Survey finds 40% of women in broadcasting receive sexual advances

Approximately 40% of women working in broadcasting in Japan said that they have received “sexual advances,” according to a new survey.

A research team including the University of Tokyo Graduate School surveyed men and women who have worked in the broadcasting industry via email and other means, and found that around a significant number of women had received “sexual advances,” and some had even been forced into sexual relations.

The open survey was conducted between May 2025 and January 2026, targeting people with experience working at a broadcasting station, regardless of employment status (full-time, freelance, etc.). Responses were collected via email, online, and social media. After ensuring the reliability of the content, the responses of 183 valid respondents were analyzed.

The results showed that of the 119 female respondents, approximately 40% said they had “experienced being solicited into a sexual relationship.” Additionally, approximately 10% had experienced serious abuse, including non-consensual intercourse. Of the 62 male respondents, one had experienced sexual advances, and none had experienced serious abuse, laying bare a significant gender bias.

According to a report by NTV and other media outlets on the survey results, the incidents date from the 1980s to the present, with the highest number occurring in the 2010s, suggesting that either people are more attuned to what constitutes sexual harassment today or it has got worse (putting lie to the explanation that downplays such behavior as just “how people were back then”).

Specific responses included “My boss called me in and asked me if I’d rest my head on his lap” and “Performers frequently emailed me to invite me to a hotel.”

Unsurprisingly, the harm has a serious impact on the physical and mental health and daily lives of those affected. Of the 152 people who responded that they had been victims of some form of sexual or power harassment, 56 people reported having to go to the hospital or take medication, 39 people said they had trouble sleeping, and 39 people said they had considered suicide.

The research team pointed out structural and systemic problems in the industry, such as hierarchical relationships in the workplace, conflicts of interest with business partners, and fear of retaliation.

Recommendations included treating even small instances of abuse or victimization, such as sexual jokes, seriously, and establishing rules requiring multiple people to attend meetings with business partners so a female colleague is not left alone with someone with power over them.

While MeToo did not have the same level of impact in Japan as it did in other countries, the issue of sexual harassment in the Japanese entertainment and broadcasting industry is now acute, following several scandals involving major comedians and the Fuji TV and Masahiro Nakai case.