Suicides in Japan: no support for people in need
A couple of weeks ago you may recall I posted an article about suicide in Japan, why it has been rising and what is being done/can be done in order to bring it down. I gave a few examples, and included that of a singer called Kago Ai (pictured below), who was in a group called Morning Musume. In that entry I made comment about the Up-Front Agency, who managed Ai at the time, and who offered her little support when the media was just using her for easy target practice. Well, it seems like the Up-Front Agency, were actually doing something to Kago Ai to rehabilitate her after the first incident. It seems that they had her placed under house arrest so that she could cause no more scandals for them. I kid you note, and here is a translated press release that was distrubuted by the Up-Front Agency:
To whom it may concern:
Regarding our client Kago Ai and the article in the weekly magazine that went on sale on March 26th, the information in the article has been verified with Kago herself, to our regret.
One year ago, when Kago was 17 and the smoking problem happened, we still considered her future in this company, and as punishment, she was imposed to house arrest in her parents’ home. Seeing how she had progressed over that year, it was decided to start from scratch and start preparing for a comeback by bringing her to Tokyo and having her do clerical and other office duties, starting on January 23rd. Although this worked out well for two months, there was another incident and the comeback plan was abandoned. After consulting with the family, as she is a minor, it has been confirmed, and she has been released from her contract.
We’re very sorry that it has come to this, and accept full responsibility.
We feel a renewed sense of responsibility for the future, especially when it comes to minors.
2007/3/26 Kawaguchi Yuukichi, Representative Director, Up Front Agency
So one recorded incident of her smoking had her placed under house arrest, all of her singing and showbiz career coming to an abrupt halt, and made to become an office lady as she is re-educated on how she “should” behave. And then when she was seen with an older man, it was decided the re-education wouldn’t work and that she was a lost cause and should be dropped. The “accept full responsibility” is a joke, as if they had done this then they would try and help & support her if they thought it was their fault. But saying that would save face, which is what it’s all about here. When something like that happens, you can imagine where she’s coming from in thinking about taking her own life.
I said it before and I’ll say it again, the support for people here is shocking, and until this gets addressed and people are seen as more than financial commodities, this will not change.
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