Former Johnny's staff member confessed to sexually assaulting eight minors Jr. 30 years after the incident, he comes forward to be interviewed
Quick Look
- A former staff member of Johnny's Japan Agency admitted in an interview with the Asahi Shimbun that he sexually assaulted eight minors Jr. in cars between 1995 and 2000.
- He came forward 30 years after the incident to explain it, calling it a "natural extension" of establishing a relationship with the victim.
- SMILE-UP. confirmed that he was one of the employees identified in the investigation report, but declined to comment.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Johnny Kitagawa, the late founder of Johnny's Japan, was revealed to have sexually assaulted a minor in March 2023, leading to the collapse of his idol empire. More than three years after the incident, Johnny has changed its name to SMILE-UP. and is conducting an internal investigation.
September 7, 2026, 17:16
Johnny & Associates has completely collapsed due to sexual assault cases. (Image by Dazhi)
[Reporter Liao Li-hui / Taipei Report] The late founder of Japan’s Johnny & Associates, Johnny Kitagawa, was exposed in March 2023 for sexually assaulting minors, leading to the complete downfall of the Johnny’s idol empire. More than three years after the incident broke, a man claiming to be a former Johnny & Associates employee gave an interview to the Asahi Shimbun, admitting that he had sexually assaulted eight underage Jr. members (similar to trainees), with nearly all the assaults occurring in vehicles.
Shu Shima, a female journalist from the Asahi Shimbun’s social affairs department, published this report today (the 7th). The 50-year-old man worked at Johnny & Associates thirty years ago, handling management and transportation for Jr. members. He confessed to sexually assaulting eight underage Jr. members between 1995 and 2000, forcing them to perform oral sex in his car. At the time, the victims were still high school students. Afterward, he gave some of the victims several thousand yen as compensation. He also made sexual advances toward four other Jr. members, but was rejected.
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As for his motive, the man believed that the assaults were a “natural extension” of building good relationships with the Jr. members and a way of communicating with them. However, given that these events occurred thirty years ago, why did he agree to the interview? The man responded, “If I had refused the interview, it would have been equivalent to evading the truth. I felt that staying silent would harm the victims, so I decided to come forward and explain.”
The report notes that according to relevant sources, the man who came forward for this interview is one of the employees confirmed to have committed offenses in SMILE-UP.’s investigation report. However, SMILE-UP. stated that it would “not comment,” only noting that it had received multiple reports alleging sexual misconduct by employees.
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What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
SMILE-UP. will further investigate the employee involved and may take disciplinary action
Likely · Within weeks
Victims or their support groups may file civil claims for compensation
Possible · Within months
Open Questions
- Will SMILE-UP. take further disciplinary action against the employees involved?
- Did the victim receive further judicial or emotional support?
- Are there other similar cases that have not been revealed?
