Comment on “One Year After Johnny & Associates Admitted Sexual Abuse: A UN Working Group Member Reflects on the Challenges” [in Japanese]
On September 7, 2024, a comment by Professor Maiko Ichihara (Graduate School of Law) on the Asahi shimbun article, “One Year After Johnny & Associates Admitted Sexual Abuse: A UN Working Group Member Reflects on the Challenges.” was published. The article reports on an interview with Pichamon Yeophantong, a member of the UN Human Rights Council’s Working Group on Business and Human Rights, who was involved in investigating the sexual abuse scandal surrounding the former Johnny & Associates talent agency (now SMILE-UP.). Professor Ichihara pointed out that Japan’s deeply rooted culture of conformity may discourage individuals from voicing dissenting opinions, even when such voices are necessary to protect the rights of minorities and vulnerable groups. She added that if society were to normalize speaking and acting according to one’s own convictions, support for victims of human rights violations could become more widespread.
