Johnny’s becomes Smile-Up. Japanese music company hit with sex abuse scandal takes on a new name

By YURI KAGEYAMA
Associated Press

TOKYO (AP) — The Japanese entertainment company that has acknowledged its founder sexually assaulted hundreds of boys over the span of five decades has taken a new name: Smile-Up. It’s vowing to focus on victims’ compensation. Johnny & Associates will eventually fold, but it said on Monday that its performers can join a new independent company. Noriyuki Higashiyama, a Johnny’s star tapped last month to head the compensation effort to victims, will be president of both Smile-Up and the new company. The name for the new company will be put to public vote by Johnny’s fans. Johnny Kitagawa died in 2019 and was never charged. So far, 325 people have applied for company compensation.