Company Name Changed to 'Smile Up'
Johnny's Shop Closes; Groups with 'Johnny's' in Their Names Also Renamed
Japan's largest entertainment company, Johnny's Office, which was embroiled in controversy over sexual exploitation by its founder, the late Johnny Kitagawa, changed its name on the 17th after 61 years and 4 months, effectively taking down its signboard.
On the 17th, NHK reported that Johnny's Office would change its name to 'Smile Up' starting that day. Accordingly, the current Johnny's homepage has been closed, leaving only a message stating, "Due to the company name change, the company site has moved to the following link." The homepage can now only be accessed via the 'Smile Up' link.
Founded by Johnny Kitagawa in June 1962, Johnny's Office is a major agency that produced popular idol groups such as 'Shonentai,' 'SMAP,' and 'Arashi.' Johnny Kitagawa was regarded as the architect of Japanese idol music and wielded immense power that controlled the Japanese entertainment industry.
However, this year, it was reported worldwide that Johnny Kitagawa had committed sexual exploitation against affiliated trainees over a long period, sparking a major controversy. Although such controversies had existed in Japan for decades, the issue escalated after the British BBC aired a documentary in March exposing his sexual assault cases, and the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council formed an official investigative team. The number of victims is estimated to be in the hundreds.
Despite these circumstances, Johnny's Office initially intended to maintain the company name that had been used for over 60 years. At a press conference in September, the office stated, "Johnny's is the founder's name and represents the energy and pride cultivated by the talents," indicating their plan to continue using the agency name.
However, after affiliated entertainers began leaving and a boycott of Johnny's actors spread among companies, Johnny's announced it would change its name and remove all names associated with Johnny Kitagawa.
The official Janis website has been closed. It is announced that the company site has been changed due to a change in the company name. (Photo by Janis official website)
With Johnny's Office taking down its signboard, the official goods shop 'Johnny's Shop,' which sells Johnny's merchandise, also closed all its branches the day before.
Fans gathered at various Johnny's Shop locations to witness the disappearance of Johnny's into history. NHK reported on the lines of fans waiting on the last day of Johnny's Shop. At the Nagoya branch, around 7 p.m., when the store shutter was lowered for the last time, a crowd gathered to film the moment, and at the Osaka branch, fans lined up to take photos of the store's exterior.
Not only the offline shops but also the online shop ceased operations at 11:59 p.m. the previous day, causing a temporary server error due to a surge in traffic.
The group names bearing Johnny's name are also expected to change soon. The group 'Kanjani,' composed of members from the Kansai region and named by combining 'Kansai' and 'Johnny's,' will soon adopt a new group name selected through fan submissions.
However, there are criticisms that this name change is more of a superficial measure rather than focusing on victim relief. Professor Shirai Kuniyoshi expressed concern, saying, "The actual number of sexual exploitation victims that Smile Up has met is still small, and they need to respond quickly going forward, but they are wasting time on changing the company name. I worry whether they will be able to manage compensation and relief efforts properly."
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