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The story
Pianist Kyohei Sorita (32) has been indicted without arrest on charges of violating traffic law (grossly exceeding the speed limit on the Shuto Expressway), and NHK has announced it is pulling him from the Oct. 12 broadcast of the “NHK School Music Contest” (Nコン). Sorita, who placed 2nd at the 2021 Chopin International Competition, drew mixed reactions from fans — some said “He was my favorite, so this is a shock,” while others argued “Someone facing criminal charges shouldn’t be performing.” On the forum thread, a clash broke out between those saying “It’s strange to drop him before a verdict is even reached” and those countering “Pulling someone once they’re indicted is standard practice for companies and broadcasters.”
NHK Pulls Defendant Pianist Kyohei Sorita from School Music Contest (Kyodo News) – Yahoo! News
Published: Wed, Oct 7, 1:43 PM
On the 7th, NHK announced it is pulling pianist Kyohei Sorita (32), who has been indicted without arrest on charges of violating the Road Traffic Act, from the “NHK School Music Contest” broadcast scheduled for the 12th.
Source: news.yahoo.co.jp / Original article here
What people said
For the sake of these teachers' reputations, music education for kids outside the choir club gets totally neglected.
Not that I'd really know, though.
Well, that's one expensive lesson learned.
Don't speed on public roads.
His 2nd place at the Chopin Competition ties Mitsuko Uchida's 1970 finish for the best-ever result by a Japanese pianist.
Can't help but worry about it.
They're just totally out of touch with reality.
Actress Nao Matsushita: "Get me a lawyer."
His Russian wife: "Yeah, isn't that right."
Like illegally parked and then ignored the ticket or something?
Speeding on the Shuto Expressway.
His excuse: "I thought up to 100 km/h was fine."
It's rough that the kids are the ones inconvenienced over an adult's scandal.
Street pianist Harami-chan: "Oh, I heard they're looking for a judge."
Guys with beards are never decent people, lol.
It's a matter of trust, isn't it.
Go read what I wrote in post #53.
Japan is a "dark justice" country where getting indicted means you're almost 100% guaranteed to be convicted.
That's just as internationally notorious as Japan's infamous "substitute prison" (daiyo kangoku) system.
So the moment word got out that he'd been indicted and was headed to trial, he got pulled from every post he held.
Both government agencies and private companies almost certainly have work rules to that effect — go look it up yourself sometime.
Sorita, traffic-violator-ta, Yo!
Kyohei Sorita, Kyo-Hey, violator-ta!
Kyohei Shibata, Oh Yeah, regretta!
Yo! Yo!…" (a rap parody playing on his name "Sorita," the word "ihan" [violation], and the similarly-named actor Kyohei Shibata)
It's a Western company, from the birthplace of "compliance" culture.
There's no way they don't terminate the contract.
Especially since if BMW ends up with the image of "the car people drive when they want to break the law and speed," that hurts their brand image too.
Wouldn't a damages claim even be on the table?
That's wild.
Apparently the limit there was 60 km/h, so yeah, that's pretty bad.
Background and Key Points of This Story
Being “indicted without arrest” is a form of indictment that doesn’t involve arrest or detention, and Sorita is believed to have continued his normal life throughout the investigation. In criminal trials, the presumption of innocence applies until a verdict is finalized, but broadcasters often decide to pull a performer without waiting for a legal conviction, citing program credibility and compliance concerns. Opinions on the thread split between those saying “It’s strange to drop him before a verdict” and those saying “Holding off on public appearances once someone is indicted is the standard response.” Part of the backdrop here is that Sorita placed 2nd at the 2021 Chopin International Competition, and since the School Music Contest is an educational program covering choir and music activities at schools nationwide, performers’ social credibility tends to be weighted more heavily.
*This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Entertainment/Sports News+) thread “NHK Pulls Defendant Kyohei Sorita from School Music Contest.”
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