entertainment

Yoshimoto Kogyo president says he hopes Shimada will return to showbiz

39 Comments

The president of major Japanese entertainment conglomerate Yoshimoto Kogyo said this week that he hoped disgraced TV comedian Shinsuke Shimada will make a return to show business.

“I believe he will come back to the entertainment world some day,” Hiroshi Osaki said of Shimada, who announced his retirement last August after it was revealed that he had corresponded with members of a crime syndicate.

Osaki made the comments at the 100th anniversary celebration of Yoshimoto Kogyo, founded in Shimada's native Kansai. Osaki told reporters, “We owe a lot to his talent. We hope everyone will forgive his transgressions. This is how we all feel [at Yoshimoto Kogyo].”

Shimada and his supporters have been maintaining that his contact with organized crime was nothing more than occasional innocent cell phone e-mails. Osaki also remarked that many other famous comedians of Shimada's era thought it a waste for Shimada to quit.

Shimada has stayed out of sight since he shocked the entertainment world with his retirement. At the time, he commented, “I didn’t think that I was doing anything wrong. Personally I thought it was fine, but I found out that it was considered unacceptable.”

Subsequently, Yoshimoto Kogyo released a statement saying that Shimada’s ties with the yakuza had not involved any illegal activity and there was no evidence of financial involvement. But the statement added: “Regardless of the reason, it is not permissible for a performer who exerts such a strong social influence on mainstream TV to have these ties.”

Shimada himself has been in trouble before, after a female employee tried to speak to him without showing the proper deference in 2004. Shimada allegedly locked the woman in a room, beat her and spat on her for her perceived insolence. Shimada admitted the charge, was fined an estimated 10 million yen and was put on a 2-month probation. It is one of several assault cases in which Shimada has been embroiled.

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39 Comments
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“Regardless of the reason, it is not permissible for a performer who exerts such a strong social influence on mainstream TV to have these ties.”

and now after few months....They want him to come back? yes, only such changes happen very fast in Japan.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

We all knew this was going to happen. Take a few months off, to show how sorry you are for your past indiscretions, and then come back with a heartfelt apology, and all is forgiven. Even though this is his second offense! I think that is why some of the shows he was the star of have kept going , just waiting for him to return. A bit of a joke if you asked me.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

Oh surprise surprise. The path is being paved for this this to return. He is well know to smack younger comedians - let alone women - has a temper issue and mob ties. Yes, please, let's give him yet another chance. This country makes me sick with how easily they forgive people like him.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

I hope he DOESN'T come back! Never liked his arrogant and ijime tactics of comedy.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

Yoshimoto Kogyo released a statement saying that Shimada’s ties with the yakuza had not involved any illegal activity

that is complete BS. the yak helped him fend off ultra-nationalists who were badgering him.

i mean come on, is the world of japanese television devoid of any meaning without shimada? puh-leaze!

1 ( +2 / -1 )

He should have been out after he spat on and beat that poor woman. The thought that anyone would forgive him after that, AND being affiliated with yakuza, is an unfortunate reminder of a society stuck hundreds of years in the past.

4 ( +7 / -3 )

Yoshimoto's way of saying "We can't dissociate ourselves from our gangster friends, so give us a break already."

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

...and "We'll be more careful to keep it quiet from now on."

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Hahaha! As predicted! The saddest part of it all is that the Japanese people will cheer him on shouting "Ganbare, Shunsuke-kun!" while he gets all teary-eyed on his new debut and apologizes to the fans. They'll forget all about his mafia ties (which probably still exist), and all about his women-beating, etc. People here can be so fickle sometimes. Of COURSE the guy's going to be back, and write a book about his experiences of 'falling from grace', in which he will portray himself as a victim of circumstance, etc. Sickening.

What happened to the entertainment industry trying to clean things up?

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

Maybe you guys should read Japanese websites, like Yahoo Japan or 2ch . You will see that pretty much everyone (Japanese) is against Shinsuke coming back.

Pretty funny that one guy (the president of Yoshimoto) expresses his opinion and all you gaijins assume that he speaks for the entire country.

4 ( +9 / -5 )

Pretty funny that one guy (the president of Yoshimoto) expresses his opinion and all you gaijins assume that he speaks for the entire country.

