Companies drop Johnny's agency talent after sex abuse scandal

More of this, now kick them off TV shows and break the "talento" agencies grip on everything.

yeah, give me a break. The abuse has been well known, not just for years but for decades. If the police wanted to expose more of this stuff they would not have to look far.

Similarly, calling the abuse a "grave human rights issue", a spokesperson for beer giant Kirin Holdings told AFP it would not update its contract with the firm.

When the conglomerate/dentsu/advertiser Japanese Iron Triangle breaks down, you could say all is lost.

They will probably declare bankruptcy, reorganize and reincorporate and do the same like many Japanese 'black' organizations.

I must say that I am pleasantly surprised by these events. Of course they needed to happen years ago when the first accusations came out, but still the fact that Nissan is going to cut Kimura Takuya from their commercials is a big deal. As well as McDonalds. Both of these companies have built their whole marketing campaigns around him. I wonder how will the other SMAP members who left Johnny's will be treated, as they do a lot of commercial work as well, are they still tainted or by leaving did they save themselves?

Only about 2 decades too late! Easy to do after the (alleged) culprit is dead.

I don't want my Big Mac associated with Johnny & Associates.

This should have been done a long time ago, and it is still an incomplete measure, TV, movies, music companies have to stop using and promoting anything that has to do with the agency until it is completely erased.

Good to see that companies are sending the right message. The new Johnny and Associate's president is alleged to have committed similar offenses as Mr Kitagawa as being reported by the BBC. Basically swapping one for another. Nothing seems to amaze me here anymore.

Shame on the tv companies for not leading on this. They will have known far more about what Johnny was doing than some bods at a brewer or a car manufacturer.

A shout out to the guy on the right having his Mac-attack!

A McDonald's Japan spokesperson told AFP the firm plans "not to renew contracts" with the talent agency once they expire, adding "no form of human rights violations is tolerable".

So they've finally been embarassed into doing what they should have done decades ago.

just a few decades late :/ still better late than never

Good on Asahi for being so scathing. Never been my beer of choice but maybe I’ll pick one up after work!

Great news! Sad that it took so long but better than never!

The sooner Johnny's is financially bankrupted the better!

We all know they have been morally bankrupt since the get go! Now bring criminal charges!

Better late than never.

Every time I see the boy bands on tv now, I wonder which of them had to endure humiliation and pain at the hands of this serial pedo ?

So they've finally been embarassed into doing what they should have done decades ago.

No, not even close to being "embarrassed". It's the typical manner of doing business here in Japan. One doesnt want to be associated with an entity that has been scandalized.

People will come to realize that everything is fine, as long as it doesnt become public. When it does happen, all the rats jump ship.

Good.

The less we see of any Johnnys anywhere in Japan, the better. Tv, movies, ads, you name it.

but what is this “scandal” being spoken of?

either way, YES to no Johnnys! Been waiting decades for this.

MarkX

I wonder how will the other SMAP members who left Johnny's will be treated, as they do a lot of commercial work as well, are they still tainted or by leaving did they save themselves?

Didn't one of them go crawling back to Johnny's not too long ago? Talk about bad timing.

The talents should leave and form their own agencies

Time for them to control their own careers

As many have said above, it's long past time for this. Now for all the rest of them, including the biggest offender, NHK. Their constant promotion of Johnny's (and other malignant boy/girl-band jimusho) is reason enough not to pay the fee.

As I said on another thread, the whole manufactured pop industry (in all countries) is abhorrent. Aside from the sexual abuse, the general practice of working kids to exhaustion, paying them a pittance compared to what the company receives, and controling every aspect of their lives needs to stop.

I hope this doesn't lead to them flocking towards Youtube for revenue.

"no form of human rights violations is tolerable"

this sentence does not fit in Japan.

"Our ongoing contract with Johnny & Associates will end upon expiration, and we will not implement any new advertisements or promotion campaigns," the firm said.

they use political correctness as an excuse to wash their hands of scandal.

But now what will happen to all the Johnny's boys? It seems unfair that their careers will be ruined because of this. Maybe they were the victims. Why should they be made to suffer more with their careers being ended?

These companies have know about the allegations for years if not decades, but they were happy to tie up with Johnny's as long as none of the shenanigans became public. Now they're claiming the moral high ground but are nothing more than rats scurrying out of the sewer.

