Ever since Johnny Kitagawa died on July 9, the media has been filled with sentimental tributes to the pop idol impresario, mostly by the young men whose careers he cultivated, but also by those with a stake in Japan's hermetic show biz world.
Meanwhile, Kitagawa's media nemesis, the weekly magazine Shukan Bunshun, took time to weigh in on his legacy and alleged transgressions. Mineko Nomachi's column in the magazine reviewed the condolences in a mocking tone, focusing on the elephant in the room — allegations of sexual abuse at the agency that had been levied by some of his charges over the years — because it was Shukan Bunshun that first made such allegations and, as Nomachi pointed out, a judge eventually decided that the stories had some degree of credibility to them. And she added that while the public is clearly interested in these allegations, the media "can't speak ill of the dead," so tributes will continue to be the default coverage mode.
However, another aspect of Kitagawa's career is now in the news. The Fair Trade Commission is investigating Kitagawa's agency, Johnny & Associates Inc., for violations of antitrust rules, examining whether Johnny's put pressure on commercial broadcasters to blackball three former members of the popular boy band SMAP after they left the agency about two years ago. The company quickly denied that it has ever done such a thing. Those familiar with Japan's entertainment world suspect that this is true, since the situation with regard to blackballing artists who leave their agencies is that pressure isn't needed. Media companies who purchase A-list services automatically know not to hire such people lest it angers their former agencies.