A team of experts hired by talent management agency Johnny’s & Associates said Monday they will “independently” and “exclusively” investigate claims of sexual assaults by its late founder Johnny Kitagawa and examine whether there was an “organizational culture” that had enabled his suspected longtime abuse.
But the subjects of the investigation — to be conducted by a former top public prosecutor, a psychiatrist and a clinical psychologist — will be limited to those who come forward with accusations, casting doubt on the team’s ability to uncover the full story regarding the abuse, which first surfaced in the media in the 1960s. It also remains unclear what action the agency might take based on the team’s findings.
Appearing before a packed news conference at a Tokyo hotel, Makoto Hayashi, a lawyer and the head of the three-person team, stressed they will have the exclusive authority to determine the validity of the victims’ claims. He said the team will interview victims who have come forward about details of the alleged incidents, and will also interview the agency’s current management regarding how the company has handled them.