It seems unfair that their careers will be ruined because of this.

Why would they need to be? the problem is the agency, so the solution is the same it has always been available, leaving it. Those with talent will find work even without the power of the agency behind them, and those without it simply look for another way to earn their living instead of depending on a corrupt institution to raise them above what they can actually do.

Bit of a difference between 'not renewing a contract' and 'dropping Johnny's agency'.

SDCA

I hope this doesn't lead to them flocking towards Youtube for revenue.

That's exactly what many of the "artists" who left Johnny's have been doing, as they are no longer hired by any TV networks or movie studios due to Johnny's stranglehold over the industry. Some of them are making more money than they did under Johnny's purview.

Hopefully, the TV networks and movie studios will follow suit. Johnny Kitagawa was able to go untouched by the law through decades of sexual assault of underage boys because of the power his agency wielded over the chickenspit TV and movie industry, who were afraid to stand up for what was right.

They will never have a better chance to get out from under Johnny & Associates boot than right now. Finally covering the news stories is a first step. Giving them the double fingers will be the next. But, only if they have the guts. We shall see.

Great!! It's about time! I've been hearing about this since the early 90s.

@garypen

Interesting, I guess whatever helps them make a living!

Companies drop Johnny's agency talent after sex abuse scandal...........................Of course they are, now that its a public scandal. This p**o skumbag had been been doing this for decades and those around him knew, and so did the companies he dealt with, they were all in on it, but chose money and profit instead. All of these so-called entertainment agencies are doing it all around the world, and I am just waiting for the K. Pop thing to explode in the same way. Many wanna be stars go into the industry knowing this will happen to them, at some time, but they will continue to do so, because for them, it is all about standing out and getting attention. My dog, what a sad world.

I can finally return to McDonald's.

Sucks for the people under their company banner. Wonder if any of them will be able to find work after they start purging folks. I get dropping the newer talent but very curious where the mainstays like Arashi and what not will do. Some of the bigger old heads already dropped them awhile ago which was a good move obviously.

Them admitting to pushing media groups to use their members or get black listed from their biggest talents appearing is not shocking but surprised to see so many saying they won’t use them now

Good start, now let's keep the ball rolling. Prosecute and jail anyone and everyone who knew and said nothing, sue for billions, and then shut down the company for good. Sadly, I suspect we'll just see a couple more "retirements" (with golden parachutes intact), a name change at WORST, and then business as usual.

Admiral PerryToday 01:27 pm JST

I can finally return to McDonald's.

I wouldn't want to eat there, Johnny's or no Johnny's :)

It’s funny how those companies are the ones losing profit and shrinking in size. Johnnys music will live on. K-pop labels are behind these lawsuits. Their goal is to bring down all Japanese companies of all industries.

I hope the performers, who may be unemployed, can find new agents with integrity.

Nissan concerned about human rights that's a good one

The wider Japanese populace probably couldn't give two hoots what these companies do. As others have said it's 20 years or more too late just like the McDonald's in the photo from the 2000s.

Any TV station or Company still using this despicable 'talento' agency is making their stance on pedophilia very clear.

dazzling smiles and suave looks

Chortle. Yeah right.

They're horrid

Please don't praise these companies for what they're doing. They've all known for decades that Kitagawa was a sexual predator and rapist. THEY KNEW. To come out now and say they have to cut ties is beyond hypocritical. THEY were part of the problem. Instead of them blacklisting Johnny's, everyone else should boycott these companies.

Auto giant Nissan said it would also refrain from "developing new sales promotion materials using that talent agency until further notice", on the grounds that its conduct "contravenes" the automaker's guidelines on respecting human rights, except for that guy who will remain unnamed.

Nah, they knew for years but they know the pull these "talents" have for their products so they just turn the blind eye. It is only now that this has become an international scandal, thanks to BBC, that they are distancing themselves from Johnny's. These companies were part of the problem, along with the Jmedia but now is the time to wash their hands.

*Auto giant Nissan said it would also refrain from "developing new sales promotion materials using that talent agency until further notice", on the grounds that its conduct "contravenes" the automaker's guidelines on respecting human rights, *except for that guy who will remain unnamed.

Curious if Mcdonalds and Nissan will drop him considering he is no longer Johnnys with SMAP disbanded for a few years now.