Affected by the late founder Johnny Kitagawa sexual assault case, Janis Firm held a press conference this afternoon, announcing the abolition of "Janis Firm" and its change to "SMILE-UP". President Noriyuki Higashiyama announced that a new company would be established, and Yoshihiko Inohara, became vice president. Former president Keiko Fujishima has nothing to do with the new company.
Janis has de facto dissolved and withdrawn from all artist management and training businesses. The company will work to compensate the victims of the late founder Johnny Kitagawa sex victimization case, and after the compensation is completed, the company will go out of business.
President Noriyuki Higashiyama (right), Vice President Yoshihiko Inohara, (left)
The company name "Janis" and the combination name containing "Janis" will be deprecated, and the new name "SMILE-UP" will be launched on October 17. Combinations such as Sekihachi (関ジャニ∞) and Johnny's WEST are facing name changes.
The name of the new company established by Noriyuki Higashiyama has not yet been decided, and names will be called for at fan clubs.
Janis' artists and groups are all independent, and the new company will re-sign business contracts with them.
Noriyuki Higashiyama
In March, a BBC documentary revealed that Johnny Kitagawa founder of Janis has been sexually assaulting and abusing underage boys for decades. Janis initiated the investigation and held a press conference on September 7 to apologize to the public and the victims for Kitagawa sexual assault.
In the Kitagawa sexual assault incident, a total of 478 people filed complaints with the Relief Committee for abuse, and 325 people claimed compensation. Janis will start the compensation process in November, issue a human rights report to prevent the recurrence of similar incidents, and establish an internal reporting system.
Janis & Associates proposes compensation for victims and measures to prevent recurrence
Previously, Kao, Asahi, McDonald's, Nissan Motor and many other brands announced that they would cut seats with Janis and no longer use their artists to appear in advertisements and serve as spokespersons. NHK has announced that until compensation for victims and measures to prevent recidivism are steadily implemented, Janis' artists will not appear on the Red and White Song Festival stage.
Johnny Kitagawa niece and former president of Janis Keiko Fujishima was absent from the press conference. Yoshihiko Inohara, who read his letter at the press conference: his mother, Mary Kitagawa is irritable, throws tantrums whenever she expresses a little dissent, and even hits her, and she has suffered from breathing at any time in her 20s; She has not been close to Johnny Kitagawa since she was a child, and has not spoken since 2008; had considered selling the shares of Janis & Co., but if it did, there would be no remedy beyond the law; The right to represent the firm is returned and the business inheritance tax system is not used.
At the press conference, some media asked Noriyuki Higashiyama "whether he has also sexually harassed others", and Noriyuki Higashiyama denied it.
Text | Reporter Hu Guangxin
Source | Yangcheng Evening News Yangcheng Pie
Responsible Editor | Zhu Fan
Proofreading | Zhou Yong