Johnny Kitagawa’s agency rebrands as over 300 seek compensation for sexual abuse
By Carl Samson
After admitting to decades of sexual abuses committed by its founder, Japanese entertainment label Johnny & Associates is splitting up into two companies, with one focused solely on identifying and compensating victims.
Catch up: Following an investigation, Johnny & Associates recently concluded that its late founder, Johnny Kitagawa, had abused hundreds of young male talents as far back as the 1950s. After the resignation of his niece, Julie Fujishima, from her post as president, the company moved to create a compensation program for victims.
Coming forward: At a press conference Monday, the label announced that it had received reports from 478 individuals. Of this number, 325 are seeking compensation and 150 were former talents, the BBC reported.
Rebranding efforts: Johnny & Associates said it will lose its name and split up into two companies. One of them will continue to manage talents, while the other — dubbed “SMILE-UP” — will solely focus on identifying and compensating Kitagawa’s victims.
“All things with the Johnny’s name will have to go,” Noriyuki Higashiyama, the company’s new president and a former client, told reporters, according to AP News. “A wounded heart isn’t easy to heal. Compensation on its own will never be enough.”
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