Johnny Kitagawa, the representative of Johnny’s office, who is called the ‘Emperor’ of the Japanese idol world, was embroiled in a sexual exploitation controversy.
Johnny’s is a Japanese entertainment agency specializing in male idols. The Japanese national group SMAP is also a member of Johnny’s. CEO Johnny led Johnny’s until his death in 2019 at the age of 87. He holds records such as producing the most number one singers in the world, producing the most number one singles, and producing the most concerts.
However, on the 7th (local time), the BBC reported on the suspicion of Johnny’s sexual exploitation. Revelations continued that he reigned as the king of the entertainment industry and sexually abused teenage boys. Hayashi (pseudonym), who participated in the interview, said, “I was invited to stay at one of Johnny’s houses within a week of meeting him.” “After a while, Johnny came up to me and asked me to take a bath.” lost,” he testified. Another victim said, “My parents arranged for Johnny to sleep in the same room as me.” He confessed, “While we were having sex, my parents were sleeping in the next room.”
The BBC analyzed the reason why Johnny’s sex scandal was not a big problem in Japan from various angles. First of all, the interdependent relationship between the Japanese media and ‘Johnny’s Empire’ was pointed out. This is because media companies have no choice but to have popular entertainers belonging to Johnny’s appear on their own lines in order to attract a large number of viewers and readers. In fact, in 1999, in retaliation against the media outlets that reported interviews with victims of sexual exploitation, Johnny’s banned them from writing articles about their celebrities and sued them for defamation.
It was also interpreted that young boys, including minors, could not have rejected Johnny’s sexual abuse. Johnny’s has its own trainee system called ‘Junior’. Their official debut will be decided through Johnny. Hayashi said, “The other boys living in the house have to put up with it. He said he couldn’t succeed otherwise.” “Successful boys are grateful that their lives have changed thanks to Johnny. This is different from general sexual exploitation,” he criticized.
In fact, Ryu, who worked as a backup dancer for Johnny’s, said, “I don’t hate Johnny, I personally received a lot of grace.” He added, “It wasn’t a big deal for me (sexual harassment),” adding, “I can laugh and talk about it now.” Ren, who was a trainee under Johnny’s, also replied, “There were rumors that if (sexual contact with Johnny) happened, it would be successful.”
“It takes a lot of courage for survivors of sexual abuse to go out in public,” said Nobuki Yamaguchi, a therapist who specializes in helping men who have been victims of sexual abuse. “There is a culture of shame in Japan. “Sexual abuse creates a special relationship between the perpetrator and the victim. It is a key part of the crime of grooming. Because of this, victims are very confused and suffer complex trauma.”
Meanwhile, her nephew Julie Fujishima, who leads the Johnny’s office after Johnny’s death, said, “Since the death of the former CEO in 2019, the head office has been working with experts to build a very transparent organizational structure that complies with laws and regulations and fits the times.” “We plan to announce and implement a new corporate structure and system this year in 2023.”
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.