Matsumoto Hitoshi withdrew his lawsuit over sexual assault allegations, offered an apology to the women

A reader recently asked me about updates to the sexual assault allegations against comedian/host Matsumoto Hitoshi, and while it had slipped my mind, there has indeed been a lot of stuff that’s happened.

After going on hiatus from his programs to focus on the scandal early last year, Matsumoto sued Shukan Bunshun for defamation. In what was perhaps a harbinger of things to come, his agency Yoshimoto Kogyo backtracked on their firm denial, saying they would internally investigate the scandal. In March, despite Matsumoto’s attempt to out his accusers, one of the women testified against him in court despite saying she feared for her life.

Last November, Matsumoto and Bunshun agreed to the withdrawal of his 550 million yen lawsuit against the publisher, and he issued an apology to the women but downplayed any proof of wrongdoing.

In his statement, Matsumoto offered a heartfelt apology to all the women who attended the party reported in the magazine article for any hurt or discomfort they may have experienced there.
At the same time, he confirmed there was no direct physical evidence backing the allegation that he forced the women to perform sexual acts. He added that no money was given to the two women.
According to sources, Bungeishunju agreed to Matsumoto withdrawing the lawsuit after consulting with the two women whose allegations appeared in the magazine article.

Both sides have said no money exchanged hands.

Matsumoto clarifying that the other side has “no direct physical evidence” stemming from an incident that happened in 2015 is certainly … a technical and specific way to try and defend yourself publicly against rape allegations. Not sure anybody with a brain sees all this as anything but Matsumoto admitting it happened, though I assume this is his attempt at taking it out of the headlines and just hoping enough people forget eventually so that he can resume his career.

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Anyway, back in April of last year, David McNeill gave a voice to one of the victims about what transpired that day.

Out of nowhere, she recalls, Ozawa shouted that they were going to play a game. Matsumoto disappeared. She says she was half pushed/led by Ozawa to a door into the next room. The door shut and she says she found herself in a bedroom, with Matsumoto lying on a bed. “It was all so weird,” she says. “I was hoping it was all a prank and that this was the climax. He was so famous. I didn’t know what do to. I said, ‘I’ve been watching you on TV since I was a child and I’m so honored’.  I wanted to show I respected him.”
She says Matsumoto ordered her to come to his side.
“I was terrified. I was trying not to be rude but I stayed where I was and put my head down. He stood up and came in my direction. He was naked and had an erection. I didn’t believe it was happening and yet it was. It was like watching an accident in slow motion. I crossed my arms; he took my right arm and pulled it away. And with his left foot he kicked my right leg wide. I realized he was really strong. He shouted: are you going to have my baby? I just kept saying ‘sorry’ because he sounded angry and my mind went blank. He tried to kiss me, he pulled my shirt off, ripping the buttons. I crouched down. He put his penis in my mouth.”
When the assault was over, Sato says she went to wash out her mouth and was groped by a second man in the confined space of the bathroom. Back on the sofa, Ozawa apologized for Matsumoto’s behavior, then also started to touch her. “He took my right hand and forced me to masturbate him, like a doll,” she says. When the assaults were finished and all three women had returned to the room, she says, there was deathly silence. “It was like a funeral.” The three women were dismissed with 10,000 yen each for taxi fare.

Notably, the victim says she knew how things were going to be framed in the public eye.

Sato says she understands that she will be called a liar, or worse. After she got home and had a shower, she sent a Line message, thanking Ozawa. He published the message after the Bunshun story broke, attempting to show that Sato was a willing participant, not a victim.  When she told her actress friend about the evening, she says she, too, had a strikingly similar experience with Matsumoto at the Grand Hyatt.  Sato says she thinks there are many more victims and she feels compelled to speak out on their behalf. “I don’t want to live in the kind of society where such things can happen. All we can do is fight.”