Nippon Television (NTV) president Kubo Shintaro (64) announced his resignation yesterday – twice. The announcement came as he sought to take responsibility for the broadcast of a fabricated news story last year, but he clearly thought he could keep the whole thing low profile. Only one reporter from each network was admitted to the late-afternoon press conference and no cameras were allowed. Kubo made the briefest of apologies and said his resignation was explanation enough. This led to scuffles between NTV staff and reporters from other networks, who gathered in the lobby of the NTV headquarters. Eventually another press conference, with cameras allowed, was hastily arranged at 7pm. The TV program in question was the Sunday evening show “Shinsou Houdou Bankisha!”, whose title translates roughly as “truthful journalist.” Last November the show featured a construction company executive who claimed that the Gifu Prefectural government was operating a secret slush fund. An investigation by the regional government showed that the claims were fabricated and representatives from NTV apologized last month. Kubo said yesterday, “This matter was caused by a serious negligence in our supervisory procedure. I want to take the blame for failing to supervise” the TV program. Denying claims that the program had been deliberately fabricated or the executive paid for his interview, Kubo said, “Our reporting wasn’t to blame. We were simply deceived.” The executive was arrested earlier this month over the incident. Kubo has come under fire since NTV reported its first semi-annual losses in 37 years last September. The network also failed to secure broadcast rights to the ongoing World Baseball Classic. The Japanese team is coached by Hara Tatsunori, who also manages the NTV affiliated Yomiuri Giants. Kubo will stay on as an adviser to NTV, while current chairman Hosokawa Noritada (68) will take on the additional role of network president.
• It has been announced that SMAP member Katori Shingo (32) is to be the last person to take on the mantle of Zatoichi on the big screen. The role of the blind swordsman will always be most closely associated with the legendary Katsu Shintaro (1931-97), though a Kitano Takeshi revival in 2003 was well received. Katsu portrayed the fictional hero in 26 movies and over 100 TV dramas. Katori knows he has very big shoes to fill and has spent the last ten months honing his swordsmanship. Filming began on Sunday under the directorship of Sakamoto Junji (50) and the movie is expected to open next year. Producer Nakazawa Toshiaki, who holds the film rights to the character, has said that this will be his last on-screen incarnation.