Late Japanese music mogul Johnny Kitagawa's sex abuse spanned decades, says panel

A passer-by watches a TV news reporting Johnny Kitagawa's passing away in Tokyo, on July 10, 2019. A growing number of people are alleging sexual abuse by Kitagawa, who ruled over Japanese entertainment for decades, founding and heading his talent agency, known as Johnny’s, reputed for being behind a string of boy bands. Photo: AP

The late founder of Japan's biggest boy band empire had been sexually assaulting his young recruits for decades, some of the victims alleged in a report by an external panel on Tuesday.

The talent agency Johnny and Associates was established by Johnny Kitagawa in the early 1960s and has since dominated Japan's showbiz industry, but he was dogged for decades by allegations of sexual abuse against young boys seeking stardom.