This was the first time in five months that Kokubu had appeared in public. Many people must have felt that something must have happened to Kokubu, although they did not know what, after the NTV president’s press conference that triggered the incident. However, even Kokubu himself had not been able to ascertain which of his actions toward whom he had been cleared of any wrongdoing. In fact, at the press conference on March 26, Kokubu said that he had not been able to “answer” which acts were considered noncompliance and that he would “discuss this with NTV” so that he could provide an explanation and apologize to the public. He also apologized not only to the members of TOKIO, but also to his family, saying, “I am just so sorry to my wife and children. Prior to this press conference, Daily Shincho had covered the case multiple times. What emerged from the lawyer representing Kokubu was the harsh reality that Kokubu had to face during the time he was out of the public eye, including the sloppy handling by Nittele and the negative impact on his family. Was this a “poor” response in part because Fuji TV came under heavy fire for the Masahiro Nakai scandal? …… We look back at the unknown process leading up to his first press conference in five months (“Daily”). (This is a re-edited version of an article published in “Daily Shincho” on October 27, 2025). ***
We asked lawyer Masaru Komoda, who represented Kokubun and served as vice president of the Japan Federation of Bar Associations until last March, about the problems with Nittele’s response. Kokubu claims that Nittele’s “sloppy” handling of the situation caused him to have a hard time dealing with the situation after the fact. Without an explanation of what was out of compliance and being told not to say or do anything that could lead to the identification of the people involved, Kokubu was unable to speak out carelessly and lost the ability to explain himself to the public. The! Tetsudou! DASH! As a comment on his decision to drop out of the “DASH!” program, Kokubu could only hastily issue a press release expressing an abstract apology and reporting an indefinite hiatus. For his part, Kokubu did not provide sufficient explanations to the multiple sponsors with whom he had contracted and to the program staff of other stations. Similarly, the other members of TOKIO were also at a loss for explanations to their fans, the media, and others.” (Komoda, attorney at law) Nittele’s “The! DASH! DASH! Many people may have felt bothered by the fact that President Hiroyuki Fukuda (64) did not reveal any details at the press conference at which he announced that Kokubu would be leaving the “DASH! At the press conference, President Fukuda did not explain the details of the noncompliance, citing “privacy concerns” and saying, “It is not a case that would lead to criminal charges. He also said that it was “not a matter that would warrant criminal prosecution.” When he stated that the reason for his resignation from the program was “Kokubu’s personal problem,” the media turned their attention to Kokubu, who was hiding in the shadows, and there was a wave of demands for accountability.