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

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.