What Johnny & Associates is

Recap of key events

Thoughts from a long-time fan

Allegations about the prominent Japanese talent agency first date back to the 1980s.

Synopsis: Each month, The Straits Times examines the ins and outs of pop culture in the Asian entertainment and Hollywood scene.

#PopVultures host Jan Lee examines the major sexual abuse scandal surrounding J-pop boy band agency Johnny & Associates, known for producing groups such as Arashi and Smap as well as the younger, million-seller groups like Snow Man and SixTones. Former idol trainees at the 60-year-old company have come out to accuse the agency's late founder Johnny Kitagawa, who died in 2019, of a consistent pattern of sexual assault. 

Kitagawa's niece - Julie Keiko Fuijishima, the current president of the agency - has apologised in light of the snowballing allegations, which first date back to the 1980s, though she did not acknowledge the veracity of these claims.

In this episode, Jan - a long-time Arashi fan, gives a background on Johnny & Associates, who Kitagawa is, and recaps the events that have happened in the current news cycle about the allegations. 

She shares why these allegations, which first surfaced some 40 years ago, went ignored by mainstream Japanese media for as long as it did. She also discusses her own feelings as a long-time fan of the talents produced by Johnny & Associates.

Highlights (tap/click above):

4:05 What Johnny & Associates is, how the agency works and who Johnny Kitagawa is 

9:56 A recap of key events that have happened in the current news cycle about Kitagawa's sexual abuse, from a BBC documentary to a public statement from the company's most veteran talent Noriyuki Higashiyama

31:53 Thoughts from a long-time fan 

Produced by: Jan Lee (janlee@sph.com.sg), Eden Soh and Penelope Lee

Edited by: Penelope Lee 

Follow #PopVultures Podcast episodes here every month: 

Channel: https://str.sg/JWad

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWaA

Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaP

Google Podcasts: https://str.sg/Ju47

SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/

Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

Follow Jan Lee on Instagram: https://str.sg/Jbxc

Read Jan Lee's stories: https://str.sg/Jbxp

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Discover more ST podcast channels:

In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt

Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7

Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN

Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf

Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m

ST Sports Talk: https://str.sg/JWRE

#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad

Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX

Discover ST Podcasts: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

Discover BT Podcasts: https://bt.sg/pcPL

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Special edition series:

True Crimes Of Asia (new): https://str.sg/i44T

The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2

Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn

Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB

Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa

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Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts!

