“It’s not easy to deliver dreams though entertainment and to truly move people,” Okamoto said.Ĭopyright 2023 The Associated Press. He had been afraid of being rejected by Japanese society, when he had simply wanted love, as a person and a musician. “Everyone should come forward and tell the truth,” Okamoto said in his latest YouTube video. Some Johnny’s stars have been leaving the company over the years, including Okamoto. Japanese entertainers have been facing serious competition from neighboring South Korea, where groups like BTS have met far greater international success. Shukan Bunshun, a weekly magazine, has been an exception, aggressively covering the Johnny’s scandal from the start. Others have slammed mainstream Japanese media for long being silent, suggesting they feared retaliation and losing access to the talent pool. Some critics said Fujishima’s apology was not sufficient, the company should hold a news conference, and she should resign to take responsibility. He understood she was genuinely sorry but had privacy and legal concerns. Okamoto’s reaction to his first meeting with Fujishima, whom he called “Julie san,” was overwhelmingly positive. ![]() “We are barely getting started, but he has given us an opportunity to change,” she said. But she sees people are alleging abuse, and such a thing “should never happen again.” She could not say with certainty whether his allegations were accurate or not. The company has under its wing some of Japan’s top actors. He had been part of the backup group Johnny’s Jr., which also worked as a talent pool for Johnny & Associates. Okamoto was the first accuser who appeared before reporters under his real name to share his story and be photographed. That kind of testimony from musician Kauan Okamoto, appearing at the Foreign Correspondents Club in Tokyo last month, raised the level of criticism against Johnny’s. When he told one of them to go to bed early, everyone knew “it was your turn.” Compliance teams and counseling have been set up, she said, while stopping short of lining up an outside third-party investigation.Īccording to the allegations, Kitagawa asked fledgling singers and dancers, many of them children, to stay at his luxury home. In an additional written statement, she stressed she had not known of any wrongdoing, although acknowledging that was no excuse. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko, File)įujishima apologized for the “disappointment and worries” fans must be feeling. Julie Keiko Fujishima, the current head of the major Japanese boys-group talent agency, released a YouTube video late Sunday, May 14, 2023, apologizing for the sexual abuse allegedly perpetrated by her predecessor and promised to prevent a recurrence. Okamoto claimed he was sexually assaulted by Johnny Kitagawa, founder of Johnny's talent agency, when he was a teenager. ![]() A petition drive expressing outrage has collected thousands of signatures.įILE -Kauan Okamoto, a musician and former member of Japanese pop group Johnny's Jr., speaks during a press conference at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan Wednesday, April 12, 2023, in Tokyo. A consumer boycott has begun against Johnny’s, as the company is also known, making for an extensive list, as dozens of the “tarento,” or “talent,” appear in various advertisements. The scandal has served as a wake-up call for Japan’s lagging fight against sexual harassment. “More than anything, I apologize very deeply to the victims,” said a solemn Julie Keiko Fujishima, bowing four times during a one-minute video released late Sunday. The allegations resurfaced as a hot topic of scrutiny after BBC News did a special earlier this year, focusing on several people who said they were sexually abused. TOKYO (AP) - The head of a major Japanese boys-group talent agency has released a YouTube video apologizing for the sexual abuse allegedly perpetrated by her predecessor and promised to prevent a recurrence.Īllegations against Johnny Kitagawa, a powerful figure in Japanese entertainment and the founder of Johnny & Associates, have been tossed around for more than 20 years, although he was never charged with crimes.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |