Japanese Talent Agency Admits Founder Preyed on Boys in Its Care

The president of one of Japan’s most influential entertainment agencies resigned after an independent investigation confirmed the company’s founder, Johnny Kitagawa, had sexually abused young men in his care since the 1970s.

Allegations against Mr. Kitagawa, who helped aspirants achieve pop stardom in Japan, have circulated for decades, but were largely ignored by a quiescent media that had become dependent on the entertainment mogul and his family-run company, Johnny & Associates, to provide access to the young performers. His reputation as a hitmaker associated with some of Japan’s most popular boy bands protected Mr. Kitagawa from scandal, even after his death in 2019 at age 87.

The release of an hourlong BBC documentary in March featuring interviews with three of Mr. Kitagawa’s accusers opened a floodgate of recrimination, prompting more men to come forward and putting pressure on the company to respond. Under immense scrutiny, Johnny & Associates announced in May that it was forming an internal investigative panel to “prevent the recurrence” of future abuse.

At a news conference on Thursday, Julie Keiko Fujishima, Mr. Kitagawa’s niece, acknowledged the results of the investigation and apologized on behalf of herself and the company. She also announced she had resigned as the company’s president on Wednesday.

“These problems were caused by my uncle, and, as his niece, I want to take responsibility for them,” she said, adding that the company would seek to offer support and compensation to accusers. (Ms. Fujishima, the company’s sole owner, will remain as a board member, responsible solely for relief and compensation.)

The report, released in late August, confirmed hundreds of cases of abuse by Mr. Kitagawa going back more than 50 years. It cited a lack of corporate governance at the company and media complicity as major factors in his impunity. Mr. Kitagawa’s sister, Mary, who died in 2021, also played a role in covering up his behavior and protecting him from the consequences, the report concluded.

No criminal charges were ever filed against Mr. Kitagawa, who consistently denied the accusations against him.

Ms. Fujishima, who has served on the company’s board since 1998 and was appointed president in 2019, said that she had no direct knowledge of Mr. Kitagawa’s behavior and had little personal interaction with performers represented by the agency before his death.

She had been aware of allegations against him, she said, but at the time “couldn’t imagine taking any action.”

Ms. Fujishima will be replaced by Noriyuki Higashiyama, a singer who rose to fame under the auspices of Johnny & Associates and later became a successful actor and news anchor.

Mr. Higashiyama said that he had not been sexually abused by Mr. Kitagawa and had not known that it was happening to others, although he had heard rumors. In comments on Thursday, he pledged to reform the company.

“I believed Mr. Kitagawa,” he said, describing the mogul as a father figure.

Speaking at a parallel news conference, Kazuya Nakamura, who has accused Mr. Kitagawa of abusing him while he was an aspiring performer, said that the company’s admission of guilt “felt like a dream.”

But he questioned the company’s sincerity and suggested that appointing Mr. Higashiyama, who was one of Mr. Kitagawa’s top stars during the time of the abuse, made it difficult to believe that the company was committed to change.

Some of Mr. Kitagawa’s accusers have said that they are considering filing civil and criminal complaints against the company in Japan and civil suits overseas, where they have alleged some of the abuse occurred.

In his heyday, Mr. Kitagawa was regarded as the king of Japanese boy bands, creating more than a dozen power groups that dominated the J-Pop music scene. Boys as young as 9 were recruited by Mr. Kitagawa and lived together in a dormitory, where they were trained to sing, dance and conduct themselves like pop idols.

The company continues to manage some of Japan’s most popular musical acts, with considerable influence and power in the entertainment industry. It will keep its name for now, Mr. Higashiyama said

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. SDGs Addressed or Connected to the Issues Highlighted in the Article

• SDG 5: Gender Equality
• SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions

The issues highlighted in the article are related to sexual abuse and misconduct, gender inequality, and the lack of accountability within the entertainment industry. These issues align with SDG 5, which aims to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls, and SDG 16, which focuses on promoting peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, providing access to justice for all, and building effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions at all levels.

2. Specific Targets Under Those SDGs Based on the Article’s Content

• SDG 5.3: Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in public and private spheres, including trafficking and sexual and other types of exploitation.
• SDG 16.6: Develop effective, accountable, and transparent institutions at all levels.

The article highlights the sexual abuse of young men by Johnny Kitagawa, the founder of Johnny & Associates. This abuse falls under the target of SDG 5.3, which aims to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls, including sexual exploitation. The lack of accountability within the company and the media’s complicity also point to the need for effective, accountable, and transparent institutions, as targeted by SDG 16.6.

3. Indicators Mentioned or Implied in the Article to Measure Progress towards the Identified Targets

• Number of cases of sexual abuse and exploitation reported and addressed.
• Existence and implementation of corporate governance measures within entertainment agencies to prevent abuse.
• Media coverage and response to allegations of abuse.
• Number of individuals coming forward with accusations after the release of the BBC documentary.
• Resignation and accountability of individuals involved in covering up the abuse.

The article mentions the confirmation of hundreds of cases of abuse by Johnny Kitagawa, indicating the number of cases that have been reported and addressed. It also highlights the lack of corporate governance within Johnny & Associates, suggesting the need for measures to prevent abuse within entertainment agencies. The media coverage and response to the allegations, as well as the number of individuals coming forward after the release of the BBC documentary, can serve as indicators of progress. Additionally, the resignation of Julie Keiko Fujishima and the acknowledgment of the company’s guilt demonstrate some level of accountability.

Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

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Source: nytimes.com

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