CNA Correspondent Podcast: The dark side of Japan’s entertainment industry
Japan boyband agency founder Johnny Kitagawa sexually abused young men for years. How did this "open secret" come out eventually?
For decades, well-known Japanese talent manager Johnny Kitagawa sexually abused young men and boys who were desperate to make it big in Japan’s entertainment industry.
CNA's Michiyo Ishida talks to Steve Lai about the reckoning that his agency – which created popular boy bands SMAP and Arashi - is going through now that the country’s worst-kept secret is finally out.
I don't think I can describe (the abuse) because it is quite gruesome. I visited one victim (and) he told me, after he was assaulted, he would be given an allowance.
Jump to these key moments:
- 1:27 Who was Johnny Kitagawa?
- 4:25 How some victims were paid after Kitagawa's assaults
- 9:12 The man who took over Johnny & Associates faced his own allegations
- 11:37 Why the media was silent
- 15:54: The current company is set up to deal solely with compensation
Listen to more episodes here.
A new episode of CNA Correspondent drops every Wednesday. Follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify for the latest updates.
Have a great topic for us? Drop the team an email at cnapodcasts [at] mediacorp.com.sg
