Johnny & Associates

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Johnny & Associates, known in Japanese as Johnny's Jimusho (ジャニーズ事務所, janīzu jimusho^?), formed by Johnny Kitagawa in 1963, is an organization that trains and promotes groups of male idols in Japan. Famous groups include SMAP,TOKIO, Kinki Kids, Arashi, V6, NewS, Tackey & Tsubasa, KAT-TUN, Kanjani8, Ya-ya-yah and others.

Members of the groups frequently appear in a number of Johnny's magazines, including Myojo, Potato and Wink-up.

[edit] Sexual harassment claims

It has frequently been rumoured from the 1970s that Johnny Kitagawa has sexually harassed members of his boy bands. For example, from 1988 to 1989, the Japanese magazine Uwasa no Shinsō (噂の真相, Uwasa no Shinsō^?), literally "The truth of the rumour", published a series of articles on this topic. Also in 1988, Koji Kita (北公次, Kita Kōji^?), a former member of one of Johnny's boy bands, Four Leaves (フォーリーブス, Fō Rībusu^?), published a series of diaries called Hikaru Genji e (光Genjiへ, Hikaru Genji e^?), literally "Dear Hikaru Genji", containing similar claims.

More recently, in 1999, the magazine Shūkan Bunshun (週刊文春, Shūkan Bunshun^?) printed similar articles accusing Johnny Kitagawa of various forms of sexual harassment, child abuse, rape, and irresponsible behaviour such as allowing underage smoking. In 2002 Johnny Kitagawa sued for defamation of character, which resulted in a lengthy court case. After a series of trials, the court admitted the claim of sexual harassment but ordered the magazine to pay 1,200,000 yen compensation for other unproved claims.

[edit] External links

• Johnny's Net - Johnny's Jimusho home page in Japanese.
• Johnny's Taiwan - Johnny's Taiwan official Site
• Article on Johnny's Jimusho at Japan Zone
• Article on Johnny's Jimusho at Metropolis
• Article on Johnny's at Nippop

[edit] References

Koji Kita (北公次, Kita Kōji^?), Hikaru Genji e (光Genjiへ, Hikaru Genji e^?), Publisher: Data House (データハウス, dēta hausu^?), December 1988