Celebrity Masahiro Nakai Taken Off Air after Reports of Sex Scandal

Tokyo, Jan. 8 (Jiji Press)--Japanese television and radio broadcasters are responding to media reports of a sex scandal involving popular personality Masahiro Nakai, including suspending shows hosted by him.

The Shukan Bunshun weekly magazine and others have reported since late last year that Nakai, 52, paid a large sum of money to settle a problem with a woman.

Nakai is so popular that he is a regular on as many as six programs.

Fuji Television Network Inc. said Wednesday that it will suspend "Dareka to Nakai (someone and Nakai)" for the time being from Sunday, as a "result of a comprehensive review of the situation."

Nippon Television Network Corp. cut scenes featuring Nakai from "The! Sekai Gyoten News (the world surprise news)" aired on Tuesday. "When we told (Nakai) of our decision (to cut his scenes), we received a similar offer from him," a Nippon Television official said.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]