A man who was allegedly sexually abused by Johnny Kitagawa, the late founder of the talent agency previously known as Johnny & Associates, has died in a possible suicide, sources familiar with the matter said Tuesday.
The man in his 40s, who was found dead in Osaka Prefecture in mid-October, was part of an association of Kitagawa's victims. His death comes amid a barrage of online slander against the group, with some members having filed complaints with police in response.
The man was found in the mountains in Minoo alongside what is believed to have been a suicide note. He had claimed to have been sexually abused by the late founder.
Kitagawa was one of the Japanese entertainment industry's most powerful figures, propelling numerous groups such as SMAP and Arashi to stardom before his death in 2019.
After a BBC documentary aired in March featuring interviews with multiple people who claimed to have been sexually abused by the pop mogul, several former agency members came forward with additional accusations of abuse inflicted upon them during their teenage years.