DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Ukrainian-born Miss Japan has given back her crown after accusations of an affair and outrage over her heritage
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-06 | by ( Mikhaila Friel | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The 2024 Miss Japan winner has given up her title following backlash over her Ukrainian heritage and a newspaper report detailing her alleged affair with a married man. AdvertisementMiss Japan winner Karolina Shiino, MISS JAPAN ASSOCIATION/ReutersHowever, the conversation around Shiino's heritage came to an abrupt end when she announced plans to give up her title on Monday. According to the BBC, The Miss Japan Association initially defended Shiino and said that she hadn't known the man was married. Representatives for The Miss Japan Association could not be reached. As The Japan Times reported, the model received criticism from some viewers, who argued that she didn't represent "true Japanese beauty," which is listed as the official goal of the Miss Japan Association.

Persons: Karolina Shiino, Bunshun, Shiino, Shiino's, Hiroe Yamashita, Karolina Shiino's, There's, Shaimaa Khalil Organizations: Miss, MISS JAPAN ASSOCIATION, Reuters, BBC News, BBC, Miss Japan Association, Politico, The Miss Japan Association, Japan Times, Miss Nippon, CNN, TSN, New Locations: Ternopil, Ukraine, Japan, Tokyo

TOKYO (AP) — The Japanese boys-band production company at the center of an unfolding sexual abuse scandal, Johnny & Associates, chose three former judges Wednesday to head its effort to compensate hundreds of victims. “We recognize that the late Johnny Kitagawa carried out sexual assaults over a long period, and we apologize to the victims from the bottom of our hearts,” the company said. Among the latest was Kao Corp., a chemical and cosmetics company, which cited “considerations for people’s various feelings” on Tuesday. McDonald’s Japan has also said it will stop using Johnny’s stars in future deals, but past ads featuring them remained on its official site. Johnny’s stars are extremely popular, leading to sponsorship revenue and hit TV shows.

Persons: Johnny Kitagawa, Kitagawa, Julie Keiko Fujishima, Johnny's, Noriyuki Higashiyama, Johnny’s, “, ”, McDonald’s, ___ Yuri Kageyama Organizations: TOKYO, Johnny & Associates, Asahi Group Holdings, Suntory Holdings, Kao Corp, Public, NHK, Japan Federation of Bar, Business, Rights Locations: Tokyo, Japan, McDonald’s Japan

☆ Japan's Johnny Kitagawa sex abuse scandal forces shake-up at J-pop agency
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-07 | by ( Francis Tang | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

TOKYO, Sept 7 (Reuters) - The niece of Johnny Kitagawa, the late J-pop magnate at the centre of a sexual abuse scandal that has shocked Japan, said on Thursday that she had stepped down as the head of the talent agency her uncle had founded. As more Japanese media took up the story, lawmakers voiced outrage, while the United Nations' human rights experts also criticised the talent agency for its handling of the allegations. At a press conference televised live by most broadcasters, Kitagawa's niece Julie K. Fujishima said she had stepped down as president on Tuesday. Noriyuki Higashiyama, a former member of the popular 1980s boy-band Shonentai, was the new head of the agency, Fujishima said. But the scandal blew up this year as more victims came forward after the BBC's report, leading to demands for stricter laws to prevent child abuse and a formal apology from the agency.

Persons: Johnny Kitagawa, Kitagawa, Kitagawa's, Julie K, Fujishima, Noriyuki, Higashiyama, Francis Tang, Kantaro Komiya, Kiyoshi Takenaka, Chang, Ran Kim, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: BBC, United Nations, Johnny, Associates, Johnny's Juniors, Thomson Locations: TOKYO, Japan, East Asia

Hong Kong CNN —The head of Japan’s biggest music agency has apologized over allegations of years-long sexual abuse committed by its founder, the late entertainment mogul Johnny Kitagawa. “We sincerely apologize for the great deal of trouble caused by our founder Johnny Kitagawa’s alleged sexual abuse of individuals,” said Julie Fujishima, the company’s president and CEO. “On the other hand, Johnny Kitagawa, who is the party concerned, cannot speak on the accusations.”Fujishima also warned of the risk of “slander, due to speculation,” suggesting skepticism over some claims. They spoke about alleged sexual assault committed by Johnny Kitagawa, who died in 2019. A Tokyo High Court partially overturned the earlier decision in 2003, ruling the published sexual abuse claims were not libelous.

Japanese-Brazilian singer-songwriter Kauan Okamoto alleged during a press conference that over the course of four years, beginning in 2012 when he was 15, he was repeatedly sexually assaulted by Kitagawa, who died age 87 in 2019. In 1999, Japanese magazine Shukan Bunshun published accounts of other young men and boys who claimed they were sexually abused by Kitagawa. They ‘knew it was my turn’Singer-songwriter Okamoto joined Kitagawa’s agency in February 2012 while he was in junior high school. Okamoto said Kitagawa would often invite these young recruits to spend the night in his apartment, and pick “favorites” among the boys. “He began massaging my feet,” Okamoto said, and alleged that Kitagawa touched his genitals and performed oral sex on him.

☆ Japanese prime minister under pressure over campaign expenditure report
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

TOKYO, Nov 24 (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Thursday his office in western Hiroshima prefecture had found errors in receipts attached to a campaign expenditure report, after a magazine reported possible violations of election funding laws. The allegations are another blow to the prime minister, who has seen three cabinet minister quit within a month and whose public support is currently around 30% in recent polls, a level that may make it difficult for him to carry out his agenda. Weekly magazine Shukan Bunshun published a report on Tuesday saying Kishida's office had submitted 94 receipts in its campaign expenditure report with no addressee or description, which could amount to breaches of election funding laws. "I have instructed my office to make sure similar errors like this don't happen in the future," Kishida told reporters. The person in charge had filled in the items on the expenditure report but had overlooked adding the details into the attached receipts, he added.

Search resuls for: "Bunshun"

6 mentions found