The Downfall of Johnny & Associates
What happened to the leaders of male idol industry in Japan?
Johnny & Associates (J&A) is a familiar name to anyone keeping up with Japanese showbiz. For decades, this company has been a powerhouse in entertainment. Its idols consistently top the Oricon chart all year.
But, recently, J&A has hit a rough patch. Let’s find out what happened and the reasons behind the commotion!
What Is Johnny & Associates?
Johnny & Associates is a family-owned company specializing in male idol groups. Inspired by the American musical “West Side Story,” founder Kitagawa Johnny established J&A in 1963, introducing the first male idol group, Johnnys.
Over the years, J&A achieved one success after another. Many of its idol groups, like SMAP and ARASHI, gained national fame and even international recognition. Kitagawa Johnny himself holds three Guinness World Records for producing the most number-one singles, concerts, and artists.
J&A’s idols don’t stop at dancing and singing; they’re even strong in other fields, including acting, broadcasting, writing, and hosting. This versatility significantly boosts their popularity, making their presence ubiquitous in Japan, especially in Tokyo where they’re frequently found on signboards, TVs, and magazines. It’s not a stretch to say J&A and its idols have become an integral part of Japanese culture.
Despite J&A facing a decline in sales and popularity over time, many believed this idol empire would go on forever. Until they were hit with a disaster of their own making.
Timeline of the Disaster
The signs started with the news of SMAP, the most popular boy group ever produced by J&A, disbanding on Dec 31st, 2016. Three SMAP members (Inagaki Goro, Kusanagi Tsuyoshi, and Katori Shingo) left J&A on Sep 8th, 2017. Leaving J&A usually incurred punishment, with restrictions for those who left. TV channels and shows were reluctant to featuring them, fearing they would incur the wrath of J&A who would limit access to their lineup of popular entertainers.
Thus, when three SMAP members and their manager (former president of a J&A affiliate company) left, it was major news. It signaled to those in the entertainment business that J&A was no longer an invincible force.
Still, at that time, Kitagawa Johnny was active as the president, leading many to believe the event was a minor crack resulting from internal conflicts (I’ll talk about this later). Even so, all eyes were on J&A, waiting for what would happen when Kitagawa Johnny passed away; that day arrived on Sep 7th, 2019.
The company quickly announced Johnny’s niece, Julie, would be the next president, with Takizawa Hideaki, a renowned idol in J&A, taking the vice president role. Despite facing challenges during COVID, things seemed to be running smoothly.
Then, in March 2023, everything took a turn when BBC released a documentary spotlighting Kitagawa’s sexual harassment of adolescent boys.
While Kitagawa Johnny had faced such accusations before and managed to escape consequences using his influence, this time was different. Right after the documentary aired, hundreds of people, mostly former idols or trainees, stepped forward as victims and demanded compensation.
Six months later, on Sep 7th, 2023, J&A finally acknowledged the former president’s crime. Julie resigned in an effort at redemption, and Higashiyama Noriyuki, a former J&A idol, became the new president.
J&A then changed its name to Starto Entertainment to distance it from the “Johnny” moniker, with the head role moved to Fukuda Jun, a president of a consulting firm. They also established a new affiliated company — SMILE UP, dedicated to compensating all sexually abused victims.
But that was not the end of J&A’s nightmare. Many companies, including Suntory, McDonald’s, and Asahi, decided to retract or not renew their contracts with J&A’s idols. Even now, the boycott against J&A’s idols remains strong, with many refusing to even see their faces anywhere.
Reasons Behind All the Rumbles
Looking at the timeline, Kitagawa Johnny’s sexual harassment is obviously the direct reason. However, to understand why J&A fell apart so quickly, you’ve got to dig deeper.
Internal Conflict
Talk of internal strife among J&A’s higher-ups has long been circulating in fan circles and the media. It all began with SMAP, specifically SMAP’s manager — Iijima Michi.
J&A was a family company operated by a brother-sister duo — Kitagawa Johnny and Mary. They planned for Mary’s daughter — Julie — to be the next in line to lead.
Before SMAP, J&A faced a significant crisis as their idols enjoyed only short-term popularity (3–5 years). SMAP had its struggles initially, but they shone in 1994, thanks to their resilience and the manager’s assistance. From then on, SMAP became J&A’s largest cash cow until ARASHI took center stage in 2006. For over a decade, despite the many groups J&A produced, none could outshine SMAP.
That sounded positive. Only, it wasn’t. SMAP’s success inadvertently handed immense power to Iijama. She even established J-DREAM, an affiliate J&A company exclusively focused on SMAP. That, and Julie’s inability to create a group to rival SMAP, escalated the tension within J&A, with some speculating Iijima might become the next president.
At one point, the rivalry became so intense that the company appeared divided into two factions, with SMAP and ARASHI as the respective flag bearers. This internal conflict persisted, with idols becoming pawns on each side, until Iijima left and Julie assumed the presidency. So, did the internal strife end? Unfortunately, no.
While the conflict was less intense, visible cracks remained. Idols aligning with SMAP’s side faced mistreatment, including reduced job opportunities. The biggest evidence is Takizawa Hideaki, who, although neutral, leaned toward SMAP’s side and became the vice president.
You can consider it Julie’s attempt to balance power or the other side’s move to diminish Julie’s influence. Regardless, Takizawa still resigned from J&A in 2022, just several months before the infamous BBC documentary, and established a new idol agency. Many idols quickly followed him, joining his company and causing J&A to lose tons of talent.
My point is that this internal conflict had gone on forever, causing the higher-ups to lose sight of anything but their own benefits. Idols, willingly or not, were forced to pick sides, undermining one of J&A’s core principles: seniors helping juniors grow. With unstable ground beneath them, the company ceased to grow, and idols seized the chance to escape.
Poor Reputation in the Entertainment Industry
J&A definitely isn’t the most loved company in Japanese showbiz. Negative rumors has surrounded it for years, ranging from Johnny’s sexual harassment to alleged connections with yakuza. While none of these rumors (except the sexual harassment claims) had been confirmed, they emphasized J&A’s significant influence. And Kitagawa Johnny used this power to the fullest.
As mentioned above, no broadcast station dared to invite or promote other Japanese boy groups. Otherwise, J&A would withdraw all its idols from appearing on their TV shows or dramas. Numerous male artists were barred from music shows as a result. For instance, W-inds, AAA, and Bump of Chicken couldn’t appear on Music Station. The same restrictions applied to former J&A idols.
That sums up the relationship between J&A and other media: A relationship dominated by fear and control. Kitagawa Johnny’s dictatorial approach created numerous enemies eagerly awaiting the day he would fall. That day has arrived, and when J&A weakened, instead of helping, many media agencies seized the opportunity to impose bans against J&A and its idols.
As a former fan of J&A, it’s disheartening to witness the current state. Currently, except for a few artists supporting the idols, the entire Japanese showbiz community seems to have abandoned J&A. Even changing the name and the executive board didn’t improve the firm’s reputation.
Honestly, a decade ago, I never anticipated that Johnny’s could experience such a dramatic and rapid downfall. But in life, you never know what will happen. And the future of J&A, whether in ruin or peace, remains uncertain.
Have you ever listened to any song from J&A? What do you think about this case? Feel free to share in the comment section!
