Japanese actor Jiro Sato, 57, has recently found himself embroiled in a harassment controversy on set, after it was reported that he touched 30-year-old actress Ai Hashimoto’s face during filming, unexpectedly triggering her past trauma of sexual harassment. In response, Jiro Sato clarified that he was not aware of her traumatic experience or the set’s 'physical contact restrictions,' and that he had accidentally touched her chin while performing a scene together; afterwards, he learned about the situation from the producer and agreed with Hashimoto that if any touching beyond the shoulders or arms was needed, prior confirmation would be required.
However, the incident has sparked intense debate online, with public opinion sharply divided. Since the two did not have any intimate scenes arranged in the show, many netizens questioned whether Ai Hashimoto was being 'overly sensitive,' and even dug up her past intimate and bed scenes with handsome co-stars like Ryoma Takeuchi and Ryo Yoshizawa, mocking the notion with comments like 'If you're good-looking it's fine, if not it's harassment.' Still, some rational netizens voiced their support for Hashimoto, emphasizing that her previous intimate scenes were all dictated by the script, whereas Sato's actions this time were not, making her psychological defensiveness completely understandable and reasonable.
Source: Apple News