Outraged Psychiatrist Accuses the Kingdom of Sexual Harassment in Japan

"Scars from Sexual Abuse Last a Lifetime" points out Hideki Wada, psychiatorist, about Hitoshi Matsumoto Issue
Weekly Bunshun
2024/02/07

　”The Matsumoto Hitoshi case is just one example of corruption in the Japanese entertainment industry” emphasizes Hideki Wada. "I am always angry at the entire industry's failure to address the issue of sexual victimization.

　"In some cases, the psychological scars caused by sexual abuse can last a lifetime", adds the 63 year old  psychiatrist who is also a popular author.. "As a psychiatrist, I can say with certainty that this is true. And if victims are able to say that they have been "hurt," we must listen carefully to them. In that sense, I believe that the series of articles reported by the weekly magazine "Shukan Bunshun" raises an important issue."

　I cannot judge the facts one by one, but if what is written in Bunshun is true, it is malicious content.

　However, I do not see it as a problem caused by a "singular individual" named Hitoshi Matsumoto. Nor is it the nature of the company that hired him, Yoshimoto Kogyo, a comedy show provider. Mr. Matsumoto's problem is only one part of the corruption in the TV industry and entertainment industry. We must use Mr. Matsumoto's problems as an opportunity to bring a scalpel to such corruption.

　Last year, the problems of Mr. Johney Kitagawa and the former Johnny's Office were widely reported, but the TV industry ended up with a clean slate, with little reflection.

　I felt a strong sense of discomfort with this attitude of the TV industry. Rather than showing remorse, they seemed to scapegoat only Mr. Johney. Many of the victims were young boys. They emphasized Mr. Johneny's abnormal sexuality and made it his personal problem. Can the TV station really say that the incident was only Johnny's problem?

　The #MeToo movement began in the United States in 2017. The trigger was the sexual harassment accusations of film producer Harvey Weinstein, but he was not the only one being pursued.

　Actresses and actors accused movie industry's problem after another. Actors, comedians, and even news show hosts were pursued for sexual harassment. In Japan, by contrast, not only the Johnny's issue, but also the sexual assault issue in the movie industry was reported, but there was no sign of a crisis spreading throughout the entertainment industry.

　In the U.S., the accusation movement started in film industry, but in Japan, we should pay special attention to the corruption in the TV industry. Unlike the U.S., which has Hollywood and is the land of movies, television has a much greater influence in Japan. This is because the benefits of being able to appear regularly on TV programs are considerable.

　We often hear of cases where program producers and others have said, "If you sleep with me, I'll put you on the show. The recent slang term for this is "makura eigyo [business in bed]. This is clearly an act of sexual harassment using a superior position, and treating women as if they were "littering" is nothing short of sexual exploitation and sexual abuse.

　In Japan, the TV viewing public is becoming less and less interested in TV, and yet few programs are produced for the elderly, even though most of the viewers are now elderly.

Although my recent book "The 80-Year-Old Wall" sold more than 600,000 copies, we have never been asked to cooperate in making information programs for the elderly. I am inclined to suspect that the reason why there are so many programs for young people is because producers and others in the TV industry expect sex entertainment from young actors.

　What in the world has been going on in the TV industry until now? We should shed light on the past problems as well.

　This time, some people are blaming the accusers, asking why they made the accusation after so many years. Such opinions are reported on TV, but as a psychiatrist, I am outraged. Sexual victims suffer for 10 or 20 years. In some cases, they can finally speak up and confess after time has passed. This is a perfectly natural thing.

　If you use your social position to make sexual demands, even in later years, you can be "outed". You can be fired from your job or lose your position. This is becoming the global standard. Some people say, "It's a tough world," but as long as there are people who get hurt, society should move in that direction.