Asian Junkie Asian pop. Without discretion.
Matsumoto Hitoshi, a member of the popular comedic duo Downtown that you’re most likely to recognize from Gaki No Tsukai, has been accused of sexual assault by two women* via Shukan Bunshun.
*In terms of as reported, but as described it sounds more like one rape allegation and one sexual assault allegation.
The Bunshun report quoted two women as alleging Matsumoto, 60, forced them into sexual activities at private parties at an upscale Tokyo hotel in 2015.
Among the claims, one woman alleged forced oral sex and the other said she was forcibly kissed.
Details are hard to come by, mostly because many outlets are not covering the story.
Articles about the sexual assault allegations against Hitoshi Matsumoto are ranking in as the most popular articles today on Yahoo Japan's news portal. The #1 article says that MSM outlets are afraid to cover the allegations, just as they were w/ the Johnny's sex abuse stories. https://t.co/tHSptAb898 pic.twitter.com/vlwMn7XmnS
— Jeffrey J. Hall(@mrjeffu) December 27, 2023
A day has passed since a Bunshun article leveled sexual assault allegations against comedian Hitoshi Matsumoto. Major mainstream media outlets aren't reporting on it.
— Jeffrey J. Hall
However, journalists at online media outlet Arc Times are not staying silent and are uncovering new details: https://t.co/yJ8jYkzgXU pic.twitter.com/K07VhlXaPa
Speaking of Yoshimoto Kogyo, they released a response denying the allegations and are considering legal action against the outlet.
There are “no facts whatsoever” in accusations published by weekly Shukan Bunshun against comedian and TV presenter Hitoshi Matsumoto, his talent agency said in a statement.
The article “seriously degrades the social reputation of (Matsumoto),” Yoshimoto Kogyo, the agency, said.
The firm will “lodge a resolute protest” against Bunshun, including over the way it “persistently questioned and filmed” the comedian in the lead-up to the report’s publication.
“We’re considering legal action,” the statement said.
Bunshun is undeterred by the denial or the silence from others, defending their reporting on the matter.
Yoshimoto Kogyo has threatened to sue Bunshun for its story. Its editors responded: "The article is based on multiple detailed testimonies, and further corroborative reporting has been thoroughly conducted. We have full confidence in it." https://t.co/r3qsIGufT8
— Jeffrey J. Hall
If the situation with Yoshimoto Kogyo sounds familiar to that of Johnny & Associates, you aren’t the only one. However, despite the media saying that they’ve learned their lesson from that debacle, things certainly aren’t off to a promising start if they weren’t even willing to acknowledge the allegations existed until his agency did (and even then only reporting the agency’s position).
