Japanese management company official fired over poor handling of NGT48 pop idol Maho Yamaguchi’s home assault case
- AKS announced the replacement of an official days after the company was condemned for making a victim of assault apologise
- Maho Yamaguchi, 23, said she was assaulted at home by two men who entered her house
An official from the management company of Japanese idol group AKB48 and its spinoff groups has been replaced, amid condemnation over the company’s tepid handling of a case of home assault against one of its singers.
AKS announced a change in personnel and apologised five days after Maho Yamaguchi, a 23-year-old member of NGT48, revealed she had been squeezed in the face by two intruders at her home last year on December 8.
Despite being the victim, Maho Yamaguchi was made to apologise to fans during a concert on December 10, saying her confession had caused “trouble”.
The move prompted Rino Sashihara, a leading member of another spinoff group HKT48, to criticise the managing company for making a victim of assault issue a public apology.
On Monday, AKS operations official Takumi Matsumura apologised for having caused anxiety among fans and the members of NGT48, and said it has replaced Etsuro Imamura, manager of the theatre for NGT48, with AKS official Maiko Hayakawa, in what was generally interpreted as his sacking.