Scandal-Mired TV Personality Nakai Announces Retirement

Tokyo, Jan. 23 (Jiji Press)--Popular Japanese television personality Masahiro Nakai announced his retirement from show business on Thursday, amid allegations of his involvement in a sex scandal that has had a major impact on the television industry and elsewhere.

Nakai, 52, a member of the disbanded male pop group SMAP, said in a statement, "All responsibility lies with me personally."

He made the announcement on his fan club website in the morning and on his official website in the afternoon.

"I don't think I have fulfilled all my responsibilities with this," he said. "I will continue to face the various problems and investigations sincerely and respond in good faith."

Nakai apologized to those involved and to the woman who is said to have been harmed in the scandal. On the fan club site, he wrote, "I am really, really sorry for such a farewell," while on the official site, he thanked fans for his 37 years in show business, concluding with "Goodbye."

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]