMA - Japan's Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako on Friday visited a nursing home in Hiroshima for atomic bomb survivors, wrapping up a two-day trip to the city ahead of the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. At Yano Orizuruen, they listened attentively to recollections of the bombing by 10 residents aged between 81 and 99, bending down to be at eye level with those seated in chairs or wheelchairs. ---------- Regular parliament session to end June 22 ahead of key national election TOKYO - This year's 150-day regular parliamentary session will end on Sunday, around a month ahead of a crucial national election for the ruling coalition, which lost its majority in the House of Representatives last October. On Friday, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba came under renewed pressure as opposition parties united to push for a bill scrapping a controversial gasoline tax in the final phase of the Diet session. His minority government has described the proposal as "unrealistic." Video: Baseball legend Ichiro gives advice to students at Osaka Expo event
Kyodo News
10 hours ago
- Kyodo News
Kyodo News Digest: June 21, 2025
KYODO NEWS - 4 minutes ago - 09:42 | All, World, Japan The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News. ---------- Japan to provide defense equipment to Thailand, 7 other nations TOKYO - Japan plans to supply defense equipment to Thailand, Tonga and six other nations in the current fiscal year as security aid, a government source said Friday, in bid to ensure safe sea lanes in the Indo-Pacific region where China is evolving its military posture. The eight countries -- also including East Timor, Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines and Sri Lanka -- are expected to be designated as the recipients of Japan's "official security assistance" framework, designed for like-minded partners, for fiscal 2025 from April, the source said. ---------- Chinese aircraft carrier moves from Pacific to East China Sea: Japan TOKYO - One of the two Chinese aircraft carriers operating in the Pacific moved to the East China Sea on Friday, the Japanese Defense Ministry said, after confirming their simultaneous operations in the ocean for the first time early this month. Together with five other ships including missile destroyers, the Liaoning sailed northward through waters between Okinawa's main island and Miyako Island, while the Shandong remains in the Pacific, according to the ministry. ---------- Tokio pop group member removed from TV show over past misconduct TOKYO - A member of Japanese all-male pop group Tokio has been removed from a popular TV program due to past conduct that breached compliance rules on multiple occasions, a TV network said Friday. Taichi Kokubun, 50, was removed from "The Tetsuwan Dash," a variety program aired by Nippon Television Network Corp. and fronted by the members of Tokio. Neither Kokubun, his company nor the TV network has elaborated on what the breaches entailed, but according to a source close to the matter, they involved behavior that could be considered sexual harassment. ---------- 87 Japanese nationals, family members evacuated from Iran, Israel TOKYO - A total of 87 Japanese nationals and their family members have evacuated from Iran and Israel amid conflict in the Middle East, the Japanese government said Friday. The evacuees arrived in Azerbaijan's capital Baku and Jordan's capital Amman by bus as local airports remained closed and none of them had health issues, Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya said. ---------- U.S. reportedly asked Japan to raise defense spending to 3.5% of GDP WASGHINGTON - U.S. President Donald Trump's administration has asked Japan to raise its defense spending to 3.5 percent of gross domestic product, a request that angered Tokyo and led it to put off a planned high-level meeting with Washington, the Financial Times reported Friday. The request was made recently by Elbridge Colby, U.S. undersecretary of defense for policy, the newspaper said, citing three people familiar with the matter, including two officials in Tokyo. ---------- Japan imperial couple visit Hiroshima A-bomb survivors nursing home HIROSHIMA - Japan's Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako on Friday visited a nursing home in Hiroshima for atomic bomb survivors, wrapping up a two-day trip to the city ahead of the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. At Yano Orizuruen, they listened attentively to recollections of the bombing by 10 residents aged between 81 and 99, bending down to be at eye level with those seated in chairs or wheelchairs. ---------- Regular parliament session to end Sun. ahead of key national election TOKYO - This year's 150-day regular parliamentary session will end on Sunday, around a month ahead of a crucial national election for the ruling coalition, which lost its majority in the House of Representatives last October. On Friday, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba came under renewed pressure as opposition parties united to push for a bill scrapping a controversial gasoline tax in the final phase of the Diet session. His minority government has described the proposal as "unrealistic." Video: Baseball legend Ichiro gives advice to students at Osaka Expo event
Japan Today
14 hours ago
- Japan Today
Tokio pop group member removed from TV show over past conduct
A member of Japanese all-male pop group Tokio has been removed from a popular TV program due to past conduct that breached compliance rules on multiple occasions, a TV network said Friday. Taichi Kokubun, 50, was removed from "The Tetsuwan Dash," a variety program aired by Nippon Television Network Corp. and fronted by the members of Tokio. Neither Kokubun, his company nor the TV network has elaborated on what the breaches entailed, but according to a source close to the matter, they involved behavior that could be considered sexual harassment. The decision to remove Kokubun was approved at an extraordinary board meeting, based on findings from a third-party probe headed by lawyers. Kokubun has accepted the decision, the network said. In remarks to reporters, Hiroyuki Fukuda, the network's president, declined to elaborate further on the cases, citing a need to "protect privacy." He said it was not a criminal matter. According to Fukuda, the probe was established after the misconduct came to light in late May. "The Tetsuwan Dash" will continue broadcasting, the network said. Following the announcement, Kokubun said he is indefinitely suspending his activities in a release on the Tokio company website. In a statement of apology, he said that "my lack of awareness for the situation I am in, my naivety, my arrogance and my inappropriate behavior have caused everything." Kokubun debuted with the then five-member Tokio in 1994 and has an extensive career in television and radio. After the Fukushima nuclear crisis in 2011, he helped promote local farming produce by appearing in commercials. His removal from the Nippon Television program comes amid increased scrutiny of Japan's entertainment industry following recent revelations such as a sexual misconduct scandal that emerged at Fuji Television Network Inc. involving popular former TV host Masahiro Nakai. Tokio's former agency Johnny & Associates Inc. also renamed itself and a separate agency was established after hundreds of sexual abuse allegations against its late founder Johnny Kitagawa. © KYODO
