Another comedian in Japan hit by #MeToo allegations

Shortly after the allegations of Masahiro Nakai brought the career of one of TV’s top stars to a screeching halt, and ruined the credibility of one of the biggest broadcasters, now come allegations against another TV comedian that he forcibly tried to take a woman to a love hotel in 2015.

Takayuki Kinoshita of comedy duo TKO has admitted trying to take the woman to the hotel, though denied coercion. As a result, Nippon Television has cut his scenes from a show broadcast on Sunday.

The allegations against the 53-year-old comedian were made by a YouTuber, originally on X but they were quickly picked up by the mainstream media. She claims that Kinoshita grabbed her arm and refused to let go after she declined his invitation to join him in a love hotel after a meal.

Kinoshita has issued an apology video but says he had no intention of forcing her.

The woman — YouTuber and former TV presenter Kanon Aoki — says she was eventually able to break free from Kinoshita’s grip and get away. She has responded to Kinoshita’s video with anger, claiming he is downplaying what really happened, and that her clothing was ripped as she tried to get away.

Incidentally, Aoki is half Filipino and half Japanese, and had gender-affirming surgery when she was younger.

Comedians like Kinoshita are the bread and butter of Japanese TV, fronting all kinds of shows. The industry is still reeling from the career-ending allegations against Hitoshi Matsumoto, probably the most famous comedian in Japan.

#MeToo is also in the spotlight in Japan due to the recent Oscar nomination for Black Box Diaries, Shiori Ito’s documentary about her own sexual assault case and the resulting police investigation. Despite the Japanese origin of the film and its obvious relevance to the situation here, the film has yet to find local distribution.