Johnny & Associates' President has issued an official statement addressing the sexual assault allegations against its late founder, Johnny Kitagawa. 

On 14 May, Julie Keiko Fujishima, the Japanese entertainment powerhouse's President, released a video and statement addressing allegations made toward Kitagawa, who passed in 2019, following claims of sexual assault from several artists. 

"I would like to take this moment to sincerely apologize for the great turmoil that has been caused in relation to the allegations of sexual assault by our company’s founder, Johnny Kitagawa. Furthermore, and before anything else, I wish to offer our deepest and most profound sympathies to those who have come forward with claims of abuse. We would also like to apologize to our fans, and all our related partners who have been distressed and disappointed in light of recent events.," said Fujishima, adding that the company is taking the allegations very seriously and currently undergoing an internal investigation.

"Accepting various tough opinions and having discussions with the members who belong to the company on what they want to do now and in the future — that is my way of taking responsibility,” added Fujishima.

Johnny & Associates' official statement comes a month after singer-songwriter and former J-pop idol Kauan Okamoto held a press conference, revealing incidents of the alleged abuse he faced from Kitagawa while under the entertainment agency. Okamoto, who was 15 at the time of the alleged abuse, also claimed that there were other former trainees who experienced similar incidents. 

This also comes after the BBC released a documentary detailing Kitagawa's history of alleged child abuse and exploitation. In 1999, the Japanese weekly magazine Shukan Bunshun first reported the allegations made by male trainees under the company. Kitagawa and his sister Mary Kitagawa were rewarded defamation damages from the report, with the verdict stating that the magazine had insufficient reason to publish the accusations, according to an earlier report by The Japan Times.

Kitagawa was a respected figure in the Japanese entertainment industry.