Even more funny (if that is the correct expression under the circumstances) that a Japanese employee can beat, spit on and confine a female employee and "all you Japanese" allow your society to let him walk free from prison and continue to stick him on TV.

By the way, the "one guy" you are referring to is an extremely powerful and influential figure in this country. His opinion reaches far further than just Yahoo Japan and 2ch.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

Maybe you guys should read Japanese websites, like Yahoo Japan or 2ch . You will see that pretty much everyone (Japanese) is against Shinsuke coming back.

All of those readers at Yahoo Japan and 2ch didn't do much to stop him walking free after beating his female employee though did they.

Pretty funny that one guy (the president of Yoshimoto) expresses his opinion and all you gaijins assume that he speaks for the entire country.

That "one guy" just so happens to have cornered the market in the comedy entertainment industry in that entire country.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

There are no "all you gaijins" on this forum. Please refrain from using such expressions.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

By the way, the "one guy" you are referring to is an extremely powerful and influential figure in this country. His opinion reaches far further than just Yahoo Japan and 2ch.

infact, he should be asked to step-down for making such irresponsible statement.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

@TigersTokyoDome

My post was directed at posters above who made totally inaccurate statements like "And Japanese people will welcome him back" blah blah.

He is not a regular average joe on the street, sure. But it doesn't change the fact that mejority of Japanese people are against Shinsuke coming back. Again, just because one guy wants Shinsuke the money making machine to come back doesn't mean he is speaking for the entire country.

And his opinons are his opinions, nothing more. Or is he not even allowed to express his opinion however biased it is?

0 ( +6 / -6 )

Also, all he said is that he "hopes" that he will come back. He didnt' say that he will. And a bunch of you guys are acting like he is coming back.

I do believe everyone should be given a second chance, but maybbe not third chance. Shinsuke has been given a second chance after his previous scandal so I hope he won't get another chance this time around.

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

Maybe you guys should read Japanese websites, like Yahoo Japan or 2ch . You will see that pretty much everyone (Japanese) is against Shinsuke coming back.

Yet I doubt I'll see any public protests against this, unlike the Korean drama embarrassment! THAT'S what being against something looks like. I bet we'll all see Shimada will be on tv again in six months time, being the loathesome, unfunny thug that he is.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

disgraced TV comedian Shinsuke Shimada

He is not even funny. He is a total jerk and a disgrace to comedy on stage.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Not sure why this guy is even being given column inches to give his opinion, as Jake Adelstein pointed out in "the Daily Beast" that

Japan’s entertainment industry has long been dominated by the yakuza. Yamaguchi-gumi members interviewed for this story have pointed out that the relationship between the talent agency Yoshimoto Kogyo and their organization has existed for decades, even going so far as to say, “Yoshimoto Kogyo isn’t a front company of the Yamaguchi-gumi, it is a branch of the Yamaguchi-gumi.”

So here we have

"the president of major Japanese entertainment conglomerate Yoshimoto Kogyo, saying that Shimada should be allowed to come back"

and

"Yoshimoto Kogyo released a statement saying that Shimada’s ties with the yakuza had not involved any illegal activity and there was no evidence of financial involvement. "

Only in Japan, huh?

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Osaki made some dumb comments. All he has in mind is making money and the end justifying the means.

Only in Japan, huh?

That I doubt.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

"Only in Japan, huh?"

Yeah sure. No where else on the planet do people with ties to organized crime hold respectable positions. It would never never never happen in Italy, china, Russia..... oh wait

1 ( +5 / -4 )

Maybe you guys should read Japanese websites, like Yahoo Japan or 2ch .

I just did.

Yahoo (most thumbs up)

"Japanese entertainment industry is rotten." (26,970 thumbs up, 561 thumbs down.)

http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/cm/main?d=20120107-00000002-sph-ent&s=points&o=desc

2ch

They say like, Seppuku, Zakennayo, Yaakoo, Kuzu, Zubuzubu, Ogeretsu, Baka, Kets, Cho, Kus*...

http://anago.2ch.net/test/read.cgi/dqnplus/1325911895/-100

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Could it be that the yakuza leaned on company president Hiroshi Osaki a little too hard in demanding TV comedian Shinsuke Shimada make a return to show business? After all, he was a big money earner for the thugs, too, not only Osaki and his company.

