That's the funny thing about Japan. Regarding outrage and celebrities. I have seen that over and over in the past 10 years, it goes like that (not talking about manholes here):
- Celebrity X is super popular and well loved
- Celebrity X gets into trouble for something that is frowned upon in society.
- Mass media rush to eat Celebrity X alive and paint them as a horrible person.
- Celebrity X will do public apologies on TV.
- Suddenly all media ties/advertising ties with Celebrity X are severed. In fact, you won't see or hear about Celebrity X for quite a while (usually a couple of years).
- Then, without any prior notice, suddenly you will see Celebrity X coming back on a talking show at some point, "just to test the waters".
- Celebrity X becomes accepted again, just because time has passed.
It's... largely nonsensical.
Note: exception for drugs. People who have done drugs are usually burned forever. For example, the famous band "Dreams Come True" used to have 3 members, and one of them was arrested for drugs at some point, and since then the band continued with 2 members only, and all material they show about "the past of Dreams Come True" is carefully edited to remove any memory of that person. It's like he had never existed. Astonishing.