Johnny’s Abuse Victims Demand Relief Panel Be Set Up

Jiji Press

17:44 JST, September 5, 2023

TOKYO (Jiji Press) — A group of former members of Johnny & Associates Inc. has demanded that the Japanese talent agency set up a committee and a fund to provide relief to victims of alleged sexual abuse by its late former president, Johnny Kitagawa, it was learned on Monday.

At a press conference in Tokyo on the day, the group, consisting of such victims, also revealed that it is ready to file a criminal complaint, depending on the agency’s response.

The agency is scheduled to hold a press conference on Thursday to explain its response.

On Tuesday last week, a team of outside experts established by Johnny & Associates to investigate the matter released a report calling for the resignation of the company’s current president, Julie Keiko Fujishima, as well as the creation of a framework to provide relief to victims.

In its written request to the agency, the group of former members proposed that the relief committee be made up of experts and others recommended by the group and by the agency, and called for contributions to the relief fund from the agency’s president, TV stations and others.

“We hope to find a way [to help the victims] through dialogue between the victim and perpetrator sides,” Junya Hiramoto, head of the group, said at Monday’s press conference.