Johnny’s Association Head Retires, Vice Faces Resignation Uproar Amid Midair Disintegration Concerns

Junya Hiramoto, the representative of the ‘Johnny’s Sexual Offense Involved Parties Association,’ resigned from his position on January 31st.

 

Mr. Hiramoto reported that as of January 15, he had been diagnosed with panic disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder, as well as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. 

“On January 22nd, around 11 p.m., I experienced pain in the entire left upper body, including the head, chest, and back. Unable to endure this, I called for an ambulance.”

Hiramoto was transported by ambulance for medical assistance. It’s reported that afterwards, as the symptoms eased, he returned home. However, it’s said that on the 22nd alone, he suffered from mysterious severe pain three times.

In a statement, Hiramoto said.

“This unidentified illness has occurred dozens of times over the past few months (since around October last year). The pain continues every day.”

He confessed,

“It seems that I am being eroded more than I had probably imagined, perhaps as a consequence of the harsh activities I have undertaken so far.”

In addition, the reasons for deciding to resign as the representative

“In particular, now I need time to calm my mind without any incidents, and in a situation where I must eliminate all negative information, I have been forced to make this difficult decision.”

He explained.

The Association of the Parties was a voluntary organization established last June by members who made accusations in response to the late Janie Kitagawa’s sexual assault scandal last year. In September of last year, the group filed a petition for human rights relief with the Japan Federation of Bar Associations, demanding an apology from the former office and restoration of damages.

“Since its inception, the association has received thousands of slanderous attacks daily. There have been instances where members have been subjected to verbal abuse while walking down the street. The mental strain on Mr. Hiramoto, who leads the organization, cannot be overstated.” (Source: Individual familiar with the involved parties’ association)

In October of last year, several members withdrew from the association due to differences of opinion. Additionally, in November of the same year, a member of the involved parties’ association was found dead in the mountains of Osaka City. It is believed that slanderous attacks may have been the cause.

“The deceased male member had a wife and children. Currently, the wife is being subjected to slanderous attacks, accusing her of being responsible for her husband’s death. Because of the severity of these attacks, she has sought help from the police to address the situation.”

This information comes from a person affiliated with the involved parties’ association.

Following Hiramoto’s resignation, Shimon Ishimaru, the vice president of the association, will take the lead in managing the association from now on.

“A person knowledgeable about the situation suggests that it wouldn’t be surprising if Mr. Ishimaru resigned at any time.”

This is the state of affairs, as disclosed by a source affiliated with the aforementioned involved parties’ association.

“Mr. Ishimaru is also suffering from depression, and it worsened considerably towards the end of last year. He confided in those around him, saying ‘I’ve reached my limit. I want to quit.’ and came close to announcing his resignation. With Mr. Hiramoto stepping down as the representative, there are concerns about whether Mr. Ishimaru’s burden will increase.”

 

Last October, Mr. Ishimaru appeared on a live broadcast of “ArcTimes” operated by Tokyo Shimbun reporter Kinoshiko Mochizuki and others, discussing the amount of compensation.

“I’ve often been accused of being ‘in it for the money’ due to the slanderous attacks. But I want to say it here: Yes, it’s about the money!”

This caused a huge firestorm.

“With this statement, the attacks against Mr. Ishimaru have increased exponentially. It’s reported that his mental health has deteriorated, affecting his daily life. Upon deeper consideration, it’s evident that compensation for sexual victimization is only through monetary means.

Mr. Ishimaru simply stated the obvious, but society didn’t interpret it that way. Since then, ‘I want to quit’ has become a common refrain. The association, which was once a ‘sanctuary’ for victims, is undoubtedly on the brink of disintegration.” (Sports newspaper journalist)

The involved parties’ association raised their voices and brought Johnny Kitagawa’s sexual offense issues to public attention. Given the time it takes to resolve such complex problems, their role should have been significant.