Expert Panel Releases Report on Johnny Kitagawa Abuse Allegations, Demands President’s Resignation

The Yomiuri Shimbun

17:32 JST, August 29, 2023

The report concluded that Kitagawa had repeatedly sexually assaulted some of the boys on the agency’s books and others over a period of about 50 years.

Kitagawa died in 2019.

The agency appointed the expert team when reports of Kitagawa’s alleged sexual assault reemerged earlier this year.

Chaired by lawyer Makoto Hayashi, the team called for the resignation of Johnny & Associates President Julie K. Fujishima, who is Kitagawa’s niece.

According to the report, the reason the entertainment mogul was able to continue sexually assaulting boys over such a long period was partly because family members of Kitagawa employed by the agency chose not to act despite being aware of the abuse.