For decades, the Western press reported on the sexual abuse of minors by Johnny Kitagawa, the founder of the most powerful male idol agency. Japanese media refused to report it. It took the BBC documentary in 2023 to finally force a reckoning. The agency admitted fault, rebranded, and paid compensation. The silence lasted 60 years. It reveals a culture where media lockstep ( Kisha Club ) prevents journalists from investigating the very stars they cover.
In the post-World War II era, Japan's entertainment industry underwent a significant transformation. The 1960s and 1970s saw the rise of J-pop and J-rock, with artists like The Beatles and Bob Dylan influencing Japanese musicians. The 1980s saw the emergence of Japanese pop idol culture, with groups like Akina Nakamori and Anri becoming household names.