Johnny Kitagawa: Niece of late J-pop mogul cries as she apologises and steps down over sexual abuse scandal
The niece of a powerful Japanese pop mogul found to have sexually abused hundreds of young performers has publicly apologised and stepped down from running the talent agency he founded.
A tearful Julie Keiko Fujishima announced her resignation as president of Johnny & Associates, the agency set up by her late uncle Johnny Kitagawa, at a news conference in Tokyo on Thursday. She also promised to contribute to a compensation fund for victims from her own fortune.
Kitagawa, who died in 2019 aged 87, was the man behind the biggest talent agency in Japan‘s pop music industry. He was never charged over the allegations and the scandal, which emerged fully earlier this year, has shocked the country.
Johnny Kitagawa died in 2019. Pic: Kyodo via AP
The men who came forward say Kitagawa raped, fondled and abused them while they were working for his company as dancers and singers. Nine men had formed a group demanding an apology and financial compensation.
In August, an internal investigation concluded that he sexually abused young performers from as far back as the 1950s.
“This is what my uncle committed, and as a niece, I want to take responsibility,” Ms Fujishima said solemnly, facing reporters to make the announcement.
She said she would stay on the company’s board to see through a victim compensation programme.
At one point, she choked back tears, stressing the achievements of the company’s singers and dancers. “I only feel deep gratitude to all the fans,” she said.
Kitagawa had been so powerful that she, and many others, had kept silent, she added.
‘A horrendous crime’
One alleged victim told reporters he was pleased with the apology but still had reservations.
“The wounds in my heart will not heal,” he said. “But I feel a little better.”
Another man who came forward recently said he was routinely molested before Kitagawa had even set up his company, aged just eight.
Founded in 1962, Johnny & Associates has a huge cultural presence in Japan, producing some of the most popular names in J-pop including SMAP and Arashi, bands with massive fan bases across East Asia.
Noriyuki Higashiyama, a former member of the hit 1980s boy-band Shonentai, has been named as the new head of the agency.
“A horrendous crime has been committed,” Higashiyama told reporters. “It will take time to win back trust, and I am putting my life on the line for this effort.”
Guinness World Records said it had stripped Kitagawa of all the records he had held, such as number one hits, according to its policy toward “criminals”.
Sir Rod Stewart has defended his support for Ukraine after he appeared to be booed as photos of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy were shown at a concert in Germany.
The 79-year-old was met with loud boos, shouts and whistles from the crowd in Leipzig’s Quarterback Immobilien Arena on Friday, before performing his 1991 hit Rhythm Of My Heart – which he calls a war song and has dedicated to Kyiv in recent shows.
Sir Rod then saluted the Ukrainian leader, while images of President Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian flag were projected on screen.
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Reacting to the jeers from the crowd on Monday, Sir Rob said he has supported the Ukrainian people since Russia invaded the country in February 2022.
“From arranging for members of my family to take supplies to the country, to renting a house in the UK for a Ukrainian family, as well as employing two Ukrainians as part of my touring crew,” he said.
“So yes, I do support Zelenskyy and the people of Ukraine, and I will continue to do so.
“Putin must be stopped.”
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The singer ended the statement by saying he is having “the time of my life playing for German audiences, sharing some special memories” and is looking forward to playing his remaining dates there.
Sir Rod has regularly condemned Russia, and recently called Vladimir Putin an “arsehole” during an interview with Sky News.
He is due to return to Germany for a show at Hamburg’s Barclays Arena later this week, before performing in Cologne on 25 June and Munich on 28 June.
Daniel Radcliffe has won his first Tony Award and admitted it was “one of the best experiences” of his life at a ceremony in New York which saw big wins for The Outsiders and Stereophonic.
The 34-year-old star of the Harry Potter movies picked up the award at the 77th annual event, which recognises excellence in Broadway theatre, for his role in the revival of Merrily We Roll Along.
