Photo/Illutration Yasushi Hashida speaks at a May 26 news conference about the sexual abuse he suffered while he was a member of Johnny & Associates Inc. (Sayuri Ide)

Four former pop idols who say they were sexually abused as youngsters by the late don of a powerful talent agency are behind a petition drive to revise the Child Abuse Prevention Law.

One of the four, Yasushi Hashida, 37, appeared at a May 26 news conference in Tokyo to recount the abuse he claims to have experienced from Johnny Kitagawa, the founder of Johnny & Associates Inc., one of the most powerful talent agencies in Japan. Kitagawa died in 2019 at 87.

Hashida told media representatives that Kitagawa performed oral sex on him about a year after he joined “Johnny’s Jr.,” an umbrella term referring to pre-debut idols in the making, when he was 12.

Explaining the May 26 decision to embark on the petition drive, Hashida asserted that current legislation does not protect children as it only covers sexual abuse on a child under 18 by a guardian. Hashida said the law should be revised to cover individuals who use their position of power to sexually abuse children.

He said a revision would also obligate adults to report any incidents.

“This will stop adults from turning a blind eye and help to restrain sexual abuse,” he said.

Julie Keiko Fujishima, the current president of Johnny & Associates and a niece of Kitagawa, has publicly apologized for the past sexual abuse, but said she was never aware of what was going on.

Hashida expressed disbelief that Fujishima was unaware because rumors of Kitagawa’s sexual inclinations had circulated for years.

“I want the company to admit what took place and to apologize to the victims,” Hashida said. “I want the company to be reborn into a clean one.”

In response to a question from The Asahi Shimbun, Hashida admitted to feeling crestfallen after he encountered a backlash from social media for coming out with the abuse he faced.

But he added that he wants to continue raising the issue because “the entertainment sector will only change if the top company in the field changes.”

Johnny & Associates issued a statement May 26 saying it would set up an independent consultation service on May 31 for those who were once affiliated with the company so they can receive psychological care.

The company added that another group would be established to search for ways to prevent a recurrence of sexual abuse.

(This article was written by Maki Okubo, a senior staff writer, Amane Shimazaki and Bunna Takizawa.)

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