J-pop boy band Tokio member removed from TV show over past conduct
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Taichi Kokubun was removed from The Tetsuwan Dash, a variety programme aired by Nippon Television Network and fronted by the members of Tokio.
PHOTO: THE JAPAN NEWS/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
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TOKYO – A member of Japanese all-male pop group Tokio has been removed from a popular TV programme due to past conduct that breached compliance rules on multiple occasions, a TV network said on June 20.
Taichi Kokubun, 50, was removed from The Tetsuwan Dash, a variety programme aired by Nippon Television Network and fronted by the members of Tokio.
The decision to remove Kokubun was approved at an extraordinary board meeting, based on findings from a third-party probe headed by lawyers. Kokubun has accepted the decision, the network said.
In remarks to reporters, the network’s president Hiroyuki Fukuda declined to elaborate further on the cases, citing a need to “protect privacy”. He said it was not a criminal matter.
According to Mr Fukuda, the probe was established after the misconduct came to light in late May.
The Tetsuwan Dash will continue broadcasting, the network added.
Kokubun debuted with the then five-member Tokio in 1994 and has an extensive career in television and radio. After the Fukushima nuclear crisis in 2011, he helped promote local farming produce by appearing in commercials.
His removal from the Nippon Television programme comes amid increased scrutiny of Japan’s entertainment industry following recent revelations such as a sexual misconduct scandal that emerged at Fuji Television Network involving popular former TV host Masahiro Nakai
