Johnny & Associates, one of Japan's largest entertainment agencies, is grappling with the possibility of changing its name in response to a highly publicized scandal involving the late founder's sexual misconduct. 

The revelations emerged in 2021 when Koki Maeda, a former member of Johnny's Jr., came forward, disclosing that the late Johnny Kitagawa, the agency's founder, had subjected male trainees to sexual harassment and exploitation, using their debut as leverage. While rumors had circulated in the past, this was the first time that such allegations had been brought to light in the media and official circles. Johnny Kitagawa passed away in 2019.

With a recent surge of testimonies and international media coverage, Johnny & Associates could no longer overlook the gravity of the situation, leading the agency's CEO, Fujishima Juri Keiko, to offer an apology for the charges of sexual exploitation. 

However, the apology was criticized for being inadequate, as it only offered a partial acknowledgment, stating, "We apologize, but we did not know."

Under Johnny Kitagawa's leadership, Johnny & Associates held an unprecedented level of influence over the Japanese entertainment industry. While their power has diminished in recent times, there was a time when it was said, "If Johnny's stops, the Japanese broadcasting system will stop." 

This analysis suggests that trainees within Johnny & Associates felt compelled to remain silent about Johnny Kitagawa's exploitation due to his status as a prominent figure in the Japanese entertainment industry.

Even now, the agency faces ongoing criticism, and the controversy surrounding the scandal shows no signs of abating. Consequently, Johnny & Associates is contemplating the removal of the symbolic name "Johnny." Noriyuki Higashiyama, one of the celebrities at Johnny & Associates, addressed the incident on Asahi TV's 'Sunday Live,' a show he hosted. He expressed the need to confront the situation and determine the path moving forward, including how to address the agency's name. 

Higashiyama stated, "We must consider what kind of future we should strive for and how to handle this situation. This includes reevaluating and establishing new, transparent processes, possibly even involving a change to the name Johnny's."

The Japanese media outlet 'ENCOUNT' also reported that Johnny & Associates is actively exploring the option of removing the term 'Johnny' from its company name.

An official from Johnny & Associates acknowledged the complexity of the matter, stating, "Removing 'Johnny' is not a straightforward decision. 'Johnny' is an integral part of Johnny's Jr. and is also present in the names of some of our groups. However, we are engaging in serious discussions regarding this matter."

Korean netizens have also taken an interest in this matter since it involves the biggest entertainment agency from the neighboring country, Japan. Korean netizens commented, "If they want to stay in business, they should change the name," "Maybe change their name to be just the initials JNS, lol," "They should make it like SM, YG, and JYP. Make it JNS," "They can do SN lol," "Why do they keep wanting to use that name Johnny's," "It's so crazy that they kept his sexual exploitation hidden for all these years," "and "They should just change the name to just something that's not related to Johnny."