One of the producers for TV Asahi's variety program "Kusano Kid" has been charged with molesting a woman on a train. Kenichi Maeda, affiliated with the production agency Super Produce, was riding the JR Saikyo Line heading away from Tokyo. Between Itabashi and Jujo, he reached under a woman's skirt and felt her body. The woman, a 20-year-old college student living in Saitama, caught his arm and delivered him to the police at Jujo Station. At first, he claimed he didn't remember anything because he had been drinking, but he later admitted, "I couldn't control myself."

The incident occurred at around 10:50pm on January 15, and TV Asahi learned about it the next day. However, no public announcement was made until the 26th. The network explained that it wanted to allow Super Produce a chance to conduct its own investigation into the matter.

Maeda joined Super Produce two years ago, and became a producer on "Kusano Kid" one year later. Maeda is currently married with children.

A DVD release event for "Kusano Kid" was scheduled for the 28th, but it has been cancelled. The show is still running, but Maeda's name was removed from the credits in the most recent episode.