Japan’s Johnny & Associates talent agency said Monday that 478 people had contacted a website set up by the company as part of its efforts to provide compensation to victims of sexual abuse at the hands of the agency’s late founder, Johnny Kitagawa. Last month, an independent inquiry found that Kitagawa—who died in 2019—had abused hundreds of young men and boys over the course of his career as his country’s top talent agent. Of the 478 who contacted the company, 325 are seeking compensation as victims, and 150 of those were former talents. Johnny & Associates also says it plans to change its name to “Smile-Up” and split into two companies going forward.
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