Photo/Illutration Thirteen groups of 72 performers who used to belong to Johnny & Associates Inc. participate in the first live concert held by Starto Entertainment Inc. on April 10 at Tokyo Dome. (Minako Yoshimoto)

The new management company of former talent agency Johnny & Associates Inc. held its first live concert on April 10, drawing criticism from sexual abuse victims about priorities.

Starto Entertainment Inc.’s show was held at Tokyo Dome as the process continues to provide compensation for hundreds of victims of sex abuse at the hands of Johnny Kitagawa, the late founder of the agency.

Smile-Up Inc., the new name of Johnny & Associates, is responsible for compensating the victims.

According to its website, Smile-Up said it would compensate 356, or 37 percent, of the 973 people who had reported damage from Kitagawa as of March 29.

So far, 324, or 33 percent of the total, have received redress.

Shimon Ishimaru, 56, deputy chief of the Johnny’s Sexual Assault Victims Association, said the Starto agency “jumped the gun” by holding the live concert.

“As a victim, it seems to me that they are only looking out for their fans,” he said.

In mid-February, Ishimaru was offered 18 million yen ($117,800) in compensation. But he did not accept the offer, saying the amount “is not commensurate with the actual damage and impact.”

Negotiations are continuing.

The criteria for calculating compensation amounts are not disclosed, and some victims have been asked not to make public their communications about payments.

A former Johnny’s Jr. member criticized the process as having “become a black box.”

Criticism has also been directed at the way interviews for compensation are conducted.

In the interviews, victims are asked in detail about the circumstances of the abuse.

The former Johnny’s Jr. member said he was asked by a lawyer who is a former judge about details of the sexual intercourse (with Kitagawa) and the number of times it occurred.

The man said: “I was asked all sorts of questions. It was hell.”

Another male victim said, “It may be necessary to have a psychiatrist or psychologist present” during the interview.

(This article was written by Amane Shimazaki and senor staff writer Maki Okubo.)

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