Ex-Members Caution Companies over Rush to Pull Johnny’s Ads

Jiji Press

12:34 JST, September 15, 2023

TOKYO (Jiji Press) — A group of former Johnny & Associates Inc. members Thursday cautioned companies against rushing to stop using the talent agency’s entertainers in advertisements due to its sexual abuse scandal.

The group of victims of sexual abuse by the agency’s late founder, Johnny Kitagawa, said that they “do not hope that sponsor companies immediately stop doing business with Johnny & Associates.”

In a written request submitted to the talent agency and others, the group said that it cannot deny the possibility that such moves by companies will encourage Johnny & Associates to rectify its response to the scandal.

The group urged companies to present the talent agency with a list of requests and then move to sever business ties if the talent agency fails to comply.

It also demanded that the talent agency establish direct and sufficient dialogue in order to investigate what had happened and provide aid to victims.

Referring to media companies’ announcements of regret over their insufficient reporting on the scandal, the group called for the establishment of a third-party fact-finding team.