Takuya Kimura’s Comment About Johnny’s Sexual Assault Issue in “Santaku” is Under Fire

Takuya Kimura, a former member of SMAP, commented for the first time on the series of sexual assaults by Johnny Kitagawa in the New Year’s special program “Santaku” (Fuji TV) broadcast on January 1.

Takuya’s comment, “I didn’t have a place to say it in my own words.”

This has caused controversy mainly on social networking sites.

 

At the beginning of the program, Akashiya Sanma said

“I have to listen. I can’t just ignore it.”

Kimura then said, “In a way, I am also a member of the group.”

“In a way, I didn’t have a place where I could say things in my own voice and in my own words. I am very thankful that there is a place like this.”

Kimura began to talk about the series of disturbances.

“I am very sorry that I caused so much worry, not only to the people at work, but also to my fans.”

Sanma said that he was worried about Kimura because he seemed depressed.

 

“I don’t know what to say to you either. It’s not right to encourage you. I just want to tell you that I’m here for you. I sent you a message on LINE, and I said, ‘At least, my family and I are on your side.’ You cried, didn’t you?”

Kimura replied.

“I remember the moment I read that, I got up on my feet. I thought something was coming.”

He shared a behind-the-scenes story. It seems that there is a “tight bond” between senior and junior members of the entertainment industry.

Kimura seems to have summoned up the courage to mention the turmoil for the first time, but what was the public’s reaction?

“While Noriyuki Higashiyama and Inohara were being criticized for taking the brunt of the criticism, Takuya Kimura, who is the office’s signature figure, seemed to be running away from the situation without mentioning or communicating.”

“In an age when individuals can communicate in various ways, was there no place to say so? Other celebrities were communicating in various ways.”

“He is making incomprehensible excuses with the help of his friends, the bigwigs of the entertainment world, who will defend him 100%.”

 

“Mr. Kimura is not an executive at Johnny’s, so there may be no need for him to make an official statement, but on the other hand, his juniors have not run away from making comments when they appear on TV or at press conferences at events.”

“On September 7, when the Johnny’s held an apology press conference, Kimura-san published a photo of himself posing in a salute on his Instagram page with the words “show must go on!”. The post was deleted and criticized as “tacky” by a women’s magazine reporter.”

The “show must go on” is a teaching of Mr. Johnny’s. It would be extremely inappropriate for Kimura to send out this message during a press conference that was dealing with the issue of Johnny’s sexual assault.

Kimura not only has an Instagram page, but also a radio program “Flow” (TOKYO FM), for which he is the personality. The radio was an especially great opportunity for him to speak his mind. It is no wonder that “I can talk in front of Sanma” is seen as too convenient.

The 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake occurred in the middle of the program, interrupting the broadcast, but does Kimura think that he has finally fulfilled his responsibility by commenting on the Reiwa riots?