STARTO ENTERTAINMENT, a company established to take over artists from Johnny & Associates, faced criticisms last year due to the sexual scandal involving the late founder of Johnny & Associates, Johnny Kitagawa. This month, the company officially began its operations. In response to this, Inao Nobuo, the president of NHK Television, stated on the 17th that NHK currently does not plan to invite artists from STARTO ENTERTAINMENT to participate in their programs.
Last year, Johnny & Associates suffered a severe blow to its reputation due to the sexual scandal involving its late founder, Johnny Kitagawa, which led numerous companies to discontinue collaboration with artists under the agency. Inao Nobuo, the president of NHK Television, announced in September of last year that until Johnny & Associates compensates the victims of sexual harassment and implements effective measures to prevent such incidents in the future, NHK will not invite artists from the agency to appear on their programs, with the exception of those under existing contracts.
Subsequently, in October of last year, Johnny & Associates changed its company name to SMILE-UP. in light of the scandal and disclosed that the company would cease operations after settling the compensation for the victims of the harassment incidents. Following this, the artists previously under Johnny & Associates were transferred to the new talent agency, STARTO ENTERTAINMENT.
With STARTO ENTERTAINMENT officially commencing its operations this month, there is a keen interest in whether NHK Television will consider featuring artists from this new agency. In response to this query, Inao Nobuo, during a regular press conference on the 17th, indicated a shift in the company’s policy not to invite artists from STARTO ENTERTAINMENT to participate in NHK programs.
Inao Nobuo explained that although the new company has been actively compensating the victims, “it is necessary to further confirm whether the relationship (regarding sexual harassment incidents) with the previous company has been cleanly severed.”
Given that SMILE-UP. had previously announced the transfer of rights, including those of the FAN CLUB and copyrights of the company, when asked whether there are plans to re-sign artists from that company, Inao Nobuo conveyed that only after the company has solidified measures to prevent the recurrence of sexual harassment incidents and gained a certain level of trust from the public, will they consider inviting artists from the company to appear on NHK Television programs.
Previously reported:
NHK’s programs like “Kohaku” will not include Johnny & Associates artists.
Previously reported:
Johnny & Associates’ new company STARTO officially opens, CEO discusses company goals.