#PV

Allegations about the prominent Japanese talent agency first date back to the 1980s.
Synopsis: Each month, The Straits Times examines the ins and outs of pop culture in the Asian entertainment and Hollywood scene.
#PopVultures host Jan Lee examines the major sexual abuse scandal surrounding J-pop boy band agency Johnny &amp; Associates, known for producing groups such as Arashi and Smap as well as the younger, million-seller groups like Snow Man and SixTones. Former idol trainees at the 60-year-old company have come out to accuse the agency's late founder Johnny Kitagawa, who died in 2019, of a consistent pattern of sexual assault. 
Kitagawa's niece - Julie Keiko Fuijishima, the current president of the agency - has apologised in light of the snowballing allegations, which first date back to the 1980s, though she did not acknowledge the veracity of these claims.
In this episode, Jan - a long-time Arashi fan, gives a background on Johnny &amp; Associates, who Kitagawa is, and recaps the events that have happened in the current news cycle about the allegations. 
She shares why these allegations, which first surfaced some 40 years ago, went ignored by mainstream Japanese media for as long as it did. She also discusses her own feelings as a long-time fan of the talents produced by Johnny &amp; Associates.
Highlights (tap/click above):
4:05 What Johnny &amp; Associates is, how the agency works and who Johnny Kitagawa is  9:56 A recap of key events that have happened in the current news cycle about Kitagawa's sexual abuse, from a BBC documentary to a public statement from the company's most veteran talent Noriyuki Higashiyama
31:53 Thoughts from a long-time fan 
Produced by: Jan Lee (<a href="mailto:janlee@sph.com.sg">janlee@sph.com.sg</a>), Eden Soh and Penelope Lee
Edited by: Penelope Lee 
Follow #PopVultures Podcast episodes here every month: 
Channel: <a href="https://str.sg/JWad" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://str.sg/JWad&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1657284018920000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0JzlHNRcCB6cq69EcVgHV5">https://str.sg/JWad</a>
Apple Podcasts: <a href="https://str.sg/JWaA" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://str.sg/JWaA&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1657284018920000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1kJ9p-P45oS7MdCpAgAaus">https://str.sg/JWaA</a>
Spotify: <a href="https://str.sg/JWaP" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://str.sg/JWaP&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1657284018920000&amp;usg=AOvVaw30aXggYM8C7wM33kxtXcns">https://str.sg/JWaP</a> 
Google Podcasts: <a href="https://str.sg/Ju47" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://str.sg/Ju47&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1657284018920000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3RMwrz08ZIJ-Im0BEzzF-K">https://str.sg/Ju47</a> 
SPH Awedio app:<a href="https://www.awedio.sg/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.awedio.sg/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1657284018920000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1omwsyXQuVz03K-MLOS1jf"> https://www.awedio.sg/</a>
Website: <a href="http://str.sg/stpodcasts" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://str.sg/stpodcasts&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1657284018920000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3yLfl533-0UMiOO8XIiHV2">http://str.sg/stpodcasts</a>
Feedback to: <a href="mailto:podcast@sph.com.sg">podcast@sph.com.sg</a>
Follow Jan Lee on Instagram: <a href="https://str.sg/Jbxc" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://str.sg/Jbxc&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1657284018920000&amp;usg=AOvVaw05B0N3NpjKRx2BKsyK7SP1">https://str.sg/Jbxc</a>
Read Jan Lee's stories:<a href="https://str.sg/Jbxp" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://str.sg/Jbxp&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1657284018920000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0vOhLsAkvTRcf_D1u6YYdD"> https://str.sg/Jbxp</a>
---
Discover more ST podcast channels:
In Your Opinion: <a href="https://str.sg/w7Qt">https://str.sg/w7Qt</a>
Asian Insider: <a href="https://str.sg/JWa7">https://str.sg/JWa7</a>
Health Check: <a href="https://str.sg/JWaN">https://str.sg/JWaN</a>
Green Pulse: <a href="https://str.sg/JWaf">https://str.sg/JWaf</a>
Your Money &amp; Career: <a href="https://str.sg/wB2m">https://str.sg/wB2m</a>
ST Sports Talk: <a href="https://str.sg/JWRE">https://str.sg/JWRE</a>
#PopVultures: <a href="https://str.sg/JWad">https://str.sg/JWad</a>
Music Lab: <a href="https://str.sg/w9TX">https://str.sg/w9TX</a>
Discover ST Podcasts: <a href="http://str.sg/stpodcasts">http://str.sg/stpodcasts</a>
Discover BT Podcasts: <a href="https://bt.sg/pcPL">https://bt.sg/pcPL</a>
---
Special edition series:
True Crimes Of Asia (new): <a href="https://str.sg/i44T">https://str.sg/i44T</a>
The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): <a href="https://str.sg/wuZ2">https://str.sg/wuZ2</a>
Invisible Asia (9 eps): <a href="https://str.sg/wuZn">https://str.sg/wuZn</a>
Stop Scams (10 eps): <a href="https://str.sg/wuZB">https://str.sg/wuZB</a>
Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): <a href="https://str.sg/wuJa">https://str.sg/wuJa</a>
---
Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts!
#PV

Synopsis: Each month, The Straits Times examines the ins and outs of pop culture in the Asian entertainment and Hollywood industries.

Podcaster: Jan Lee

Produced by podcast editor Ernest Luis & The Straits Times, SPH Media Trust

Synopsis: Each month, The Straits Times examines the ins and outs of pop culture in the Asian entertainment and Hollywood industries.
Podcaster: Jan Lee
Produced by podcast editor Ernest Luis &amp; The Straits Times, SPH Media Trust

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