TOKYO - An independent probe into one of Japan's top talent agencies has urged its president to step down. It's over sexual abuse allegations involving the founder of Johnny & Associates spanning decades.
Johnny Kitagawa was once hailed as the biggest producer in male J-pop. He even held a Guinness World Record for the most number one hit singles produced by an individual.
Kitagawa died in 2019, and several men who worked with him while underage have accused him of sexual misconduct.
On Tuesday, a team of legal and sexual abuse experts enlisted by the agency submitted a report into the allegations.
The expert team's chairperson, Hayashi Makoto, said, "Our special team recognized that Johnny sexually assaulted a number of minors, including 'Johnny's Junior' trainees, at locations including his home, training camps, and hotels while on tour."
The team interviewed 23 alleged victims. They included former backup dancers known as "Johnny's Juniors," who were mostly teenagers hoping to make their break in the music business.
The probe concluded that Kitagawa began sexually abusing boys in the 1950s, and committed assaults into the mid-2010s.
It implicated Johnny's older sister, Mary Kitagawa, of failing to take action, as well as trying to cover up her brother's abuse of underage boys. Mary held a managing role in the agency. ...continue reading
Source: ANNnewsCH
