Photo/Illutration Kauan Okamoto, right, and Yasushi Hashida urge opposition lawmakers at the Diet on May 16 to protect minors from sexual abuse. (Amane Shimazaki)

Two men who said they were molested when they were members of talent agency Johnny & Associates Inc. urged opposition lawmakers to introduce legislation that better protects minors from sexual predators.

Kauan Okamoto, 26, and Yasushi Hashida, 37, met with lawmakers from the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan at the Diet on May 16.

“It is difficult for minors to fully understand their situation and protect themselves from abuse,” Okamoto said. “I felt I was not in a position to be protected by the law, and I was afraid they would cover it up even if I stepped forward with my case.”

The two said they were teenagers when they were sexually abused by Johnny Kitagawa, founder of Johnny & Associates, one of the most powerful talent agencies in Japan.

The agency on May 14 issued an apology over the abuse allegations surrounding Kitagawa, who died in 2019 at age 87.

Okamoto said the entertainment industry, not just Johnny & Associates, is rife with sexual abuse and bullying.

“This must change, and today’s discussion is a step forward to that goal,” he said.

Hashida added, “It is difficult to prevent abuse 100 percent, but small steps will still make a difference.”

The current Child Abuse Prevention Law is largely designed to address domestic abuse, and it does not apply to perpetrators if they are not the child’s legal guardian.

Some CDP members are calling for revision of the law to broaden the definition of the child abuser.

(This article was written by Ryuhei Tsutsui and Nozomi Matsui.)

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