Japan opens hotline for male sex abuse victims after boyband scandal

A woman walks past a roadside television screen reporting the death of Johnny Kitagawa, founder of Japanese talent agency Johnny & Associates, in Tokyo on July 10, 2019. - AFP

TOKYO (AFP): The Japanese government will set up a hotline for male victims of sexual abuse, a minister announced on Tuesday (Sept 19), as the country grapples with an abuse scandal at the biggest boyband agency.

The hotline will be available to boys and men for three months from Friday and specialists will take calls for counselling, according to the Cabinet Office.