Family seeks damages over suicide of Japanese 'farming idol'

There needs to be stricter laws for talent agencies. Im betting this is only the tiny sharp tip of the iceberg. I'm betting tons of idols and talentos are being harassed and blackmailed.

"Seriously, I will hit you if you mention such nonsense again." well if some jumped up little yob had said that to my daughter or son, I am sorry but, me and a few friend would have had to pay him or her a visit in person, and explain to then that bullying is not acceptable, and as for the girls agent demanding money if she leaves, cheeky sod! she should have told him to go forth and multiply! 16 year old kids working 10 hours a day, nope sorry that to long and not acceptable, As a parent I am behind her mother on this one and I wish her all the best with the league claim.

Bad on both sides - seems like both were trying to capitalize on an adolescent. You'd think parents would watch over a 16-year old more closely.

She didnt tell her parents she wanted out? Or did she and they too pushed her to stay?

so sad. Such a young and pretty girl.

i can only hope the family wants to take this to court and at least try to peel off the outside layers of these rotten onions called talent agencies. If they take the money and run, well, she killed herself in vain.

Don't try suicide, nobody gives a dam.

The agency also told the girl to pay 100 million yen if she left

I promise you this is 100% true, same threats if they are found to have boyfriends, these talent agencies are all run my the yakuza or have extremely close ties. They need to be policed,

Very sad. These talent agencies are akin to slavery.

You'd think parents would watch over a 16-year old more closely.

Welcome to Japan. This is a land where parents typically have zero idea where their kids are at any given time, AND the land where far too many of those same kids have no idea what their parents, typically fathers, do for a living either!

No one of the brighter things about this country, exploitation of children and young adults in the name of "entertainment"

Threats, especially against a minor, are criminal charges in most countries.

Not to mention the sexual exploitation of these young idols - boys and girls. The dirty unmentioned reality.

They have an idol for farming? Really? I guess that should be, “had an idol for farming.” ‘_

No better than the mafia. In fact, these talent agencies ARE mafia, and obviously since the laws allow it Japan hasn't learned from its former forced slavery. This is at every level of society, whether its the internship program, workers at Fukushima, porn, talent agencies, or just regular overtime, which businesses now want to scrap overtime pay on. And since it's that way, I doubt the family will win very much at all, if anything.

Ruthless talent agencies who slave drive and criminally sexually exploit teenagers. They should be investigated, held liable for crimes and closely monitored thereafter.

Would never allow my kids anywhere near one.

Who can be surprised by any of this ?

Only politicians and the press apparently, because none of them is doing the watchdog job they should be enforcing (politicians) or monitoring (the press).

Those talent agency force idols sign contracts that violate many of the UN human rights (child work, the fact not to be able to do what they please relationship-wise, overtime beyond Reason, salary not up to minimum wages, blackmail when they think about quitting, etc...).

Helll, those talent agency are working with girls sometimes even under 10 with unreal suggestive pics. Idols girls who retired or managed to change work are all saying they were abused one way or an other.

And people expect those agencies to behave well with adults ? It is just crazy people have to die before the responsible persons are put in front of a trial. Far too late, and the trial will surely miss the mark since it ius going to deal with the death of one person instead of focusing of the whole nationwide Failure that led to this.

At the moment, my sincere apologies to the victim's family and friends.

"We want the company to speak about (what happened) as it is, without bending (the truth),"

Yeah, good luck with that. Is harassing your inferiors and abuse a national hobby over here or something? Is there a manual??

Driven to suicide. Agree also that the parents also should have been aware that these agencies have other things than the best interests of these vulnerable and easily exploited girls in mind. RIP young lady. Another victim of the murky trade in underage girl fantasies.

Wasnt so glamorous after all.

Another "Only in Japan" moment; RIP:

This is the reason why AKBers competing in Produce48 including Matsui Jurina were so desperately competing in order to escape Japan, because things weren't much better for even the named brand national idols like Matsui and Miyawaki.

In the end, only three managed to escape the Japanese idol industry, Miyawaki Sakura, Honda Hitomi, and Yabuki Nako, while the rest went back to dark age Japan.

I don't know whether to be sad or mad. C'mon Japan, this is terrible and the agency head and managers should all be behind bars for driving her to her death. This has to stop!!!

Shouldn't the kids be asking their family first, even sensei or local community senior member before taking the media step or any other step they're thinking of taking.

Aren't most Japanese people still conservative...and yet in the media world, they're so isolated.

She didnt tell her parents she wanted out? Or did she and they too pushed her to stay?

Sounds like the latter. Supposedly the mother was borrowing money from the agency. She even asked them when she can pick up the money on the day her daughter's body was found. Seriously messed up family.

Very sad. Teenagers even in America get too much pressure to do everything. Some get exploited just as well. Nobody in America seems to understand or care why the teen suicide rate is rising. They don't care.

And little girls, even as young as 3 get exploited in 'talent' or 'beauty' pageants in small town festivals. It's downright sickening and that too has to stop!