Masahiro Nakai, a popular Japanese TV host who was a member of the former pop group SMAP and is embroiled in a sexual misconduct scandal, said on Thursday he has retired from show business.
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The 52-year-old TV celebrity’s announcement comes after a weekly magazine reported that he had engaged in non-consensual sexual activity with a woman in her 20s in June 2023 that led to a 90 million yen (US$575,000) out-of-court settlement.
“As of today, I will retire from entertainment activities,” Nakai said on his fan club website.
SMAP, an acronym for Sports Music Assemble People, was formed in 1988 and gained popularity in Japan and across Asia. Nakai served as the group’s leader until it disbanded in 2016.
Nakai had regularly appeared on TV programmes as a host before the allegations surfaced.
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