The extensive scope of Johnny Kitagawa's decadeslong sexual abuse has made it difficult to identify what has been done to whom, with almost 1,000 individuals claiming to be victims.

As a result, Smile-Up, formerly known as Johnny & Associates, is struggling to compensate victims of the late founder's sexual abuse.

During a news conference Monday, a victims' group demanded more transparency on the criteria for compensation. They also asked that the agency grant compensation on the basis of what they say they have endured, instead of denying their claims because they lack documentation proving they worked for the company.

“Many are facing difficulties as they are unable to provide evidence of their past affiliations or engagements in activities such as lessons or dancing in the background,” said Shimon Ishimaru, the deputy leader of the group. Dozens are seeking advice from the victims' group after being denied compensation, he added.

Smile-Up said on Wednesday via email that it “is actively reviewing individual reports of damage in consultation with the Victim Relief Committee, for individuals whose enrollment records cannot be confirmed (including those who were not affiliated with our company),” adding that it is committed to providing compensation for those deemed eligible.

The agency also said that it has decided not to disclose the amount of compensation received or how much victims would be paid in "model cases," on the grounds that some victims have asked for such information to be confidential for fear of slander.

“To respect the wishes of victims who have received compensation and to avoid potential defamation, we have decided not to disclose specific compensation amounts, total figures, or model cases,” the agency said.

According to a report by a third-party investigation team published in August last year, some of those who were active as Johnny’s junior idols were often sexually abused at Kitagawa’s home, during training camps, and at hotels. The agency later acknowledged Kitagawa’s wrongdoings and vowed to compensate victims "beyond legal obligations."

But it has been difficult for victims to prove their affiliation with the talent agency as some of them were abused prior to signing official contracts. These include those who submitted their resumes or took part in auditions.

On Monday, Smile-Up announced that it had compensated 125 people out of 939 who claimed to have been abused. Another 183 people have also been notified of the compensation details and 156 have agreed to the terms of compensation.

Also present at Monday's news conference was Kenichiro Kawai, a 55-year-old, who claimed that his application for compensation had been denied due to the lack of documentation verifying his affiliation with the talent agency.

Kawai said that he was abused at the age of 18 when Kitagawa invited him to the agency’s Kawasaki studio after he sent his resume to Johnny & Associates.

Since he did not sign a contract, proving sexual abuse was difficult. He tried contacting the agency several times, including making inquiries to the mental health consultation desk that was introduced by the agency, but the response he got was vague.

“I tried contacting Johnny & Associates as best as I could, but I felt that I had reached my limits, and felt depressed because of it,” he said.

With the help of the victims group, Kawai was finally able to sit down with Smile-Up’s lawyers on Dec. 22 and is now waiting for the agency to come to a decision. He emphasized that there were many others whose claims were rejected because they could not prove their affiliation with the agency.

Kazuya Sugiyama, a lawyer for the victims group, criticized the agency for not disclosing the criteria for compensation or how much money had been paid to victims.

“Although we have received reports that more than 100 victims have received compensation, they (victims) are unable to judge whether the amount they have received is fair or not, or whether it is fair in comparison to other people.” Sugiyama said.

“If (Smile-Up) could publish a model case of how much was paid in such a case, (the victims) would be able to get a better idea of what to expect,” he added.