Cover-up of boys rape at Johnny & Associates
(Akasaka, Minato, Tokyo, Japan)
Cover-up of boys rape at Johnny & Associates is a problem that Johnny Kitagawa(Japanese:ジャニー喜多川) who is the founder of Johnny & Associates(Japanese:ジャニーズ事務所), and some employee raped hundreds of boys before debuting, and all Japanese media covered up this fact. This incident had continued about 5 decades. (1960s-2010s)
Overview[edit]
In the early 1960s, Johnny Kitagawa established Johnny & Associates, which is a male model agency. From then on, Kitagawa began raping boys before his debut. It includes kiss, physical intimacy, Fellatio, and anal sex together[1]. If boys accept to make love, they were able to make their debut. But if they refuse to make love, they ware impossible to debut[1].
In civil trials held in the 1960s, obscene acts were mentioned, and there were also testimonies that people had been accused of harm or had almost been harmed[2]. Some former affiliation talent (Koji Kita(北公次)[3], Junya Hiramoto(平本淳也)[4]) published exposure book about boys rape. In 1999, the weekly magazine Shukan Bunshun reported on allegations of sexual abuse by Kitagawa[5].
But, All Japanese media didn't picked up this fact and covered up[6][7]. and law enforcement in Japan didn't arrested and survayed.
In addition, an employee of Johnny & Associates committed gay rape against boys before his debut[8][9].
Johnny Kitagawa died in 2019 without being arrested or charged. Then, Shinzo Abe who was the Prime Minister at the time praised the achievement.[10]
The turning point in the cover-up of boys rape came in 2022. Kauan Okamoto(カウアン・オカモト), who had belonged to Johnny & Associates appeared on GaaSyy's Youtube channel and talked about how he was a victim of boys rape[11].
On March 7, 2023, the British broadcaster BBC broadcasted feature-length documentary titled Predator: The Secret Scandal of J-Pop. This is about sexual assault in Kitagawa.
On April 12, 2023, Kauan Okamoto held a press conference[12][13]. He said that from the age of 15, when he worked at Johnny's Entertainment, until his departure, he was raped 15 to 20 times by Kitagawa. After this press conference, NHK reported on the child rape on April 13. This was the first TV report on Kitagawa's sexual assault by a Japanese television, but it was only broadcast for two minutes at 4 p.m., when there were few viewers[14][15].
Personnel from the United Nations Human Rights Council came to Japan in late July 2023 and conducted the investigation from late July 2023 to early August 2023. As a result, on August 4, 2023, They announced that there was boys rape at Johnny & Associates. They also announced, "For decades, the Japanese media are reportedly complicit in covering up this scandal."[16].
Cause[edit]
Johnny & Associates have held power in Japanese entertainment industry and media for a long time. Johnny & Associates have been pressuring the media to report positively on the company, its talents, and Kitagawa, and not to report negatively[17][18].
Also, Johnny & Associates was a typical family-run company. From 1980 until Kitagawa's death in 2019, Kitagawa and his sister Mary Kitagawa(メリー喜多川) had 50/50 of stocks, so no one could comment[19]. When Kitagawa died, Mary Kitagawa's daughter, Julie Keiko Fujishima(藤島ジュリー景子), became president of the company, gaining all stocks and power. However, although she could have investigated Kitagawa's boys rape and rescued the victims, Fujishima did nothing[19].
Reaction and influence[edit]
- On September 7, 2023, Johnny & Associates held a press conference[20][21]. Julie Keiko Fujishima, who had been president since Kitagawa's death, took responsibility and retired as president, and Noriyuki Higashiyama, who is a Johnny's talent, became president instead[20][22]. However, Fujishima remained as representative director and will continue to hold all stocks[20]. Johnny & Associates name is derived from Johnny Kitagawa, but announced that the company name will not change[23].
- Some companies that use Johnny & Associates talents in their commercials have decided not to use them from now on. (Tokio Marine Nichido[24], Japan Airlines[25], Asahi Group Holdings[26][27], etc.)
- After press conference of Johnny & Associates, NHK and five major commercial networks of Japan (Nippon TV, TV Asahi, TBS, TV Tokyo, and Fuji Television) announced a statement. However, all TV stations didn't apologize that they didn't report boys rape. And they announced that they will continue to use Johnny & Associates talents[28].
- At the 2023 Rugby World Cup, Japan's ambassadors are Johnny & Associates talents. However, France criticized the use of Johnny & Associates talent[29].
- Among Johnny's fans, there were comments such as "If you're a fan, you know this fact" and "That's what the entertainment world is like", acknowledging child rape and denying reporting it[30]. And, they attacked on social media against Kauan Okamoto, who talked about to boys rape[31].
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 “Investigation Report (Publication Version)”(Japanese). Johnny's Office (August 29, 2023). Accessed September 3, 2023.
