Members of a group of men who claim to have been sexually abused as boys by a Japanese entertainment mogul have revealed that the agency behind the scandal (formerly known as Johnny's) is being honest with the victims. They are accusing them of not responding.
Shimon Ishimaru, head of a victims' organization, said many people had not yet received compensation. The group asked for a meeting with company officials, but that did not happen, the group said at a news conference, along with three other men who claim to be victims.
Ishimaru is one of hundreds of men who have come forward since last year to say they were sexually abused by boy band producer Johnny Kitagawa when they were teenagers. Kitagawa, who died in 2019, was never charged and continued to be influential in the entertainment industry.
Invasions by China and North Korea increase Japan's military spending to record levels
Last year, the company finally acknowledged Kitagawa's abuse, which had been rumored for years. The company's chief publicly apologized in May. The Japanese government is also seeking compensation.
The company, which changed its name from Johnny's Jimusho to Smile Up, announced on Monday that it had received compensation claims from 939 people. Of these, 125 people have received compensation, the statement said. The company set up a committee of three former judges to investigate the allegations.
The company said it was “proceeding with negotiations with the parties who have reached an agreement regarding payment,” but promised to continue its efforts.
Attorney Kazuya Sugiyama (right) and attorney Shimon Ishimaru (center) speak with three alleged victims of entertainment industry mogul Johnny Kitagawa and reporters at a press conference on January 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Yuri Kageyama)
He did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Monday's news conference.
Victims' organizations said they have been consulted by dozens of people who have been told by the company that there is not enough evidence to honor their claims. Details have not been disclosed.
The company's production operations, formerly known as “Johnny's,” continue under a different name, “Starto Entertainment.”
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
According to multiple testimonies, Kitagawa abused the boys, who were active as Johnny's dancers and singers, in his mansion in Tokyo, in his car, and in hotels overseas. The abuse continued for decades.
The impact of the scandal was widespread. In stand-up comedy, multiple women have accused famous comics of sexual abuse. He denies the charges.
The United Nations Business and Human Rights Working Group, which is investigating Johnny's abuse case, is expected to release a report in June with recommendations for change.
The Associated Press typically does not identify people who say they were sexually assaulted, but Kitagawa's latest accusers did. Critics say what happened and the silence of Japan's mainstream media shows how far behind the world's third-largest economy is in protecting human rights.
