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TOKYO (AP) — The Japanese entertainment company that has acknowledged its founder sexually assaulted hundreds of boys over the span of half a century, took a new name on Monday: Smile-Up. Higashiyama, tapped last month to head the old Johnny’s, will now be president of both Smile-Up and the new company. “All things with the Johnny’s name will have to go,” Higashiyama told reporters at a Tokyo hotel. Payments will begin next month, Higashiyama said. That causes great pain to the victims,” said Junya Hiramoto, who heads a group of Johnny’s victims.

Persons: Noriyuki Higashiyama, Johnny’s, ” Higashiyama, “, Johnny Kitagawa, Higashiyama, Kitagawa’s, Julie Keiko Fujishima, Fujishima, ”, Mary, Kitagawa, Johnny, Yoshihito Kawakami, Junya Hiramoto, Yuri Kageyama Organizations: TOKYO, Johnny, Associates, Johnny’s, BBC, Johnny & Associates, Associated Press Locations: Tokyo, Johnny’s, Japan

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

TOKYO (AP) — Several major Japanese companies have decided to stop using stars who are represented by Johnny & Associates, an entertainment company at the center of a sexual assault scandal. Victims have come forward, demanding an apology and financial compensation from Johnny & Associates, which remains one of this nation’s most powerful entertainment companies. Critics say the mainstream news media kept silent because it didn’t want to lose access to Johnny’s stars for their programming. But public opinion has shifted dramatically in recent months, with the wave of companies dropping Johnny's expected to grow. Suntory Holdings said it will stop using Johnny’s personnel in its ads and has formally demanded improved corporate governance.

Persons: Johnny &, Junichi Okada, Toma Ikuta, Sho Sakurai, Johnny, Julie Keiko Fujishima, Johnny Kitagawa, Fujishima, Kitagawa, Hibiki, Hokuto, Atsushi Katsuki, Johnny's, ”, ___ Yuri Kageyama Organizations: TOKYO, Johnny, Johnny & Associates, Beverage, Asahi Group Holdings, Johnny’s, Japan Airlines, Nippon Life Insurance, Suntory Holdings, Asahi, Twitter Locations: Tokyo, SixTONES

☆ Head of Japan's top pop agency resigns after admitting founder Johnny Kitagawa sexually abused minors
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-07 | by ( Jessie Yeung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —The head of Japan’s top pop agency Johnny & Associates stepped down Thursday after admitting that her uncle, the company’s late founder, had sexually abused minors for years, following months of international scrutiny and an independent investigation. Julie K Fujishima, the niece of Johnny Kitagawa, announced her resignation in a news conference Thursday, saying the company would compensate the victims of her uncle’s abuse, according to public broadcaster NHK. It was the first time the agency has addressed the media about the scandal, according to NHK. He alleged that over the course of four years, beginning in 2012 when he was 15, he was repeatedly sexually assaulted by Kitagawa. In 1999, a Japanese magazine published accounts of other young men and boys who claimed they were sexually abused by Kitagawa.

Persons: Julie K Fujishima, Johnny Kitagawa, Kitagawa, Noriyuki Higashiyama, Higashiyama, “, Jae, Mary Kitagawa, Fujishima, Kauan Okamoto Organizations: CNN, Johnny, NHK, BBC, Johnny & Associates, Associates Locations: Tokyo

☆ 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

Fujishima said the alleged sex abuse had really happened and that she would stay on the company’s board to see through a victim compensation program. A group of men who accused Kitagawa of raping them as children said they were pleased the company apologized, but some had reservations. The three-month probe concluded that Johnny Kitagawa sexually assaulted and abused boys as far back as the 1950s and targeted at least several hundred people. The men who have come forward say Kitagawa raped, fondled and abused them while they were working for his company as dancers and singers. One man who came forward recently said he was routinely molested when Kitagawa had yet to found his company.

Persons: Julie Keiko Fujishima, Johnny Kitagawa, ” Fujishima, Fujishima, Kitagawa, Yukihiro Oshima, Noriyuki Higashiyama, “, ” Higashiyama, ”, Higashiyama, ” ___ Yuri Kageyama Organizations: TOKYO, Johnny & Associates, BBC Locations: Tokyo

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. 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. 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.

Persons: Johnny Kitagawa, Kitagawa, Julie Keiko Fujishima, Kitagawa’s Organizations: Johnny & Associates Locations: Japan

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.

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