Downtown’s Matsumoto Hitoshi sues Shukan Bunshun, demanding 550 million yen in damages from publisher Bungeishunju

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On the 22nd, Matsumoto Hitoshi (60), a member of the comedy duo “Downtown,” requested damages for defamation from Bungeishunju, the publisher of Shukan Bunshun, which reported on allegations that he had forced women to perform sexual acts at a drinking party.

Matsumoto filed a lawsuit with the Tokyo District Court, demanding that an apology advertisement be published. The announcement was made on the same day through his company, Yoshimoto Kogyo. The lawsuit will be filed by Matsumoto personally. The amount claimed is approximately 550 million yen (a little over $3.7 million US).

The magazine reported that Matsumoto and others performed sexual acts on female participants inside a hotel in the winter of 2015. A woman posted a testimony stating that she had been sexually assaulted. Since then, “suspects of sexual assault” have continued to be reported for three weeks in a row after sexual comments were made at a drinking party hosted by a comedian.

The Shukan Bunshun editorial department said, “We have full confidence in the series of reports”. According to Yoshimoto’s announcement, Matsumoto will clearly assert and prove through the lawsuit that there is no such thing as sexual assault.

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