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An external investigative committee set up by the agency says it had received reports of abuse from 478 of Kitagawa’s victims as of Sept. 30, with 325 of them seeking compensation. Some of the victims who have spoken out publicly have alleged that the abuse occurred over one hundred times and began when they were elementary school-aged.
“Talent should be transferred to a totally different agency and Johnny’s entertainment activities should be discontinued altogether,” Kimura told the“Naming the company for compensation Smile Up is like asking people to wear white to a funeral. It’s ridiculing the victims,” said a JSAVA member and alleged victim who chose to remain anonymous by using the pseudonym “Izumi.”
At the press conference on Monday, Higashiyama more directly denied the sexual abuse allegations against him, but added that he may have committed acts of power harassment in his youth. He also acknowledged that the company’s response at the September press conference had been inadequate.