On September 7, 2023, Janis held an important press conference to announce two major events: first, it acknowledged that founder Johnny Kitagawa has committed hundreds of sexual assaults on its artists over the past few decades, and apologized and compensated the victims; The second is the announcement of the resignation of current president Julie Fujishima and the appointment of new president Noriyuki Higashiyama.
These two events have sparked widespread attention and discussion in the entertainment industry and the public, especially the succession of Noriyuki Higashiyama, which has surprised and puzzled many people. Who is Noriyuki Higashiyama? Why did he become the new president of Janis Associates? He has been exposed to sexual harassment, will this affect his image and management? Is there any inside story behind it?
To answer these questions, we need to start with Kitagawa the founder of Janis Studio. Kitagawa is a legend in the Japanese entertainment industry, he founded Janis Studio in 1962, specializing in nurturing male idol groups, and creating countless household names such as SMAP, Ran, KAT-TUN, Hey! Say! JUMP, etc.
He is known as the "king of boy bands" and has great influence and power. However, he also has an unknown dark side. As early as 1999, the media exposed allegations of sexual assault and harassment of his artists, but due to his powerful power and the media's self-censorship, these allegations did not cause much sensation and were not punished by any law. Kitagawa has consistently denied the allegations and died in 2019 at the age of 87.
However, in March 2021, the BBC aired a documentary called The Dark Side of Japan's Boy Bands, interviewing three victims of alleged sexual assault by Kitagawa and revealing the shocking fact that he has repeatedly sexually assaulted hundreds of its artists over the past 50 years.
The documentary sparked a strong response at home and abroad, forcing Janis to respond. Under intense public pressure, Janis announced in May 2021 that it would establish an independent investigative committee to thoroughly investigate Kitagawa sexual assault allegations and promised to take measures to prevent similar incidents from happening again.
After a four-month investigation, the Commission of Inquiry released a 200-page report at the end of August 2021 confirming Kitagawa sexual assault and pointing to management flaws at Janis and media silence as the main reasons for the continuation of this tragedy. The report also revealed that Kitagawa 's sister, Mary Kitagawa played a role in covering up the scandal and protecting Kitagawa reputation. Mary Kitagawa was the de facto controller of Janis Studio, who died in 2021 at the age of 96.
On September 1, 2021, the day after the release of the report, the current president of Janis Firm, Julie Fujishima, issued a statement acknowledging the contents of the report and apologizing to the victims and the public. Keiko Fujishima is Kitagawa niece, who became a member of the board of directors of Janis in 1998 and was appointed president in 2019.
She said she had no direct knowledge of Kitagawa and had little private contact with his artists before his death. She said she was aware of the charges against Kitagawa but at the time "it was inconceivable to take action." She also said she would step down as president and would take full responsibility for providing support and compensation to victims.
So, who will succeed Julie Fujishima as the new president of Janis Associates? The answer is Noriyuki Higashiyama. Noriyuki Higashiyama is one of the most senior and successful artists under the Janis Studio, he joined the Janis Studios in 1979, became a member of the junior team in 1982, and officially debuted in 1985. He not only has an outstanding performance in music, but also shows his acting skills in the fields of TV series, movies, and stage plays.
He has starred in big river dramas such as "The Tale of Genji", "Genroku Chaos", "Ryukyu Wind", criminal investigation dramas such as "Criminal Police Seven" and "Residence Criminal", urban dramas such as "TV Man in the Wilderness", "Embraced by the Night", "Fortunately I Don't Love You Too Much", and period dramas such as "Flower Burn" and "First Bud". He has also served as the host of the news program "News Zero" and the variety show "The! He is known as the "Grand Prince of the J Family" and has many loyal fans.
Noriyuki Higashiyama has a close and complex relationship with Kitagawa . He was regarded by Kitagawa as his favorite disciple and closest companion. According to rumors, Noriyuki Higashiyama is the only artist with whom Kitagawa has not sexually assaulted, but maintains a romantic relationship with him.
For Janis & Associates, this event is a major crisis and an opportunity for reform. Janis Firm has had to face its criminal history, take legal and moral responsibility, apologize and compensate victims and the public. At the same time, Janis also needs to carry out profound reflection and rectification, change its management model and culture, prevent similar incidents from happening again, and rebuild its credibility and image. As the new president, Noriyuki Higashiyama has the task of revitalizing Janis Studio, and he needs to show enough leadership and determination to lead his artists to a fresh start and win back the support of fans and the market.
For the Japanese entertainment industry, this incident is a shock and wake-up call. As a leader in the Japanese entertainment industry, the exposure of the scandal of Janis Studios has also exposed the common problems in the Japanese entertainment industry, such as sexual assault, sexual harassment, abuse of power, shady trading, etc. These problems not only violate the human rights and dignity of artists, but also undermine the credibility and quality of the entertainment industry. The Japanese entertainment industry needs to clean itself and standardize, establish a more fair and transparent system and mechanism, protect the legitimate rights and interests of artists, and improve the level and value of the entertainment industry.
For society, this event is an education and inspiration. The Kitagawa sexual assault case reveals society's disregard and silence on the issue of sexual assault, as well as indifference and discrimination against victims. These are obstacles to social civilization and progress that need to be broken and changed. Society needs to raise attention and awareness of the issue of sexual assault, strengthen the punishment and supervision of sexual assault offenders, support and encourage victims to stand up for their rights, and provide necessary help and care. Society also needs to foster healthier and more positive sexual attitudes and values, respect everyone's sexual orientation and choices, and eliminate gender discrimination and prejudice.
In short, the new president of Janis, Noriyuki Higashiyama, was exposed to sexual harassment, why can he take over? What's behind the scenes? This is a complex and sensitive topic that involves many factors in Janis Studio, the Japanese entertainment industry and society. We cannot simply judge by right and wrong, nor can we speculate by rumors. We should analyze and evaluate with rationality and objectivity, pay attention and support with justice and compassion, and improve and progress with rational and innovative thinking. Only in this way can we learn from this event, find inspiration, and create better possibilities for the future.