The president of entertainment giant Johnny & Associates Inc. has formally apologized for the sexual assault allegations against its late founder Johnny Kitagawa, while former music figures and others are coming forward over alleged incidents.
On Sunday, Julie Keiko Fujishima, president of the talent agency and niece of the former president, apologized in a video and written statement on the company’s website in response to the allegations. The apology comes a month after Kauan Okamoto, a Japanese-Brazilian singer-songwriter, claimed Kitagawa sexually abused him as a teenager.
Allegations – leveled by former male entertainers at the talent agency and others against the founder, who died four years ago – made headlines in both domestic and international media, particularly after the BBC aired a documentary on the subject in March.
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