A delegation of the U.N. Human Rights Council will investigate abuse in Japan's entertainment industry during its visit from Monday through early August, people familiar with the matter said Monday, as former members of top male talent agency Johnny & Associates Inc. accused its late founder of sexual abuse.
The Working Group on Business and Human Rights will speak to an association composed of several of these members who claim to be victims of Johnny Kitagawa, as well as others in the industry, to examine Japanese government and business efforts in protecting human rights.
The U.N. group also plans to speak to Megumi Morisaki, an actress and the president of Arts Workers Japan, which is composed of freelancers, to learn more about the harassment and labor conditions they face.
The group has said it will speak to people ranging from government ministries and local authorities to civil society actors, human rights defenders, academics and trade unions.
The itinerary of the delegation, composed of Damilola Olawuyi, the working group's chairman, and Pichamon Yeophantong, includes Tokyo and Osaka, Aichi, Hokkaido, and Fukushima prefectures. They will hold a press conference on Aug. 4, their last day.
A report based on the visit will be presented to the Human Rights Council in June 2024, the group has said.
The allegations surrounding Kitagawa, who died in 2019, had garnered international attention after the BBC aired a documentary in March about the sex abuse scandal that included interviews with alleged victims, spurring other former agency members to come forward with their stories.
Johnny's president, Julie Keiko Fujishima, publicly apologized for the scandal but stopped short of accepting claims made by people formerly represented by the agency.
The company has set up an external probe team to look into alleged sexual abuse by its founder and compile measures to prevent the recurrence of similar incidents.
Kitagawa was a powerful figure in Japan's entertainment industry, propelling numerous groups such as SMAP, Arashi and Hey! Say! JUMP to stardom before his death.
Related coverage:
U.N. rights body to probe Johnny's sex abuse claims in late July
