According to Japanese weekly magazine Shūkan Bunshun, veteran actor Satō Jirō has been accused of inappropriate conduct toward actress Hashimoto Ai during the filming of Fuji TV’s drama Fufu Bessei Deka, in which the two portray a married couple.

The report claims the incident took place on April 8 at a Fuji TV studio in Odaiba, Tokyo. According to the publication, tensions reportedly developed during filming over physical interactions between the two actors.

The article alleges that during the early stages of production, Satō Jirō engaged in what was described as excessive physical contact with his co-star, including an instance in which he touched Hashimoto Ai’s face. The report further states that Hashimoto’s side had previously informed the production team that physical contact should be minimized because of unpleasant experiences she had endured in the past. However, the information was allegedly not fully communicated to everyone involved.

According to the report, Satō Jirō later visited Hashimoto Ai’s dressing room on two separate occasions to discuss the issue directly. The first conversation was reportedly tense, with the actress allegedly becoming emotional and breaking down in tears. A second discussion is said to have taken place after the drama’s first episode aired, when disagreements over their working relationship reportedly resurfaced. The publication claims that certain remarks made during these conversations placed considerable emotional pressure on Hashimoto during production.

The report also states that Hashimoto Ai’s management agency later requested improvements to the working environment on set. Fuji TV is said to have appointed an external lawyer to review the matter.

Meanwhile, Satō Jirō’s management company reportedly acknowledged that physical contact occurred during filming and confirmed that the actor visited Hashimoto’s dressing room to speak with her. However, the agency denied that his actions constituted harassment, stating that his intention had been to build rapport and improve cooperation between the cast members while working together.

Regarding Hashimoto Ai, the report further claims that her management company confirmed the actress experienced a certain degree of physical and emotional strain during filming, affecting both her health and work schedule.

Sources: Shūkan Bunshun