The apology from Johnny & Associates Inc. is a welcomed change, but it certainly should not end the long hushed-up sex abuse scandal surrounding the talent agency’s founder, an industry expert said.

Soichiro Matsutani, journalist who has covered the entertainment industry, said it is now essential to clarify whether the agency used its clout to pressure media outlets to look the other way concerning the sex abuse allegations lodged at Johnny Kitagawa, who died in 2019 at the age of 87.

Julie Keiko Fujishima, president of Johnny & Associates and a niece of Kitagawa, apologized for the scandal in a statement and in a video on May 14.

Matsutani said her move indicates the company is determined to put the issue behind it.

He also said it represented a change from the normally closed nature of the agency.

Kitagawa, who served as producer, and his elder sister, Mary Yasuko Fujishima, who was put in full charge of company’s affairs, never made public appearances despite their lofty positions at the influential agency, Matsutani said.

But he stressed that the public should not be satisfied just because the agency’s current president has made an appearance.

In her apology, Fujishima stressed the efforts she has made since becoming president, but she did not specifically address the sexual abuse allegations made by former idols at the agency.

She also said she had no previous knowledge of the allegations.

Matsutani said Fujishima has long held senior positions at the agency, so she needs to confront her past.

He also said the agency’s decision not to establish a third-party panel to investigate the allegations raises suspicions that the company wants to protect its long-standing executives, including the president herself.

Many people have said the agency should hold a news conference to clear up the matter.

But Matsutani said Fujishima likely does not want to be questioned by reporters in such a setting. He also said he thinks a news conference may not serve any meaningful purpose.

The journalist said he wants Johnny & Associates to provide more detailed answers regarding such matters as whether the agency effectively muzzled media outlets, particularly television stations, about the allegations.

He said the root of the problem lies in the agency’s power over media outlets because of its famous idols.

Given the declining revenue of TV stations and magazines over the past two decades, media outlets have become increasingly dependent on Johnny idols to generate high ratings.

Consequently, the outlets have been overly accommodating to the agency, Matsutani said.

Johnny & Associates has also taken measures against idols who have quit the agency. Since leaving, they have found fewer TV appearances and more difficulties landing work in the entertainment industry.

In 2019, the Fair Trade Commission issued an unusual warning to the agency after it was found pressuring commercial TV stations to avoid giving appearances to three former members of boy band SMAP who had left the agency.

Matsutani said the agency should have addressed its dominance over the media and declared it will stop such practices. Otherwise, similar things could happen at other talent agencies, he said.

PRESSURE AFTER BBC REPORT

The weekly Shukan Bunshun magazine way back in 1999 reported allegations from former idols who had signed with the agency that they were sexually abused by Kitagawa.

Kitagawa filed a libel lawsuit against the magazine and its publisher, but the Tokyo High Court concluded that key parts of the weekly’s report were true.

Although the ruling was finalized in 2004, the sex scandal was largely ignored by the mainstream media, and the issue did not gain the public interest normally seen with such an influential figure.

Japan’s entertainment industry has enjoyed a sort of extraterritoriality due to its perceived uniqueness, and media outlets and society eventually treated the sex abuse issue as mere gossip.

However, the scandal resurfaced after the BBC in March this year aired “Predator: The Secret Scandal of J-Pop,” a one-hour documentary about Kitagawa’s suspected sexual abuse against minors.

Japanese media covered the BBC’s documentary, and the report circulated on social media.

Matsutani believes the BBC’s reporting also helped to educate a wider audience in Japan about the issue of sexual grooming.

In Japan, the legal system concerning sexual abuse and sexual assault has been described as antiquated.

Before the country revised its Penal Code in 2017, renaming the crime of “rape” to “forcible sexual intercourse,” the crime did not include male victims.

Lawmakers are now discussing raising the age of sexual consent from 13 to 16 as part of reforms to the Penal Code.

Matsutani said through an increased understanding of the sex abuse issues, more victims can come forward, and prejudice against them will be reduced.

INFLUENCE FADING

Kitagawa was born in Los Angeles but mainly grew up in Japan.

He learned about show business while serving as an interpreter for legendary enka singer Hibari Misora and engaging in other works.

He coached a youth baseball team called “Johnny’s” and formed a boy’s group from among team members. To market the group, also called “Johnny’s,” he established the agency in 1962.

The agency has produced a number of popular boy bands and male idol groups, such as SMAP, Shonentai and Arashi.

Kitagawa personally attended auditions to spot future stars and played an active role in training the recruits.

The agency’s idols became fixtures in TV dramas, variety shows, commercials, advertisements, concerts and other stage performances.

However, observers say the influence of Johnny & Associates has been declining.

Hugely popular SMAP disbanded in 2016, and some of the members left the agency. Three members of idol group King & Prince recently announced their withdrawal from the agency.

Hideaki Takizawa, who was vice president of the agency, left the company last year and established his own talent agency.