Japan’s entertainment scene changed a lot in 2023 when the popular show Johnny and Associates talked about its troubled past. Here is a list of the important events that happened in Japanese culture this year.
Johnny and Associates: Being Honest
There were long-running sexual assault claims against the company’s founder, Johnny Kitagawa. After decades of silence, the company finally spoke out. Both the company itself and a third-party team were hired to look into the reports, which was a big step.
Johnny and Associates: Telling Someone You Were Wrong
Johnny & Associates said that Johnny Kitagawa had abused young men at a press meeting in September. Fujishima, Julie Keiko, quit her job as CEO of the business. She was Kitagawa’s niece. Noriyuki Higashiyama took over. It told that Kitagawa’s victims would paid, and for a year, all of Johnny’s talent fees from ads and TV shows would go straight to the performers.
Johnny and Associates: Changes to the symbols
Johnny & Associates said it would be splitting into two new businesses. The names of the new businesses have not released yet. It was different from its strong past. In a symbolic way, getting rid of any references to Kitagawa was meant to separate the agency from his memory.
Johnny and Associates: A Look at the Business in a More General Way
Japan became more interested in the shadier sides of the entertainment business as Johnny’s story went on. It 2023, and problems in Japanese culture had to be dealt with. These problems were shown in fiction or became public because of scandals in other groups.
Putting the past behind us
It wasn’t a surprise that Johnny Kitagawa had abused women in the past, but the internet kept making claims about him, even after he died in 2019. But the public didn’t learn about the problem until this year, when a BBC documentary started a talk across the country.
Changes in how people feel
As more people learned about “power harassment” and the #MeToo movement this year, they changed how they thought about the entertainment business. People’s views had changed before, as shown by the news about the claims against artist Keigo Oyamada.
Making fun of things come first
People watched the cartoon show “Oshi no Ko,” which was based on a true story of the Japanese entertainment business, while Johnny’s story was going on. It talk about how hard it is for artists who not good at their job and how they don’t get paid enough.
A Call to Change Things
As the year 2024 draws near, a new episode involving a 25-year-old actor from the Takarazuka Revue shows that too much work and bullying are still problems in the entertainment world. More artists speaking out against being abuse, which means more people want things to change.
Moving forward for the better
The entertainment business in Japan can fix the mistakes it has made in the past, but it needs to keep doing that. Things that happen at Johnny & Associates are not unique to that company; they can happen at any business. As the business changes, it’s less important to deal with the past and more important to make the future better.
