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The brand new president of Japan’s prime male expertise company Johnny & Associates Inc. has immediately apologized to one of many agency’s former performers who got here ahead with an allegation that the corporate’s late founder sexually abused him when he was a teen.
“I am sorry for the deep ache (we have) brought about you,” Noriyuki Higashiyama, 56, instructed Yasushi Hashida on Thursday. Hashida, now a dancer and actor, revealed the apology in a message posted on X, the social media platform previously often known as Twitter, the identical day.
Hashida, 38, mentioned he had hoped to reunite with Higashiyama, a veteran TV character lengthy represented by the leisure big, underneath totally different circumstances however he was “struck probably the most” by the phrases of gratitude he acquired.
Hashida mentioned Higashiyama thanked him for “the prospect to confront (the previous) and alter,” and added these remarks “provided me some therapeutic.”
On the time the abuse is alleged to have taken place, Hashida was a part of Johnny’s Jr., a expertise pool of male idols in coaching who had but to make their debut in a bunch or solo act. He has claimed he was sexually assaulted two occasions when he was about 13 by Johnny Kitagawa, who died in 2019 at 87.
The allegations surrounding Kitagawa garnered worldwide consideration after the BBC aired a documentary in March. A number of different former members of the company have since come ahead with allegations of sexual abuse by Kitagawa after they have been teenagers.
Earlier this month, Higashiyama, who himself has been compelled to disclaim allegations of sexual abuse, took over as company president after Julie Keiko Fujishima, niece of Kitagawa, stepped down after acknowledging her uncle’s sexual abuse and the company’s lack of motion to cease it.
The company has arrange a committee to supervise redress for victims and can report on Oct. 2 the outcomes of its discussions.
Associated protection:
Intercourse abuse-tainted Johnny’s discussing expertise company identify change
FOCUS: Johnny’s decades-long abuse coverup relied on cozy ties with media
Johnny’s expertise company admits sexual abuse by founder, head resigns
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