Johnny Kitagawa Passes Away

Johnny Kitagawa, founder and president of Japan's top male talent agency Johnny & Associates, passed away at a hospital in Tokyo on Tuesday, July 9th due to a subarachnoid hemorrhage. He was 87.

Johnny Kitagawa, whose real name was Hiromu Kitagawa, founded Johnny & Associates in 1962. Throughout the years, the agency has produced many of Japan's most popular male idol groups including SMAP, Arashi, KinKi Kids, KAT-TUN and Hey! Say! JUMP.