How Japan's Fuji TV failed in corporate governance: 5 things to know

Sex scandal mishandling sends sponsors fleeing as major investor demands probe

20250123 Fuji Television Dalton Investments

U.S. activist fund Dalton Investments has criticized Fuji Media Holdings over a lack of corporate governance. (Nikkei montage/Source photos by Yuki Nakao and Dalton Investments website)

CHIHIRO ISHIKAWA and NANCY ZHENG

January 27, 2025 10:47 JST

Updated on January 28, 2025 22:27 JST

TOKYO -- What started as a sexual misconduct scandal by a former pop idol in Japan has turned into a corporate governance disaster, with Fuji Television Network being abandoned by corporate advertisers and an investigation being demanded by U.S. activist fund Dalton Investments and its British affiliate.