Fuji Media Holdings Approves 11 Directors, Rejects Dalton’s 12 Candidates in 4.5-Hour Meeting with Shimizu as New President
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Fuji Media Holdings (Fuji HD), the parent company of Fuji Television, held its annual shareholders meeting on June 25, 2025, in Tokyo amid intense scrutiny following a series of scandals involving the broadcaster. The meeting, attended by over 3,300 shareholders and lasting approximately four and a half hours, centered on the election of a new board of directors and governance reforms. Fuji HD proposed a slate of 11 new directors aimed at corporate restructuring and reform, effectively replacing almost the entire previous board except one member. Meanwhile, Dalton Investments, a major U.S.
investment fund and significant shareholder, submitted its own proposal of 12 external director candidates, including SBI Holdings Chairman Yoshitaka Kitao, advocating for more drastic changes. The shareholders decisively rejected Dalton's proposal, with the highest approval for any of its candidates, Kitao, receiving only 27% of the vote. In contrast, all 11 candidates put forward by Fuji HD were approved with more than 80% of shareholder support. At the start of the meeting, Fuji HD President Osamu Kanemitsu issued an apology for the company's recent issues, including human rights concerns linked to former executive scandals. The new management team, led by newly appointed President Kenji Shimizu, emphasized a commitment to governance reform, restoring public trust, and rebuilding advertiser confidence. Despite the approval of the company's proposals, shareholders expressed strong demands for improved governance and accountability. The meeting also saw moments of shareholder unrest, including a motion of no confidence against the meeting chairman, reflecting ongoing tensions. Legal experts noted that the shareholder vote reflected a preference for moderate reform led by independent external directors. The outcome marks a pivotal moment for Fuji Media Holdings as it seeks to navigate a challenging path toward corporate renewal and stability.
Fuji TV verification program President Shimizu apologizes again and views corporate culture as a problem, such as meetings where female employees gathered
Former President Minato Koichi and former managing director Ota Ryō, who responded to the issue, were directly interviewed, and points of reflection on the judgment that captured the problem in a small way as a “private case” were examined.
