February 12, 2025

IntecStudio

Buzz The Music

Head of key Japanese boys-team expertise company apologizes for former sex abuse

Head of key Japanese boys-team expertise company apologizes for former sex abuse

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The head of a major Japanese boys-team expertise company has released a YouTube video apologizing for the sexual abuse allegedly perpetrated by her predecessor and promised to reduce a recurrence.

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Allegations from Johnny Kitagawa, a effective determine in Japanese leisure and the founder of Johnny & Associates, have been tossed all over for far more than 20 decades, although he was in no way billed with crimes. He died in 2019.

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The allegations resurfaced as a warm topic of scrutiny after BBC Information did a distinctive earlier this year, focusing on numerous folks who stated they have been sexually abused.

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“Far more than just about anything, I apologize quite deeply to the victims,” mentioned a solemn Julie Keiko Fujishima, bowing 4 periods all through a a single-minute movie unveiled late Sunday.

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The scandal has served as a wake-up connect with for Japan’s lagging fight from sexual harassment. A consumer boycott has begun towards Johnny’s, as the enterprise is also acknowledged, earning for an intensive record, as dozens of the “tarento,” or “talent,” appear in many advertisements. A petition generate expressing outrage has gathered countless numbers of signatures.

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Fujishima apologized for the “disappointment and concerns” fans should be feeling. In an supplemental prepared statement, she stressed she had not known of any wrongdoing, while acknowledging that was no excuse. Compliance groups and counseling have been established up, she said, while stopping limited of lining up an outdoors third-celebration investigation.

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According to the allegations, Kitagawa questioned fledgling singers and dancers, quite a few of them young children, to stay at his luxury property. When he informed one particular of them to go to bed early, absolutely everyone realized “it was your change.”

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That type of testimony from musician Kauan Okamoto, showing at the Overseas Correspondents Club in Tokyo past thirty day period, lifted the degree of criticism from Johnny’s. Okamoto was the to start with accuser who appeared prior to reporters less than his actual title to share his story and be photographed.

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He had been part of the backup team Johnny’s Jr., which also labored as a talent pool for Johnny & Associates. The corporation has beneath its wing some of Japan’s top rated actors.

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Fujishima just lately fulfilled with Okamoto.

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She could not say with certainty whether or not his allegations were being precise or not. But she sees folks are alleging abuse, and these types of a point “really should in no way come about yet again.”

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“We are scarcely obtaining started out, but he has provided us an possibility to improve,” she explained.

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Okamoto’s reaction to his to start with assembly with Fujishima, whom he called “Julie san,” was overwhelmingly good. It was like talking to a mother, he extra. He understood she was truly sorry but had privateness and lawful concerns.

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Some critics reported Fujishima’s apology was not ample, the business need to maintain a information convention, and she need to resign to take obligation.

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Many others have slammed mainstream Japanese media for extensive staying silent, suggesting they feared retaliation and getting rid of access to the expertise pool. Shukan Bunshun, a weekly magazine, has been an exception, aggressively masking the Johnny’s scandal from the start off.

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Japanese entertainers have been going through major level of competition from neighboring South Korea, exactly where groups like BTS have achieved considerably bigger international achievements. Some Johnny’s stars have been leaving the organization around the many years, which include Okamoto.

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“All people really should appear forward and convey to the real truth,” Okamoto mentioned in his most up-to-date YouTube online video.

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He experienced been frightened of remaining rejected by Japanese modern society, when he experienced simply preferred adore, as a individual and a musician.

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“It truly is not effortless to deliver goals although entertainment and to actually transfer people today,” Okamoto reported.