TOKYO (TR) – A victims’ affiliation established to help and compensate these sexually assaulted by the late pop mogul Johnny Kitagawa will disband since its reduction and compensation objectives have been achieved, the affiliation has revealed.
On Tuesday, representatives from the Johnny’s Sexual Assault Victims’ Affiliation stated that it’s going to stop on September 7, precisely one 12 months after executives from Johnny and Associates acknowledged sexual abuse as perpetrated by founder Kitagawa, who died in 2019 on the age of 87.
In a joint assertion issued by former consultant Junya Hiramoto and deputy consultant Shimon Ishimaru, stated that they’re glad with what they’ve performed so far as aiding victims with regard to reduction and compensation, reviews the Sankei Shimbun (Sep. 3).
They defined in a joint assertion, “Contemplating the progress to this point, with round 500 folks having reached settlement, we consider that almost all of what we have now sought as an affiliation has been achieved.”
For victims who’ve been unable to obtain compensation or reduction and are deemed “ineligible” or who’re not sure easy methods to report, the affiliation stated, “Any further, we are going to present assist to victims as people moderately than as a bunch or group.”
The affiliation was established in June of final 12 months, and started full-scale actions in July of the identical 12 months.
On September 7, 2023, Julie Fujishima resigned from her publish as chief govt in gentle of the emergence of the scandal earlier that 12 months. “Each the company itself and I personally as an individual recognise that intercourse abuse by Johnny Kitagawa happened,” she stated.
Over 1,000 victims
For many years, Kitagawa educated younger boys to turn into stars inside his company Johnny and Associates. Final 12 months, the BBC documentary “Predator: The Secret Scandal of J-Pop” make clear sexual abuse carried out by Kitagawa. In consequence, the corporate modified its identify to SMILE-UP and arrange a session desk for the victims.
In accordance with SMILE-UP, greater than 1,001 folks had filed claims of sexual abuse by Kitagawa as of July 16.
For over 50 years, Japan’s media didn’t report on the sexual abuse carried out by Kitagawa regardless of victims having come ahead. This failure continued even after Kitagawa died in 2019.
The BBC documentary stated that the rationale for the the lapse was Kitagawa’s immense energy he wielded over the media, whose shops used his stars of their programming.
