Former J-pop idol alleges sexual abuse by late music mogul Johnny Kitagawa

Kauan Okamoto, a former member of Johnny’s Jr, said the alleged abuse began when he was 15. Photograph: Rodrigo Reyes Marin/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock

Johnny Kitagawa, one of the most powerful figures in Japanese entertainment, sexually abused multiple boys but evaded justice because his victims knew speaking out would end their pop careers, according to a former protege who has decided to go public with his allegations.

Kauan Okamoto, a Japanese-Brazilian singer-songwriter, said Kitagawa had sexually abused him at least 15 times over a four-year period from 2012, when the pop hopeful was aged 15.