Tokyo Scandal Unfolds: More Perpetrators Revealed in Japan’s Pop Abuse Case
The man entrusted with compensating sexual abuse victims of Japan’s most famous pop Svengali drops a bombshell – the scandal runs deeper than previously believed.
Noriyuki Higashiyama, speaking to the BBC, suggests that there are two additional perpetrators within Johnny Kitagawa’s agency Johnny & Associates.
Shocking as it may be, Higashiyama believes these individuals are still alive.
Following a BBC investigation in 2023, nearly 1,000 men have come forward alleging abuse at the hands of Kitagawa.
Higashiyama disclosed that an internal probe by the former company in August 2023 pointed to two individuals at Johnny & Associates who were suspected of sexually abusing talent.
Surprisingly, he has not reached out to authorities as of yet.
“Legally, we may not have the jurisdiction to do so,” Higashiyama explains. “But if the involved parties file a criminal complaint, we are prepared to cooperate fully.”
He admits to being unaware of whether the survivors of abuse by the two perpetrators wish to pursue legal action.
Johnny Kitagawa, the mastermind behind the Japanese boy band craze, passed away in 2019, hailed at the time for his contributions to pop culture in the country.
Following the BBC exposé, an independent inquiry confirmed that Kitagawa had abused hundreds of boys and young men over his six-decade career.
Johnny & Associates was disbanded and replaced by a new agency called Starto Entertainment and Smile-Up, a company tasked with handling abuse claims.
Smile-Up appointed a victim relief committee comprising three former judges to oversee the compensation process.
Higashiyama, a former actor and talent under Johnny & Associates, assumed the role of Smile-Up’s CEO. While facing his own allegations of misconduct, which he denies.
Survivors of Kitagawa’s abuse have criticized Smile-Up for its opaque compensation process and delayed engagement with them, describing it as an ad-hoc system with no clear timeline.
Akimasa Nihongi, a former talent at Johnny & Associates, joined the agency at 13 with dreams of stardom.
He went public with his own abuse story after seeing it reported in 2023.
“I sense that there are still concealed issues,” he remarks.
For Akimasa and many others, justice seems elusive. A lawyer representing Kitagawa’s survivors deems Smile-Up’s process a “black-box situation”.
Smile-Up has cast doubt on some allegations, stating that individuals not connected to the abuse may be fabricating stories using genuine victim testimonies.
Several survivors who shared their stories have faced online condemnation and harassment.
One woman, choosing to remain anonymous, reveals that her husband received death threats after speaking out about his abuse by Kitagawa.
Tragically, her husband took his own life in the aftermath.
Smile-Up CEO Higashiyama acknowledges this case.
“While people have the right to free speech, I do not condone slander. It’s crucial to combat online abuse,” he asserts.
Post-BBC investigation, Mobeen Azhar delves into the fallout of J-pop’s predator Johnny Kitagawa’s legacy of abuse.
Higashiyama discloses that he has personally spoken to nearly 200 abuse survivors.
“My aim is to help heal their wounds, even if just a little. Meeting with survivors is my priority,” he states.
Although lacking formal counseling experience, Smile-Up is arranging and funding counseling for survivors indefinitely.
Following the shocking revelations, Kitagawa’s once-celebrated status in Japanese pop culture has shifted dramatically.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida faces mounting pressure to reform sexual abuse legislation in response.
Public discourse post-investigation has emboldened more men to speak out about their abuse experiences.
Despite testimonies, some survivors feel justice remains out of reach.
Akimasa stresses the need for support in reaching closure, a gap he believes the new Johnny & Associates entity has failed to address.
“Accountability is crucial. This is a significant post-war sexual assault case in Japan. We must not let it fade away – it’s essential to document this in Japanese history.” — BBC
