Johnny’s Empire: A Shift in Strategy and Public Perception

On October 2, Johnny & Associates, Japan’s iconic talent agency, announced a pivotal decision. Amidst brewing controversies, the company unveiled plans to establish a new subsidiary focusing solely on their artists’ economic activities. This move would allow the original agency, now renamed “SMILE-UP,” to center its efforts on compensating over 300 victims of alleged scandals, planning to dissolve the entity once this restitution is complete.

The new company, to be launched within a month, will assume responsibility for intellectual property rights associated with their vast talent roster. But intriguing questions loom large: Where will the new venture’s capital come from? And, with the former president, Fujishima, abstaining from investment and directorship roles, what lies ahead? Current considerations suggest that senior executives and staff from Johnny & Associates might pool resources to finance the new enterprise. With Nishikiori Toshi, a Johnny’s stalwart, announced as president, the company name is to be decided through fan club submissions.

Interestingly, this strategic move mirrors the approach Yoshimoto Kogyo undertook in 2019, following a series of its artists’ scandals.

The second press conference showcased a more concrete intent than its predecessor. Shinji Arasawa, a…