Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on August 2009

Kaori Manabe, 28, has returned to her regular spot on Fuji TV’s morning show Tokudane following a controversy about the unauthorized use of her likeness. Minoru Kiuchi, 44, a politician who was asked to leave the Liberal Democratic Party in 2005 and who is running as an independent in the upcoming Lower House election, had planned to use posters featuring a photo of Manabe. He has since canceled the move after the announcer wrote on her blog that she did not support any party or candidate.

Manabe said she had met Kiuchi just once over a year ago, and that she didn’t understand why her picture was being used. For their part, Kiuchi’s campaign team said that Manabe’s office had approved the posters, but that they will no longer use them.