【Report】Summary of the lecture by Igor Prusa (Metropolitan University Prague)

Understanding Scandal in Japan: Media Production, Ritual Performance, and the Fuji TV Controversy

On January 8, 2026, Dr. Igor Prusa at the Metropolitan University Prague gave a presentation based on his book, Scandal in Japan: Transgression, Performance and Ritual, at Ritsumeikan University.

Dr. Prusa began his presentation by explaining what constitutes a “scandal”: it is a form of transgression that is disclosed by someone, attributed to at least one elite individual, negatively framed by the media, denounced by the public, and punished legally or through public shaming.

Dr. Prusa proceeded with his presentation in three steps. First, he explained an ideal-typical theory of how scandals are constituted in Japan. He explained that, unlike Western democracies, “outside-media” that lack ties with corporate and political elite—such as weekly magazines and tabloids—often trigger scandals. The mainstream national media take up these scandals after they gain publicity or are reported widely by foreign media. He emphasized that an instance of transgression does not equate to a scandal it causes: a minor incident can turn into a big scandal.

Second, Dr. Prusa explained how scandals in Japan tend to follow a particular set of social rituals: 1) the confession by the “transgressor,” 2) the expulsion of the actor from the public space, and 3) the reintegration of the actor back into the public sphere. Dr. Prusa emphasized that reintegration is a unique feature of scandals in Japan, as Western countries tend not to allow transgressors to be forgiven and readmitted to the public light. Dr. Prusa also shared the strategies transgressors typically use to deal with scandals and the words and body language associated with them. How actors employ these strategies can affect whether or not and how fast they can be invited back to the public sphere.

Finally, Dr. Prusa explained the Fuji TV scandal. He showed how the scandal followed the theoretical steps he outlined earlier in the presentation: triggered by the outside-media, followed by reporting by foreign media, then picked up by the mainstream national media in Japan. He noted that the Fuji TV scandal shows the changes in gender awareness and business culture in Japanese society today.

During the Q&A, the audience members asked many interesting questions, including those regarding the case studies Dr. Prusa examined, the social rituals that constitute scandals in Japan, the degree of media freedom in Japan, and the generalizability of his scandal theory.