Sex abuse scandal-hit Johnny's talent agency to investigate other cases

I mean to say, if you were attracted to young, nice-looking boys prepared to do anything to make a name for themselves, where would you want to work? And the same goes for girls. Time to investigate these places: if not the authorities, at least the media.

What needs to be investigated is the entire talent industry.

If someone is picked up by one agency the unwritten rule is if you leave no other agencies will touch you.

This is why these boys stuck around, nowhere to go,

This is why these agencies can take 70% of the money paid to the artist.

Thats right 70% so an appearance in a TV add may take all day, the company making the add pays the agency ¥ 50,000 but the performer will only ¥15,000 minus withholding tax.

Now add it all up,

No other agency, will touch you+ extremely low pay (because the agency takes 70% commission)+ sex abuse and where can these guys go what can they do , steady work at low pay in needs just to survive.

The now 3 down votes.

I have 2 questions.

Do you approve of sexual abuse? Or do you work in the agencies?

Because otherwise I cannot understand your reasoning for voting down simple facts.

Why is this being investigated by an "external investigation team"? why not just give the police full access and all available information so they can do the investigation directly?

The first time I saw Johnny's production 30 years ago, I said this is very homosexual production. Therefore I am not at all surprised by the sexual abuse cases.

I agree with the above comment asking why the police and prosecutors aren’t the ones investigating this. These are serious crimes that were committed repeatedly against many victims over a long time. Letting Johnny’s decide how the investigation will be undertaken is a huge conflict of interest even if they do have outsiders doing it, its like asking criminals to investigate themselves. The real purpose of this investigations is likely just PR to try to convince the public that the business isn’t just a pedophile child sex trafficking operation run by the founder and his buddies anymore, That is not good enough.

Imagine being a teenager looking for that chance to become a star and the filthy "man" who holds the key to your success is a SEXUAL PREDITOR looking down your pats, just think about what these boys were going thru and the psychological damage and suffering they went thru, HOW SICK

Johnny - the dishonourably discharged ex-US GI - was an immoral, paedophilic predator with unnatural preferences. It beggars belief that executives in his corporation did not know what was going on. They need to be hunted down and jailed - and the agency bankrupted.

"external investigation team" hired by Johnny's, of course. So basically they are "investigating" themselves.

What needs to be investigated is the entire talent industry.

@Antiquesaving

I don't know who's downvoting, but I agree that the problem is obviously not restricted to Johnny's. And, the fact that J pop is a closed world means the kids can't easily speak out.

This scandal is getting bigger, and unlike before it will not simply get forgotten. Tens of thousands of signatures are now loaded on petitions addressed to politicians. First of all, Johnny's Jimusho needs to re-pay the millions of yen it received from Shukan Bunshun for "defamation" after the magazine reported what was common knowledge about Kitagawa's abuse. Then this "external investigation team" needs to name all the Johnny's Jimusho staff who similarly abused the young boys, and then all the Johnny's Jimusho staff who knew about the abuse and abetted it, and then all the Johnny's Jimusho staff who knew about the abuse but did nothing to stop it or report it. All of these people need to publicly apologize and most of them need to resign. Finally, before Johnny's Jimusho recruits another young boy, they need to have a safeguarding plan to ensure this never happens again. Otherwise they should be closed down.

Readers need to understand why the BBC is pushing to reform a corrupt and sexually abusive entertainment industry in a distant country. It is because we were deceived by a similar paedophile abuser, who became knighted by the late Queen and known as a "National Treasure". After he died and his abuses were revealed, by people who knew about them for a long time, the Queen revoked his title and the internet was scrubbed of his name, as far as possible. Britain is still trying to make amends to all the hundreds of children who were abused, including Kitagawa's victims.

An agency serves as police services?

Johnny's talent agency to investigate other cases

Huh??? Why aren’t they being investigated by the police???

Good going, bbc.

Nothing short of a thorough police inquiry required.

"Johnny's talent agency to investigate other cases"

Correction: Johnny's talent agency to investigate other cases, find everything is just fine, destroy all records and maintain stranglehold on Japanese anodyne "talent" industry.

Bring on a shouty fat man in a colourful suit!

Now some boys who look like girls!

Everything is fine, stop asking questions.