Johnny & Associates Inc, a number one Japanese expertise company embattled over a intercourse abuse scandal involving its late founder, is contemplating launching a brand new agency to handle its performers in a bid to mitigate the reputational fallout from the revelations, sources near the matter stated Sunday.
The transfer would come within the wake of criticism towards the agency’s preliminary determination to not change its title, derived from its founder Johnny Kitagawa, who abused aspiring teen pop singers for many years earlier than his dying in 2019.
The new agency would succeed operations in regards to the administration of performers related to Johnny’s however would accomplish that beneath a unique title, the sources stated. The company is reportedly contemplating asking the general public to give you the title for the brand new firm.
Numerous Japanese corporations have proven reluctance to proceed to make use of Johnny’s performers of their promoting, with lots of them reviewing their contracts with the company because the abuses got here to mild.
Noriyuki Higashiyama, a veteran performer who just lately took over as the brand new president of Johnny’s, is predicted to double as chief of the brand new expertise administration agency, in response to the sources.
Johnny’s has stated it’s going to maintain a press convention on Monday to clarify the way it will function sooner or later and stop any recurrence of abuse.
Even if the brand new firm is launched, Johnny’s itself will live on and can interact in work offering redress for victims, the sources stated.
An exterior probe arrange by the company in response to media experiences detailing allegations of sexual abuse by Kitagawa has concluded the corporate had hid the late founder’s actions from the early Seventies by means of to the mid-2010s.
© KYODO