Japan’s top talent agency Johnny & Associates to split amid sex abuse scandal
nme.comcompensating the victims of sexual abuse by the company’s founder Johnny Kitagawa, who passed away in 2019. The other entity will continue to work with upcoming artists.The agency will be operating under a new name as an apparent way to disassociate itself from its disgraced founder.
The name has yet to be decided on. The company has stated that over 300 victims have come forward to claim compensation (via Reuters).The dissolution of the company comes after the agency launched its own investigation following the release of a BBC documentary titled Predator: The Secret Scandal of J-Pop.
The documentary shared Kitagawa’s alleged history of sexual abuse and was aired earlier this year. Upon its release, new accusers came forward.Kitagawa was arguably the most influential figure in Japan’s entertainment industry and his agency has held a near-monopoly on Japanese boy bands for decades.Per BBC, he had faced allegations of sexual misconduct while he was alive and some were proven in a civil court, but he never faced charges.
He had continued recruiting and training teenage boys until his death in 2019, aged 87.“We will disband Johnny & Associates and face the victims in a sincere manner.
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