@Yoshimoto Kogyo Co. LTD

One of the most well-known Japanese comedian and TV personality Hitoshi Matsumoto, who recently faced a Shukan Bunshun weekly magazine report over his sexual behavior, now he decided to go on hiatus, his managing company Yoshimoto Kogyo Holding Co. said Monday, underscoring his intention to “focus on the trial that is coming up.”

Last month, the Shukan Bunshun weekly magazine reported that Matsumoto, a member of popular comedy duo Downtown, had forced women into sexual acts in the past.

The agency, Yoshimoto Kogyo initially denied a report on December 27th by Shukan Bushun weekly magazine that Matsumoto, 60, forced several women into sexual activities in 2015, saying “the article damaged his reputation, it will be considering legal action.”

Shukan Bunshun was one of the first publications to report on a sex abuse scandal that rocked Japan’s entertainment industry earlier last year. A boy band empire formerly known as Johnny & Associates admitted in September its late founder had sexually abused young recruits over decades.

But for now, Matsumoto has expressed his wish to “confront various articles and focus on litigation,” the company said. His concern is that if he continues his entertainment activities, he will cause a lot of trouble and burden for many people concerned, according to Yoshimoto Kogyo.

“I would like to go on hiatus as I will not be able to dedicate myself to comedy as I currently do while simultaneously engaging with the trial,” Matsumoto, one half of popular comedy duo “Downtown,” said, according to the entertainment agency. Matsumoto is an ambassador for the 2025 World Exposition in Osaka.

Matsumoto will suspend his show business activities after the reports related to sexual assault allegations against him.

Matsumoto, who has denied sexual allegations published in a prominent magazine, vowed on Jan 8 to fight the “groundless” accusations. “I’ll fight it” as the allegations are “groundless”, he wrote on X, formerly Twitter.