Japan Press Weekly

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2023 November 8 - 14 [SOCIAL ISSUES]

JCP proposes measures to provide relief for Johnny’s sexual victims and for recurrence prevention

The Japanese Communist Party project team dealing with the issue of sexual abuses in the entertainment industry on November 10 announced a proposal for measures to compensate victims of sexual abuses by the late Johnny Kitagawa, the founder of a male J-pop idol agency, as well as to prevent a recurrence.

JCP member of the Upper House Kira Yoshiko, the PT chair, and JCP member of the Lower House Miyamoto Takeshi, the PT secretary general, submitted the proposal to the Children and Families Agency on the same day.

The proposal demands that: the Diet hold hearings from victims and people involved in the former Johnny & Associates Inc. (currently renamed Smile Up) regarding sexual offenses by Kitagawa to reveal the whole picture; the government provide a consultation service for victims to report sexual harassment cases; all companies concerned, which include broadcasters, publishers and sponsors, cooperate with measures to provide full relief to victims.

In order to protect the human rights of entertainment industry people, the proposal calls for the installation of a third-party organization regarding sexual harassment and sexual assault in the entertainment field and for the setting up of a consultation service focused on children.

The proposal says that a national institution for the protection of human rights independent of government should be established to save victims from human-rights infringements and to promote human-rights protection.

JCP Kira said to an official of the Children and Families Agency, “The issue of sex crimes in the Johnny’s agency has long been silenced. The government has the responsibility to ensure the safety of people who with courage exposed abuses.”

The official said in response, “Sexual abuses against any young adults and children must not be allowed. The agency will share your proposal with the relevant ministries and agencies.”

Past related articles:
> JCP hears from victims of sexual abuse by founder of male J-pop idol agency [September 13, 2023]