“The Charming Men’s Factory”, the Japanese boy band agency caught up in its founder’s sexual predator past

2023-05-17 17:00:07

An image of Johnny Kitagawa, founder of the Japanese boy band agency, Johnny & Associates, known as Johnny’s, at the announcement of his death, in Tokyo, July 10, 2019. KYODO NEWS VIA AP

“A desperate act to ensure its survival. » It is an understatement to say that Ryu Takahashi, former star of J-pop passed by the powerful Japanese boy band agency, Johnny & Associates, known as Johnny’s, did not taste the excuses formulated, Sunday, May 14, by Julie Keiko Fujishima . The president of the agency spoke about accusations of sexual abuse of adolescents recruited by the agency, targeting its founder, Johnny Kitagawa (1931-2019) – also his uncle.

“I would like to offer my most sincere apologies to those who claim to be victims”, she said. The agency takes the matter seriously, she added, adding that such behavior was “unacceptable”. M^me Fujishima pledged to implement measures to meet the needs of the victims, but did not comment on the facts and refused the idea of ​​an investigation.

“There are persistent rumours. It doesn’t make sense for someone, who served as director of the agency and succeeded Mr. Kitagawa as president, to say they didn’t know. I think the agency just wants to bury the case,” regrets Mr. Takahashi, 31, in the centre-left daily, Asahi. Himself, when he was 16 years old, was touched by Mr. Kitagawa.

Constant flow of groups

The scandal threatens a veritable institution of J-pop, omnipresent in Japanese entertainment since the 1960s. his second boy band, the Four Leaves. He then developed the concept of boy bands made up of young people recruited from adolescence and trained in his academy. He’s had a string of successes with a steady stream of bands like SMAP, Arashi and Tokio. Johnny & Associates is nicknamed “the factory of charming men”.

Read the story: In Japan, end clap for the boy band SMAP

Success was never threatened by the recurring rumors about his behavior towards his young recruits. In 1988, the problem was pointed out by a former member of the Four Leaves at the time of the publication of his diaries. In 1996, Junya Hiramoto, a former Johnny’s, revealed that he had seen the leader rape a boy in an agency dormitory.

The affair took a more serious turn when, in 1999, the weekly Shukan Bunshun published the testimonies of twelve teenagers who spoke of sexual abuse, including rape, perpetrated by Mr. Kitagawa.

The leader then denied the facts and initiated legal action for defamation. His lawyer said he was the victim of rumors spread by former trainees who did not have enough talent to succeed. The trial ended in 2004 before the Tokyo High Court, which recognized “elements of truth” in the articles of Shukan Bunshun.

You have 36.59% of this article left to read. The following is for subscribers only.