Prime Minister Fumio Kishida pledged Monday to carry a ministerial assembly to handle the problem of kid sexual abuse following allegations made towards the late founding father of Japan’s prime male expertise company Johnny & Associates Inc.
Relevant ministries and businesses are anticipated to debate how one can assist youngsters who’ve been sexually abused, with some former members of the expertise company claiming they had been molested by firm founder Johnny Kitagawa, probably the most revered figures within the Japanese leisure business.
Child sexual abuse is “extremely malicious” and harms the psychological and bodily well-being of the victims, Kishida stated throughout a parliamentary session.
Kishida stated Masanobu Ogura, minister accountable for insurance policies associated to youngsters, will take the lead within the discussions, with the give attention to whether or not the federal government can take steps to stop people in positions of affect over younger folks from coercing them into sexual acts.
The allegations towards Kitagawa, who propelled quite a few teams together with SMAP and Arashi to stardom earlier than his demise in 2019 on the age of 87, have garnered worldwide consideration because the BBC aired a documentary in March that included interviews with a few of the victims.
Last month, Johnny’s president, Julie Keiko Fujishima, publically apologized for the scandals involving Kitagawa, however stopped wanting accepting the claims by folks previously represented by the company.
Former members of the Tokyo-based company who’ve come ahead as victims have requested Kishida’s authorities to revise the kid abuse prevention legislation to guard minors.
Ogura, nevertheless, has stated that cautious consideration have to be given if the legislation is to be amended as the present laws solely encompasses abusive acts by mother and father or guardians.
© KYODO