Japanese firms pull commercials from scandal-hit Fuji Television

TOKYO, Jan 20 (NHK) - Fallout continues from a scandal involving a woman and popular TV personality Nakai Masahiro, who is best known as a former member of the disbanded pop idol group, SMAP.

A weekly magazine has reported that an employee of Japan's Fuji Television played a role in the alleged incident.

And now, advertisers are starting to distance themselves from the broadcaster. Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance said it will suspend its commercials on Fuji TV.

The firm explained that the decision was made in light of a series of media reports.

Nippon Life Insurance said that on Sunday it will replace its advertisements with public service announcements for two of the Fuji TV programs it sponsors.

Toyota Motor and NTT East have taken the same measure.

Fuji Television President Minato Koichi held a news conference on Friday for the first time since the scandal surfaced. He said his company will set up a panel comprised mainly of independent lawyers to look into the matter.

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