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It’s been nearly a half 12 months because the BBC launched the documentary “Predator: The Secret Scandal of J-pop” in March 2023 to show sexual abuse dedicated by the late Johnny Kitagawa. He was the founding father of the expertise company “Jonny and Associates*,” the biggest company in Japan, which trains and promotes teams of male idols.
*Jonny and Associates will change its identify to SMILE-UP. as of October 17, 2023.
What the overseas media can do this Japanese media can’t
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「ALL Johnnys’ Jr. 2023 わっしょいCAMP! in Dome」#わっしょいCAMPなう#ジャニーズJr
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会場でも配信でもSNSでも‼︎
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＼ pic.twitter.com/83p0Qxqr7P— ジャニーズJr.公式 (@Johnnys_Jr_info) July 16, 2023
In 1999, the weekly journal Shukan Bunshun grew to become the primary main Japanese media outlet to publish 14 articles on Kitagawa’s sexual abuse, concentrating on younger boys in coaching, however the Japanese mainstream media and the music business have continued to cowl it up. Why? All of them knew the financial and social impression can be too vital in the event that they fought towards Jonny and Associates. Due to this fact, no person else was prepared to show probably the most monumental and darkest scandal till BBC lastly stepped into the taboo in 2023.
Kitagawa’s loss of life in 2019 prompted the BBC to launch an investigation into sexual abuse. It was when the #Metoo motion and varied instances of sexual assault that have been largely carried out by individuals with energy in society have been reported worldwide. The BBC determined to start out researching Kitagawa’s case by benefiting from the truth that they, the overseas media, don’t have ties with Japanese firms.
Whereas some individuals talked in regards to the documentary primarily on SNS after the BBC launched the documentary, Japanese main media nonetheless saved silent, and no media coated the subject extensively aside from Shukan Bunshun, who has adopted this case for nearly twenty years.
One sufferer’s accusation moved an enormous mountain of silence
It was Kauan Okamoto, one of many victims of the sexual assault, who broke the company’s silence by holding a press convention on the Overseas Correspondent Membership in Japan this April. He was a former member of Johnny’s Junior, a gaggle of minor boys, and he was sexually abused for 4 years by the late Kitagawa. In actual fact, earlier than he held the press convention he described his surprising expertise within the articles of Shukan Bunshun in March, utilizing his actual identify and his face for the primary time, which once more didn’t set off the media’s protection of the subject.
He determined to have a press convention as a result of he believed the worldwide media would cowl the subject which hasn’t been extensively coated in mainstream media in Japan. In consequence, the scandal was deemed a critical case of human rights violations by the UN Working Group on Enterprise and Human Rights: the working group marked its first go to to Japan for analysis functions on not solely sexual abuse by the late Kitagawa but in addition varied human rights violation instances within the Japanese enterprise discipline from July to August 2023.
The UN working group reveals human rights violations in Japan
The working group expressed 4 vital issues and statements in its finish of mission assertion:
- It involved in regards to the “transparency and legitimacy” of Johnny and Associates’ inside investigation into the allegations and implored the corporate to supply “clear and predictable timeframes” for the investigation.
- It acknowledged that the Japanese authorities has a “main obligation to guard human rights.”
- It revealed the late Kitagawa’s victims may quantity within the lots of.
- It made reference to the truth that media firms in Japan have been “implicated in protecting up the scandal for many years” and the nation’s media and leisure fosters the “tradition of impunity” surrounding sexual abuse and harassment.
Though the ultimate report on Japan can be introduced in June 2024, the working group has succeeded in enhancing the state of affairs towards enough sufferer reduction and a clear investigation of Johnny and Associates.
Nevertheless, the Japanese authorities has ignored the concrete suggestions by the UN a number of instances previously as a result of it believes the suggestions aren’t legally binding. As a matter of truth, on August 7, three days after the working group held a press convention, Chief Cupboard Secretary Matsuno mentioned “The views of the working group aren’t the views of the UN or the UN Human Rights Council and aren’t legally binding on our nation.”
Is the parable “Japan doesn’t change with out exterior stress” true?
Nevertheless, it doesn’t imply that worldwide powers knuckled beneath the deepest tradition of impunity in Japan. Personal sector firms have already taken measures to point out their assist for human rights, and the Japanese haven’t misplaced their curiosity and hold in search of extra particulars, and furthermore, the attention of “sexual abuse towards males” lastly elevated in a society the place the bulk hasn’t but taken the difficulty severely.
Japan has been mentioned for a very long time to be a rustic that by no means adjustments with out exterior stress. In lots of instances, prosecuting or addressing points domestically might be difficult, particularly when English isn’t the official language or when influential powers try and cowl up these issues. The extent of progress in Japan stays unsure, however the affect of overseas powers remains to be vital, as they’re those who’ve sparked substantial debates in Japan.
Ideally, all points might be resolved internally, however I hope that victims of human rights violations will do not forget that they’ve the worldwide group on their facet. Collectively, we are able to create a society the place individuals might help one another past nationwide borders.
Extra articles about human rights in Japan
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