If you’re a fan of Japanese pop music from the 80’s or 90’s then it’s just about guaranteed that you’ve come across Tetsuya Komuro or his music in some form. If you’re a classic anime fan, then you’ve probably encountered his scores for Vampire Hunter D or Street Fighter II: The Animation. At the very least, you’ve probably heard the iconic track “Get Wild” from his band TM Network. He’s a man who many consider a legend in the industry, with seemingly endless accomplishments such as holding the top 5 spots on the Japanese Oricon rankings chart simultaneously. His career has spanned decades, even being an active producer and songwriter in recent years. That’s why when he announced his retirement earlier today, many fans were not only shocked but also deeply upset by the turn of events.

To understand the situation fully is to understand Japan’s compliance based culture, something that has impacted J-Pop for many years. Compliance in this situation is in reference to the extreme measures artists will take to apologize for scandals that pop up in their careers, often related to infidelity or hiding relationships that could potentially damage their image in relation to their work. Readers in America might remember when AKB48 member Minami Minegishi shaved her head as an apology for being caught spending the night with her boyfriend, an act that was not allowed per the rules of her membership in the band.

In relation to Komuro, the reason for his sudden retirement announcement all revolves around a notorious publication, Shukan Bunshun. Bunshun has often been at the center of these kinds of scandals, having impacted artists like the previously mentioned Minegishi as well as music and television personality BECKY in high profile situations. In Komuro’s case, Bunshun recently broke a scoop claiming that he was having an affair with a nurse he met while his wife, Globe vocalist KEIKO, was in a long recovery for a subarachnoid hemorrhage. It was reported that the nurse began visiting his home to provide private treatment after they met during a routine clinic visit.

An official statement regarding the matter was released upon the news breaking:

I apologize to stakeholders and fans for creating a disturbance due to the recent story. In order to make things right and take responsibility, I have decided to retire. I would like to deeply thank the fans who have supported me for 35 years, I would also like to thank my staff for their ongoing support. Although I am retiring I will take full responsibility and complete in progress projects. Once again, thank you for supporting me, Tetsuya Komuro, for such a long period of time.

He also gave a 40-minute statement at a press conference in which he addressed the report, as well as difficulty of the situation.

In response to reports of adultery I have decided to retire. I apologize to my wife KEIKO, my fans, and others affected by this news. I don’t think that one man’s word will change society, but I think this is a chance to address how Japan is becoming a more complex society, as well as how difficult nursing and caring for people is in this society. By addressing that I hope that people will be more conscious of the difficult times facing others and that our society improves. I hope for any kind of consideration for those people. Thank you very much.

In the interview, Komuro also claims that he was not in a relationship with the nurse. This has caused many in Japan to feel that his response is not necessary and that society has taken this need to take extreme measures to apologize too far. The hashtag “文春を許さない” (Never Forgive Bunshun) was trending on Twitter, and the response from friends of mine I’ve spoken to about the situation have expressed an extreme disdain for the way these kind of events have negatively impacted or ended the careers of so many talented people over the years. In this case, Komuro’s legacy is so huge that it’s hard to ignore and really creating a lot of conversation. Even out in public, every train with televised news playing and even large screens in both Akihabara and Shibuya were broadcasting this story. The impact really cannot be overstated.

The situation is also incredibly hard to compare to anything in Western culture. Scandals with celebrities are so commonplace, and this kind of response is almost unheard of for something on the same level. We didn’t even see this kind of extremely formal response from Harvey Weinstein in light of his recent outing for his treatment of women and abusing his power in Hollywood, and that’s the kind of thing that has given birth to an entire movement in our country. As a foreigner looking at Komuro’s case, even if he is guilty of committing adultery the response feels quite extreme. A public apology is one thing, but for him to retire outright is almost like admitting guilt and giving himself life in prison. It begs the question, “how far is too far”?

Regardless of your stance on the issue, this is a major loss and a massive impact to the Japanese music industry. And with any luck, it could the kind of turning point that creates a positive shockwave across the entertainment business and even society. Japanese culture is deeply ingrained with a sense of pride and responsibility, and it’s something that I’ve come to really respect in my time working with talent over here and during my visits. But at that same time, if the impact of that aspect leads to events like these maybe there is a level of it that needs to evolve and become a little more forgiving.

We here at OTAQUEST wish Mr. Komuro the best and hope that this isn’t truly the end.