If Shimada does make it back to the entertainment world some day, his fans will say "kawai soh" (poor thing) and forgive him for his many sins. He'll thus return bigger and richer than ever ... and his president, the thugs and the fans will all be happy once again.

Remember the group singer who was found nude and drunk out of his skull in a small park in, I think it was, Roppongi? Well, it was "kawai soh" for him and he emerged from that silly stunt with his own TV CM and other rich entertainment goodies.

And how about the kabuki thug who took on a punk in a bar, got knocked bonkers and emerged from that incident with a "kawai soh" from his fans. His picture now hangs high and mighty in an ad for a big department store in Tokyo's Ginza area. The guy he provoked: he's still in the slammer with no "kawai soh" moans for him.

A "kawai soh" for Shimada? In this country, why not ...

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Goes to show why Shimada was the most liked and at the same time disliked personality on Japanese TV.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Hide Suzuki: "Pretty funny that one guy (the president of Yoshimoto) expresses his opinion and all you gaijins assume that he speaks for the entire country."

Ah, good old Hide Suzuki and his xenophobia! Why bother coming onto an English language site if you're going to preach hate towards foreigners all the time? True, the news is generally about Japan, but it's largely foreigners posting in English. Of course we welcome your opinion, but don't be happy if we praise society here and then get upset and say 'all you gaijins this and that!' if we criticize. Fact is, just as you claim that a mere six people TOPS before your post seem to think this one person represents the entire nation, the comments on yahoo and 2 channel do not represent the entire nation, either, do they? and yet, when you take the comments from yahoo or 2 channel you say:

"He is not a regular average joe on the street, sure. But it doesn't change the fact that mejority of Japanese people are against Shinsuke coming back."

Where did you get 'the majority' from? I've talked to plenty of people who said they were "very sad" to see him go and wanted him to come back (most, in fact), while a few others said as you said -- they don't want to see him back.

"My post was directed at posters above who made totally inaccurate statements like "And Japanese people will welcome him back" blah blah."

You were directing your comment at the posters above and yet you say, "all you gaijins"? Wow, talk about hypocritical! Are there only 5 or 6 of us in Japan? Compared to that, someone suggesting 'his opinion represents the entire nation' is a LOT more accurate, no?

"Also, all he said is that he "hopes" that he will come back. He didnt' say that he will. And a bunch of you guys are acting like he is coming back."

Well, I feel the same as you do in regards to Shimada and I hope as well that he cannot come back. He is scum, plain and simple. But the posters who suggest he might or will probably come back are speaking from seeing the same thing happen time and time again (Komuro, etc.) -- never mind people who AREN'T involved in scandals and retire, then come back a few years later. And again, why on earth is this guy not in jail??

"It would never never never happen in Italy, china, Russia..... oh wait"

So Japan is on par with these nations, then?

Anyway, I hope you're desire to see him stay off the stage is realized. I can see him coming back in some capacity, though... even if as only a guest on some talk shows and/or variety shows. I don't think he'll host IF he comes back.... at least not right away.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Shimada is a cockroach and lets hope he stays hidden out of view, TV is far better for him not being on it.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Remember the group singer who was found nude and drunk out of his skull in a small park in, I think it was, Roppongi? Well, it was "kawai soh" for him and he emerged from that silly stunt with his own TV CM and other rich entertainment goodies.

I wouldn't even place Kusanagi anywhere near the same low level as Shimada. All Kusanagi did was get drunk and take his clothes off in a quiet park near his home at around 2am. Not exactly a crime and a first for him. In fact he was victimised by a star-hunting local koban. Kusanagi is a talented actor, singer and dancer and has earned his position. A silly stunt? I don't see why entertainers cannot get drunk and nude in a park every now and then. Just around the corner from that park are two well-known yakuza offices controlling Roppongi. Their drivers openly park outside the offices in broad daylight. I think the cops have their priorities all mixed-up.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Kusanagi is a talented actor, singer and dancer and has earned his position.

I agreed with what you wrote until you got to this part. If you think either Shimada or Kusanagi are talented I would really like to sell you some land I have for sale.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

If you think either Shimada or Kusanagi are talented I would really like to sell you some land I have for sale.

