Just lately, I had a chance to watch a press conference as it was also shared via YouTube Live. It actually lasted for more than ten hours. Of course, I didn’t watch it for such long hours.
Around four in the afternoon, I noticed the press conference had started. By nine at night, I was surprised it was still ongoing. By midnight, and until around two a.m., it finally ended.
The Endless Press Conference
The press conference was about a media scandal in Japan. Fuji Television suspected that there was a systemic issue in the organization where sexual harassment—such as female employees being requested (subtly forced) to be attentive at dinners and other events, which entailed sexual misconduct with male celebrities—was taking place.
It’s similar to the “#MeToo” issue in Japan, especially in the entertainment industry. If such behavior was “forced” through organizational pressure, then the issue must be treated as a critical compliance problem. Fuji Television, as a whole company, would have to address this at the executive level. Many sponsors had already pulled their TV commercials from the channel due to the controversy.
Thus, the press conference by the executives was conducted. It lasted more than ten hours, with various media and journalists relentlessly firing questions. These questions were not necessarily for clarification but more like moral harassment, attacking the possible neglect and failed compliance of the company.
It was almost like a public execution or torture, if not collective hysteria.
The Compliance Issue and the Resignations
The compliance issue—where the organization overlooked possible sexual harassment and systemic, culturally ingrained problems—had to be addressed.
While this was not about criminal cases or lawsuits, it was more about the “failed” governance of an outdated, insensitive corporate culture. A third-party committee needed to be formed to correct the organizational issues.
As part of the press conference, they announced the resignation of key executives and their replacements. This press conference was supposed to be about public apology, recognition, and prevention measures. The media and journalists were expected to ask questions and seek clarifications.
If that were the case, the press conference should have lasted only a few hours—not an insane ten-hour session from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. the next day. Senior executives had to stay all the way through with only very limited breaks, lasting only about ten minutes each.
Even considering the magnitude and social impact of the issue, I found this press conference to be insane.
From Secrecy to Overexposure
Actually, this was a sort of “second” session. They had already conducted a first “official” press conference in a closed setting, without TV cameras allowed. This sparked severe criticism from everyone—especially sponsors and stockholders.
In response to the backlash, they held this “second” session in a “fully open” setup with no restrictions. All media, journalists, freelance reporters, YouTubers, and TV channels could participate, with many live-streaming the event.
In a way, this was “too open,” another extreme, while the first was “extremely” closed. The initial intent was to consider the privacy of the victimized female employee and the fact that the case was settled, meaning that everyone needed to adhere to confidentiality agreements.
However, due to this “too open” setting, the press conference was no longer something decent—it became a sort of public execution.
The Media Frenzy
Activist-like journalists, particularly freelancers who seemed radical and liberal, kept bombarding the executives with countless questions—again, again, and again—making the session drag on for more than ten hours.
Their questions were not for clarification or constructive discussion but merely emotional accusations and harassment. Many questions could not even be answered because of legal confidentiality.
Whatever answers the executives gave, they were accused of not being “sincere” or of being “scripted.” At that point, the journalists were no longer questioning but bullying and harassing.
This kind of public spectacle reminded me of something much older—the witch hunts.
The Witch Hunts and the Madness of the Crowd
During the witch hunts of the early modern period, countless innocent women were accused of practicing witchcraft. These accusations often had no real evidence—just suspicions, rumors, and mass hysteria.
Once accused, it was almost impossible to prove one’s innocence. The burden of proof was unfairly placed on the accused. They were asked to “prove” that they were not witches, but how could anyone prove the absence of something? This is what we call devil’s proof—a logical fallacy where proving one’s innocence is impossible under the accuser’s terms.
The trials were brutal, lasting for days, filled with cruel interrogations and torture. No matter what the accused said, it was twisted against them. If they denied being a witch, they were accused of lying. If they confessed under torture, they were condemned. If they did not confess, they were tortured even more.
This is exactly what happens in modern times—except instead of burning at the stake, people are destroyed through relentless public shaming, endless press conferences, and social media witch hunts.
Even Jesus Was Crucified by Collective Hysteria
Even Jesus himself was a victim of this same human tendency toward collective hysteria.
The crowd that once welcomed him with joy turned against him, shouting “Crucify him!” The people who had listened to his teachings suddenly labeled him a criminal, demanding his execution.
Pilate, knowing Jesus was innocent, still gave in to the collective rage of the crowd. Jesus was flogged, humiliated, and ultimately crucified—all because a mass of people, caught up in hysteria, demanded his death.
Casting Stones
Another story from the Bible reflects the same mass hysteria.
A woman was about to be stoned to death for adultery. Not only the Pharisees but also the crowd around her picked up stones, ready to kill her.
They even asked Jesus to join them in throwing a stone. But Jesus said, “Let him who is without sin cast the first stone.”
At least in that moment, people were mindful enough to realize they were not sinless and refrained.
But in today’s world, we are even less mindful. We “enjoy” throwing stones—not physical ones, but words of accusation—until our “enemies” reach mental breakdowns, or worse, take their own lives.
Social media is filled with such stones. The modern-day equivalent of a witch hunt is public shaming, cancel culture, and the relentless destruction of people’s lives—often in the name of justice.
Who Are Your Enemies?
Who are your “enemies”?
Are they those who committed illegal acts, even though they have no direct impact on your daily life? Are they people labeled as bad by the media, even when no criminal cases were filed and no concrete evidence was assured—no different from conspiracy theories?
Are they people you once admired but who failed to meet your expectations? Are they simply those with different ideologies, cultures, social norms, nationalities, or ethnicities?
In today’s world, we are not throwing stones like in biblical times. But we are throwing accusations, insults, and hate—enough to ruin lives, push people to suicide, and destroy reputations.
And the scariest part? Many of us do it in the name of justice, believing we are doing the right thing.
I felt the same atmosphere in that ten-hour press conference—and in many similar cases where we accuse public figures as our “enemies.”
Image by JamesDeMers
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