- ↑ 金子侑輝、石田健 (2023-4-14). "ジャニー喜多川氏に向けられた具体的な性加害疑惑 = 約60年にわたる証言の歴史". The HEADLINE. Retrieved 2022-04-30. Check date values in:
|date=(help) - ↑ "Hikaru Genji e "(光GENJIへ) series (1988 - 1989, 3 books in total)
- ↑ "Johnny's no subete"(ジャニーズのすべて) series (1998, 3 books in total)
- ↑ Oaten, James; Asada, Yumi (2023-03-11). "J-pop mogul Johnny Kitagawa was accused of sexually assaulting young boys in his care, but even in death, he was protected". ABC. Retrieved 2023-03-15.
- ↑ Mark D. West (September 15, 2008). [Secrets, Sex, and Spectacle: The Rules of Scandal in Japan and the United States. University of Chicago Press. ISBN 978-0-226-89408-9
- ↑ "全メディアが沈黙。ジャニー喜多川「性加害」問題を報じぬニッポンの異常". まぐまぐニュース！ (in 日本語). 2023-04-21. Retrieved 2023-07-28.
- ↑ 「ジャニー氏以外にも、ジャニーズ事務所の社員による性加害があることが確認」再発防止チーム
- ↑ "「6人くらいと…」ジャニーズ事務所・男性マネージャーもジュニアに性加害していた＜本人告白＞". 文春オンライン. 2023-06-07. Retrieved 2023-06-07.
- ↑ "ジャニーさんお別れの会 関係者・タレントに見守られ【安倍首相の弔電全文】". ORICON NEWS. 2019-09-04. Retrieved 2023-04-29.
- ↑ “ジャニー氏性加害告発の発端、ガーシー容疑者の捜査は後回し？”. @nifty News
- ↑ “【全文】元Jr.のカウアン・オカモトが「ジャニー喜多川氏の性加害」会見で語ったこと”. Newsweek Japanese version. Accessed on April 13, 2023.
- ↑ 【ノーカット】「前社長から性的被害」 元ジャニーズ所属歌手会見 - YouTube（KYODO NEWS, Released on April 12, 2023）
- ↑ "NHK、ジャニー喜多川さんの「性的行為」問題報じる…夕方の5分ニュースで". 弁護士ドットコムニュース. 2023-04-13. Retrieved 2023-04-30.
- ↑ SAKISIRU編集部 (2023-04-14). "NHK、ジャニー喜多川元社長「性加害」報道も夕方枠のみ。「アリバイ作り」疑う声も". SAKISIRU. Retrieved 2023-04-30.
- ↑ 国連人権理「被害者の実効的救済を」 ジャニー氏の性加害問題で声明
- ↑ Mark Schilling (2019-07-18). "Johnny Kitagawa: Power, Abuse, and the Japanese Media Omerta". Variety. Archived from the original on July 27, 2019. Retrieved 2019-07-29. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ St. Michel, Patrick (2019-07-10). "Johnny Kitagawa: The mogul who defined and controlled Japan's entertainment industry". The Japan Times. Archived from the original on May 11, 2021. Retrieved 2021-05-10. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ 19.0 19.1 特別チーム 2023, pp. 46–47.
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 藤島ジュリー景子社長、ジャニー喜多川氏の性加害認める…ジャニーズ事務所が記者会見 - 読売新聞 2023年9月7日
- ↑ 東山紀之新社長「ジャニーズ」屋号は継続の意向 ネット賛否「名前変えて再出発した方が」「残してほしい」 - Sponichi Annex 2023年9月7日
- ↑ "ジャニーズ事務所 会見で何を語った？9つのポイントを詳しく". NHK (in 日本語). 2023-09-07. Retrieved 2023-09-07.
- ↑ 【速報】ジャニーズ事務所の社名は変更せず 「イメージを払拭するよう努力」
- ↑ ジャニーズと契約解除検討 東京海上、相葉さん広告に起用―「タレントに非はない」の声も・企業対応 - 時事ドットコム 2023年9月7日
- ↑ 日航、ジャニーズ起用当面見送り 「被害者救済の状況注視」 - 時事ドットコム 2023年9月7日
- ↑ アサヒＧも今後広告起用せず ジャニーズ、現契約は満了 - 東京新聞 2023年9月8日
- ↑ ジャニーズ所属タレント、アサヒグループHDが広告への起用とりやめ - 朝日新聞 2023年9月8日
- ↑ 在京キー局が「マスメディアの沈黙」について姿勢示す…ジャニーズ事務所の会見受け声明を発表【各局全文コメント】2023年9月7日 スポーツ報知
- ↑ 櫻井翔のラグビー日本代表アンバサダー起用を仏紙が批判 ジャニーズ性加害問題を受けて
- ↑ "ジャニー喜多川氏「ジャニーズJr.と性交あった」発言の波紋ーー暴露本『光GENJIへ』から続く告発の歴史". サイゾーウーマン. 2021-01-05. Retrieved 2022-02-13.
- ↑ "櫻井翔「憶測」発言で急増 "ジャニーズ性加害"告発者に相次ぐファンの攻撃〈死ねよ〉〈嘘つき〉". 2023-06-14. Retrieved 2023-06-18.
See also[edit]
This article "Cover-up of boys rape at Johnny & Associates" is from Simple English Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical and/or the page Edithistory:Cover-up of boys rape at Johnny & Associates.