You added Shimada into your post, not me. Read my post which states that Kusanagi is at a different level to the likes of Shimada.

Whether Kusanagi and Smap are your taste or not (not my taste), he is extremely successful and his wealth and fame are tantamount to talent. Of Kusanagi's many film roles, his Japanese/ Korean language-produced Hotel Venus was submitted to the Moscow International Film Festival and he had the lead role in Yomigaeri.

You don't have to be a fan of someone to appreciate talent and success.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Yes, he will probably be welcomed back to TV, but please don't think that forgetting celebrity wrongs is only a Japanese thing, as some of the commenters here are implying. Anyone remember Chris Brown? You know, the guy who beat up Rhianna and is now back in the charts a mere two years later?

People have short memories and fans will love their idols regardless of their faults. If someone is a huge fan of a particular artist and later it is revealed that that artist happens to have a horrible hidden side, it's hard for people to accept as it invalidates a part of their life. Sometimes it's easier to stay blind. Michael Jackson anyone?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

No more comparing Kusanagi to Shimada. Shimada beat and spit on a woman, a disgusting, violent act. Kusanagi got drunk off his mind and took off his clothes in a park in the middle of the night. Sure, it was embarrassing, but he never maliciously hurt or defiled another person doing it.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

I agree....media wanted make Kusanagi's drinking incident a big scandal...that was ridiculous! It could happen to anybody...I was really pissed of by the media.

Greetings from Montreal! Hayashi

0 ( +0 / -0 )

pretty much everyone So you get to lump everyone together but "we" don't?

The comparisons with Chris Brown a little off. I think he was somewhat accepted back because SHE attacked him. I am not condoning his actions in the least but he wasn't the one to hit first, she was. She also didn't press charges (the cops did) and stayed with him until the public pressure pretty much demanded they end things. Word is, they are getting back together. To this day however, people still comment on what he did and he is still banned for certain things - like giving interviews - because people want to focus on that, not his music.

Shimada on the other hand is well known to fly off into rages and strike younger comedians he thinks aren't being respectful. NONE of them have ever gone to the police to report him, just this one female staff member. Add in his yak ties and well, edojin did a great job at outlining it.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

If you think either Shimada or Kusanagi are talented I would really like to sell you some land I have for sale.

Moderator, if you are going to edit a post for being off topic, then at least edit the original post which was off topic. Let me give you some advice about moderating. Try not to take things too personally and moderate transparently without trying to pick on your least favourite posters.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

kochikame: "I agree....media wanted make Kusanagi's drinking incident a big scandal...that was ridiculous! It could happen to anybody...I was really pissed of by the media."

Why would you be 'pissed off' by the media and not Kusanagi? If some unknown ojisan in your neighbourhood did the same thing and it was reported locally, would you be angry at the media for reporting it but pity the old man, saying, "It could happen to anyone"? True, it wouldn't be nearly as big a story as with a celebrity, but I'd be more angry about the media keeping it quiet for the sake of the celebrities reputation than reporting it regardless. Same with Shimada -- should the media have kept his woman-beating and yakuza ties quiet to save the man's career? I'm not saying it needs to be sensationalized to the extent it often is, but not reporting it for the sake of keeping a reputation they do not actually espouse would be irresponsible and wrong.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Readers, Kusanagi is not relevant to this discussion.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

After the incident where he assaulted a co-worker (and didn't do jail time, amazingly. Had it been me, I would've been deported at the very least), it's abundantly clear that Shinsuke Shimada is an utter tool.

Whether the public wants him back or not will not change that immutable fact, but I don't think they will. He's damaged goods and a liability.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

I'm not much of a Shinsuke fan but just as there are many Japanese who are glad he's out of the entertainment world, I think there are just as much people who miss him. If he was such a jerk for real and hated by everyone, he wouldn't have had so many shows.

He'll probably be back sometimes in the future but I don't think it'll be anytime soon.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

"If he was such a jerk for real . . . "

He locked a woco-worker, a woman, in a dressing roomwith him, slapped her around repeatedly, and spit on her for not being motivated enough on the set of his show.

Make no mistake, he's a real jerk. Being a real jerk doesn't necessarily mean one can't be popular on television.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

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