Johnny Kitagawa

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Johnny Kitagawa (ジャニー喜多川, Janī Kitagawa^?), born October 23, 1931, is the producer of Johnny & Associates young talent recruitment organization in Japan.

In the 1980's and 1990's, there were many claims that he sexually harassed many of the young male hopefuls that were recruited by his company, which he was later found guilty for in Japanese court.

[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.