After performing with the cast of the show on stage at the Lincoln Centre’s David H Koch Theatre, Radcliffe appeared shocked to win the award for best actor in a featured role in a musical.
“This has been one of the best experiences of my life,” Radcliffe said.
He thanked the late George Furth and Stephen Sondheim “for writing this unbelievable show” in 1981, the songs of which he described as “a gift to get to sing every night”.
He also said it was an “honour” to share the stage with co-stars Lindsay Mendez and Jonathan Groff in the musical, which charts the turbulent relationship between three lifelong friends.
The Outsiders, based on the SE Hinton book about rival gangs in 1960s Oklahoma, won three awards including best new musical – and landed producer Angelina Jolie her first Tony.
Stereophonic, the play about a Fleetwood Mac-like band recording an album over a turbulent year, won best new play and scooped the night’s most total awards with five.
The star-studded ceremony also saw Nick Jonas, Nicole Scherzinger, Jennifer Hudson, Idina Menzel, and Cynthia Erivo among the attendees, while there was a surprise performance from Alicia Keys and Jay-Z.
Angelina Jolie attended the ceremony with her daughter, Vivienne. Pic: Reuters
Alicia Keys performs at the 77th annual Tony Awards. Pic: Charles Sykes/Invision/AP
Radcliffe’s Merrily We Roll Along co-star Groff won best actor in a musical – while British director Maria Friedman collected the gong for best revival of a musical alongside her producer sister Sonia.
The ceremony kicked off with a first-time win for Succession’s Jeremy Strong, who triumphed in the best actor in a play category for An Enemy Of The People.
Sarah Paulson won best actress in a play for her role in Appropriate, a dark family drama-turned-comedy from playwright Branden Jacobs-Jenkins.
Kecia Lewis won her first Tony for her role in Hell’s Kitchen. Pic: Reuters
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Theatre veteran Kecia Lewis picked up her first Tony for best featured actress in musical Hell’s Kitchen.
In an emotional speech, Lewis recalled how she “walked into the Imperial Theatre to begin my Broadway career at 18 years old”.
She added: “This moment is the one I dreamed for most of those 40 years, so I say to everyone who can hear my voice – don’t give up.”
To win a Tony – short for Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre – means a winner is a quarter of the way towards becoming among the few to gain an EGOT, the so-called “grand slam” of American show business, achieved by those who also win an Oscar, Emmy and Grammy.
The West End of London’s equivalent awards are the Olivier Awards, which were presented this year in April.
Sir Rod Stewart appeared to be booed as photos of Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy were shown at a concert in Germany.
The 79-year-old singer, who has spoken out against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, was playing at Leipzig’s Quarterback Immobilien Arena on Friday.
Before performing his 1991 hit Rhythm Of My Heart – which he calls a war song and has dedicated to Kyiv in recent shows – the Ukrainian flag was projected on screen behind Sir Rod.
Images of Mr Zelenskyy were then shown, prompting loud boos, shouts, and whistles from the crowd.
Videos from social media show the crowd appearing to jeer as Sir Rod salutes the Ukrainian president.
The singer has regularly condemned Russia since 2022, and recently called Vladimir Putin an “arsehole” during an interview with Sky News.
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From February: ‘Music brought us together’
He told Sky News’s Friday Night With Niall Patterson in February: “We have to support Ukraine right to the end.”
In October 2022, Sir Rod also revealed had rented and furnished a home for a family of seven Ukrainian refugees.
“Words couldn’t describe what we were watching,” he told the Daily Mirror at the time. “The bombing of innocent children, the bombing of hospitals and playgrounds.
“Like everyone else, we were completely beside ourselves. I don’t wish that on anyone. This is evil, pure evil.”
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Sir Rod will return to Germany for a show at Hamburg’s Barclays Arena later this week, before performing in Cologne on 25 June and Munich on 28 June.
A representative for Sir Rod has been asked for comment.
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