The comedians involved are furious．．．Downtown’s Matsumoto Hitoshi vs． Shukan Bunshun “500 million yen lawsuit” – is the countdown to a sudden peaceful resolution or are arrangements being made for his return？
Downtown’s Matsumoto Hitoshi (60) is suing Bungeishunju, the publisher of Shukan Bunshun, which reported on his affairs with women, for defamation, seeking 550 million yen in damages. The second preparatory hearing, which was scheduled to take place on August 14, was postponed, causing controversy, but it seems that things may now be moving forward in a sudden direction. Although the reason for the postponement of the pre-trial proceedings has not been made public, Bunshun’s lawyer, Kitamura Yoichi, revealed that it was a proposal from the Tokyo District Court, saying, “The decision was made by the court.” In addition, attorney Kitamura explained that “about 20 pieces of evidence were submitted” during the second preparatory proceedings. In the article, he also caused a stir by commenting, “That is a possibility,” about the possibility that Ms. A and others who claim that Matsumoto forced them into a relationship would appear in court. “Bunshun has submitted as many as 20 pieces of evidence, and it is said that there is a possibility that A-san will appear in court, but in fact, Matsumoto and Bunshun are said to be moving toward a settlement, and it has even been whispered that a conclusion may be reached as early as September. The opinions of famous lawyers are also a hot topic.” (TV variety show insider) Atsushi Hosono (59), a lawyer who appears as a commentator on programs such as “Sunday Japon” (TBS), updated his YouTube channel on August 28th to comment on Matsumoto’s trial. In the video, Hosono said, “The question is whether a settlement can be reached within August. “I don’t think the talks of reconciliation and agreement that are progressing behind the scenes can be dragged on for much longer,” he said, expressing his view that since both sides appear to be moving toward a settlement, there is a high possibility that one will be reached. “Although Attorney Hosono is not directly involved in this trial, he is known as an excellent lawyer. It has also been said that Attorney Hosono’s latest opinion is sharp and seems to hit the nail on the head. In the video, Hosono, after speculating on the thoughts of Bunshun, states that the second pre-trial hearing on August 14 was postponed at the last minute, and the next date has yet to be decided, which is evidence that they are moving towards a settlement and that there is a high possibility that it will be reached.” (ibid.) (omitted) In parallel with the trial between Matsumoto and Bunshun, a lawsuit is being filed against Kodansha, the publisher of the magazine, by Watanabe Sensu (40), who was reported in Friday (Kodansha) to have attended a drinking party attended by Matsumoto. Preparatory proceedings were held on August 26th, and Watanabe updated X on the same day, writing about the progress of the trial and his anger at Kodansha’s response, which was quickly reposted by Matsumoto, also attracting attention. “The outcome of Watanabe’s trial is a matter of concern, but the trial between Matsumoto and Bunshun began when Matsumoto declared that he would pursue the case thoroughly, and Bunshun is also being sued for over 500 million yen. Neither side can afford to lose. Many people may wonder whether such a lawsuit will ever lead to a settlement. However, as Attorney Hosono stated, there is now a possibility that a settlement could be reached quickly. It is said that behind this is Matsumoto’s strong desire to “return.” Of course, Matsumoto probably feels that he “cannot accept that an incorrect article was published,” but more than that, it seems that he has a strong desire to return to work as a comedian as soon as possible. Naturally, Bunshun must have absolute confidence in its article, as can be seen from the fact that it submitted as many as 20 pieces of evidence at the second pre-trial hearing, which was scheduled to be held on August 14th. Therefore, it is unlikely that Bunshun will accept unfavorable terms — but litigation is extremely exhausting. Not only the person in charge, but also those involved in the article, editors and reporters, will have to work hard to gather materials for the trial, which can take a lot of time. “There are likely circumstances behind the rumors of a settlement…” (the aforementioned source from a major commercial broadcasting station) The lawsuit between Matsumoto and Bunshun was expected to drag on, but now it seems that the possibility of a settlement has suddenly emerged. More than 230 days have passed since he went on hiatus, and attention is focused on the return of top comedian Matsumoto Hitoshi. Read the full story at the source.
Bunshun has also seen an increase in the number of its haters over the past year, and the disadvantages to them are probably greater than the income they are experiencing.
>>5 Do Bunshun haters pay money to read paid articles or buy weekly magazines? Bunshun probably doesn’t care about haters who are only piggybacking on free articles The people who buy Bunshun are old folks from the countryside.
It’s essentially a defeat for Matsumoto’s side. If they were going to settle, there’s no point in taking a break. I wanted them to fight to the end and make it clear who won and who lost.
Even though they were closed, TV was still operating as normal, so I’m sure they were feeling anxious. I’m sure they were thinking that without them the show wouldn’t last.
It will give the impression that they ran away because they couldn’t win, and there will be no reconciliation because it will not benefit either party.
>>38 I didn’t say anything to her about it, she just said “I’m taking a break” on her own, so there shouldn’t be any conditions for reconciliation lol.
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