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The person conducting the inner investigation over the sexual abuse victims of Johnny Kitagawa has stated that he believes there have been two extra predators working on the expertise company.
Final March, a BBC documentary titled Predator: The Secret Scandal of J-Pop uncovered an alleged historical past of sexual abuse by Johnny Kitagawa, arguably probably the most influential determine in Japan’s leisure trade.
Kitagawa’s company held a near-monopoly on Japanese boy bands for many years, and as set out within the documentary, he confronted allegations of sexual misconduct whereas he was alive. Whereas some have been confirmed in a civil court docket, he by no means confronted costs. He continued recruiting and coaching teenage boys till his demise in 2019, aged 87.
New accusers got here ahead after the documentary was broadcast, with over 1000 victims having thus far stated they have been abused by Kitagawa.
Amid the fallout, the Johnny & Associates expertise company introduced that it’s going to break up into two entities, with one specializing in compensating victims, whereas the opposite will work with upcoming artists.
“We’ll disband Johnny & Associates and face the victims in a honest method. The brand new firm will create a brand new future with its followers,” stated Noriyuki Higashiyama, the company’s present president, at a information convention.
Now, Higashiyama has informed the BBC that he believes on account of the investigation that there have been two extra predatory males working on the company, and that he believes them each to nonetheless be alive.
He has not contacted authorized authorities in connections along with his new findings up to now
“From a authorized standpoint, I don’t assume we’ve the authority to do this,” Higashiyama stated. “But when these concerned file a legal criticism, I think about we’d co-operate as a lot as attainable.”
A few of the victims of Kitagawa’s abuse have accused the organisation of failing to behave swiftly sufficient and never making their compensation process clear.
The earlier boss of the company, Julie Keiko Fujishima — Kitagawa’s niece — was ordered to resign from her place following the accusations towards her uncle.
In September, Higashiyama was accused of sexually assaulting younger boys.
He appeared at a press convention on September 7, the place he was met with questions in regards to the claims.
On the occasion, journalists requested him whether or not allegations printed in a guide, which claimed that he massaged boys’ crotches, uncovered his genitals and informed them to “eat my sausage” have been true (through BBC Information).
Right here, he responded that he had no recollection of any occasions which will or might not have occurred. “I don’t bear in mind clearly,” he responded. “Possibly it occurred, possibly it didn’t. I’ve bother remembering.”
He did nonetheless acknowledge claims that he had bullied youthful performers, saying that it was attainable he had been overly strict with them and wouldn’t behave in that very same method now.
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