Former teen idol alleges sex abuse by Japan music mogul

Japanese-Brazilian singer Kauan Okamoto,Japanese-Brazilian singer Kauan Okamoto said he was molested by Kitagawa '15 to 20' times during his four-year stint in the agency until 2016, starting when he was just 15 years old. Photo: AFP

A former teen idol on Wednesday said he was repeatedly sexually assaulted by Johnny Kitagawa, the founder of Japan's biggest boy band empire, in a rare public allegation against the late mogul.

The talent agency Johnny and Associates, which was established by Kitagawa and has dominated the country's showbiz industry for decades, did not respond to multiple requests for comment from AFP.