Comments on: Sakai Noriko and "Japanese" Morality

By: M-Bone

M-Bone — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 16:15:25 +0000

I thought that J was rumored to be molesting kids who didn’t make the cut (a guy in my wife’s high school went to Tokyo for a JJ audition apparently, I should ask him)? In those cases, there would be plenty of motive to sue.

“precedent for it in Japanese society”

100s of fake Chikan cases in Tokyo alone each year. Not the same, but it’s not like Japan doesn’t have litigious golddiggers.

By: Aceface

Aceface — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 13:09:43 +0000

“Artists who sue their jimusho are blacklisted — we have seen this happen with GLAY, Ami Suzuki, and lots of others.”

True.
But they sued jimusho as artists,not as the victims of sexual harassment.Things can be different,if the charges are different.Most certainly to the Johnniy’s,for the damage to their reputation is bigger.

By: W. David MARX

W. David MARX — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 00:28:01 +0000

why aren’t the victims(or victim’s family members)simply go to the court when the case happened instead of waiting for two decades and chose to write in confessional book format

Yes, this is a good point, but in general, most grievances in the entertainment world are not taken into a legal sphere. The only real court action we see from that industry is when the major jimushos sue publishers or writers. Artists who sue their jimusho are blacklisted — we have seen this happen with GLAY, Ami Suzuki, and lots of others.

So yes, a legal court case of accuser against JJ would be the best thing, but there is not much precedent for it in Japanese society.

By: M-Bone

M-Bone — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 21:25:10 +0000

Not a clear parallel to the current discussion, but I came upon some interesting tidbits today – US TV networks and studios pulled dozens of potentially “objectionable” programs in the weeks after 911 and there are some reports that it cost hundreds of millions in advertising revenue. Anything slightly “disastrous” was pulled from TV and yet there was apparently a huge spike in war and disaster movie rentals in the same period.

By: Aceface

Aceface — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 14:19:38 +0000

“and the New York Times’ confirmation of those making the accusations’ existence”

Well,I don’t have too much faith on NYT’s report on Japan,to tell you the truth.

But you’d agree that SB’s article was based on “he said/she said” level.And if such sexual abuses are so rampant in Johnny’s Inc,why aren’t the victims(or victim’s family members)simply go to the court when the case happened instead of waiting for two decades and chose to write in confessional book format?

” And there’s no way a prosecutor in Japan is going to go after J”

But the diet member could.
http://www.shugiin.go.jp/itdb_kaigiroku.nsf/html/kaigiroku/007314720000413005.htm

Oshio case isn’t closed.And body abandonment isn’t a serious crime compare to murder or man slaughter.And there’s very little possibility of him running away.He can surely enjoy his time before his time.

By: W. David MARX

W. David MARX — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 14:07:33 +0000

You are not guilty until you are being sentenced so in court,me think.

How many jimusho bosses are arrested for makura eigyo? Almost none, I think. But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. We’ll only find out about what Johnny did or didn’t do when he dies and people can speak more freely.

And there’s no way a prosecutor in Japan is going to go after J. They won’t even arrest Oshio on an incredibly clear case of body abandonment and he’s nobody.

Anyway, we are getting off topic…

By: W. David MARX

W. David MARX — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 14:03:13 +0000

I think between the large number of confessional books of ex-Johnny’s people, the Shukan Bunshun articles, and the New York Times’ confirmation of those making the accusations’ existence, we can safely assume that JJ has been a site of wrongdoing. The issue has also been taken up in the Diet. And the allegations against Johnny’s date from the late 1960s. The court case against SB basically came down to a “he said/he said” kind of thing, no?

By: Aceface

Aceface — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 13:59:12 +0000

My previous comment is under moderation due to wikipedia link.

So the challenge to the system is not about the quality of the pop music but the sexual harassment to the employee by the management?
So far all we have is accusation coming from disgruntled ex-employee who has serious business conflict with Johnny’s.You are not guilty until you are being sentenced so in court,me think.

By: Aceface

Aceface — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 13:43:15 +0000

Shukan Bunshun has made series of articles about several years ago.And SB lost in the court.
http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%80%B1%E5%88%8A%E6%96%87%E6%98%A5#.E3.82.B8.E3.83.A3.E3.83.8B.E3.83.BC.E3.82.BA.E4.BA.8B.E5.8B.99.E6.89.80.E3.81.A8.E3.81.AE.E5.AF.BE.E7.AB.8B

By: W. David Marx

W. David Marx — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 13:36:05 +0000

If “challenge to the system” means dominance of American pop icon à la Britney Spears,why challenge Johnny’s Inc in the first place?

The reason you fight JJ is that he has been able to freely sexually assault his underage employees for 40 years without any serious recourse.