NGT48 Assault Case

It is...as we feared it would be

Indulge me a bit (mods). I'm sure I'm not the only one saying this

Spoiler

fuck this shit

Now the ball is in NGT management's court to rectify their burnt bridges with the fans. That is...even if they even try...

 

I'm outraged too but sadly not surprised. Last year I watched a BBC TV documentary called "Japan's Secret Shame" about a journalist called Ito Shiori who went public with allegations that she was raped by a well-known male TV reporter but criminal charges against him were never brought. She suffered hate mail and public humiliation for speaking out.

The BBC webpage for the programme with clips is at https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0b8cfcj (Ito is a very eloquent and fluent English-language speaker) and a text of the interview with her is at https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/ar...ons-of-sexual-violence-are-locked-in-the-past.

Although the whole programme itself is no longer available from the BBC website a quick Google search just now has revealed several 'unofficial' full videos of the show online. I'd definitely recommend watching it (although fortunately there's no substantive suggestion of any sexual assault towards Maho) as it provides plenty of context into the difficulties facing Japanese women who try to obtain justice for male violence.

 

Can anyone who understands Japanese take a look and interpret this please?
https://twitter.com/afellay_sashiko/status/1083324192592822274

Spoiler

Please just confirm this is not true. This is too terrible to be true, right?

 

this is bullshit!!

 

WTF is the victim apologizing !?

Where is the representative ? This is how pathetic the management and the system is ...... don't even bother how to help her .... worse ... dun even know how to damage control and worst .... this ......

KNNBCCB TUI THIS SEI SOHAI .... No farking Lampa to stand forth to face people face to face eye to eye and let the victim do the shit !? pffff


Edit : sorry ...just had to type those out .... gotta relax ... relax .....

 

Because I didn't see anyone else say it, I wanted to commend you for your strength to put that out there. I feel lucky I've never gone through worse than a butt-grab in public or strangers attempting to follow me (which is terrifying enough already), so I can't even begin to understand how hard that must have been.

I would like to highlight here that Katomina didn't follow any NGT members at the beginning. She only followed idols known for being good models and fashion inspirations (I remember Kojiharu and Renacchi) and some fashion and makeup brands. By looking at her posts (especially the earlier ones and videos), you can also see she was trying to go for a model/fashion/makeup instagram account. However, as far as I can tell, she follows everyone now.

As someone else pointed out, when you're an idol and using a public social media profile, it's different. They have upheld the image of being friends and tight-knit so if you're, let's say, a Team G member and you don't follow any Team NIII members but everyone in Team G, that still makes kind of sense. If you only don't follow one or two members, that looks a bit fishy though.

I'm not saying Marina or Ayaka are 100% the culprits because I don't want to target anyone until I can be sure by having a clear statement but I can see how this is suspicious.

How would people know who the attacker is? If there is a fan known for selling idols' addresses, then people can know that but how are people supposed to know who the aggressor(s) is (are)? I wouldn't entirely trust it.

 

local knowledge? I know in my country when someone is arrested then there name is published in local newspapers even if they're released.

Maybe it's someone who goes to certain persons HS lane and buys lots of SSK votes. Other fans find out who are "bad fans" and who aren't. Also it's probably a well known secret in local fan circles which idols date and which ones don't, it's hard to keep things secret. Just speculating of course.

 

That is just sick. Like something from a nightmare

Never before would I be happy to see graduations. Even for my oshis. If it means leaving shiite like this

Gotta think twice now about how I spend. Its hard on the conscience

 

Excuse me, I'm just following this case from a distance but I wonder what is facts? She was attacked by two men in her apartment but was saved by somebody. She told management but nothing happened for a month so she told the story in Showroom. Right? But did she mentioned about other members had leaked her adress? There is so much rumours.

 

Predicted and understandable for me. The standard of procedure of a corporation, keep it inside and deal with it behind the closed doors. Pretty much like Shida but this case is much more serious.

The result of their internal investigation can only be speculated after the outcome can be seen. Just wait for who will graduate after this, and see if Imamura "find a new job".

Maybe unpopular opinion, so prepare to be disappointed. But after taking a step back and see the situation, I think what they did might be the best course of action for now, no matter how disappointing it is for fans and general public. They have to deal with it internally to protect as many names as possible, be it the culprit, the victim, the ignorant, or the bystanders, all of them are within NGT family. If she/they state any name and fire her. What good can it bring? Justice served? And then that member will be "crucified" by the public for the rest of her life? In turn other people can send her death threats. Then how are we any different than Mahohon's assaulters? At least 2-3 other NGT members already face some scrutiny on their SNS comment section. They MIGHT be guilty, but they also MIGHT be innocent. We can empathize to the victim, while giving benefit of the doubt to the accused until proven otherwise. Going the hard way may be more acceptable for the public, but will result in many more victims and ruined life. Even if some members other than Mahohon graduate after this with "questionable" reason, people will judge her/them as the culprit while in the same time there might be members who call it a day while being innocent. By officially graduate because other reasons, at least they can prevent "public trial" to their members. Which from my perspectives the management are doing what they have to do, protecting the members adequately, just like what we here are hoping for.

So yeah, that's my take. Rather than seeing their action as face saving or profit saving while treating the members as cash grabbing machine *as what I frequently read on this thread since yesterday*, I prefer to see it is as they are saving as many life as possible. Be it while those people still in NGT or afterwards, at the expense of public disappointment. Life is more important than profit after all.

That's for the move of the official statement that those 2 men are Mahohon's fan, and make her apologize for the trouble on stage 1 day after (the last one is highly questionable tho. Rather than with Yukirin I think it will be better if Imamura is the one standing beside her and also bowing his head). Though, now they have to deliver what has been demanded by Mahohon for weeks. To deal with the issue. Can she sue the assaulter again? Read my comment before this.

Edit: regarding the "can they know who did it", I would say it is possible, especially if the suspects are regular fans. The member's fandom know pretty well each other. Because those are the people they usually met in HS lane. In times you will know some faces and even acquainted some people.

 

A few pages back, someone said someone might’ve found a photo of the attacker(s) but they are not sharing it because it has not been confirmed.

 

We can not help, if she don't want this...

 

Hate to say this but management is the one with the power here. If they decide that Maho is the one who should apologize even though it is unfair, then there is nothing that can be done. This is the reality check. It is quite similar to the situation where your company does not give you a promotion or even a bonus even though you worked so hard for it. There is nothing you can do since they are in charge .

 

I can see where you are coming from. But for me, even a non-committal "we will conduct an investigation" statement is the most I did hope for

But the current climate just unfortunately reeks

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Not if we are their customers

 

She was attacked in front of her apartment first by only one guy. Shortly after this a second guy left the apartment next to hers (apparently belonging to a member) and attacked her. Attacker #1 allegedly stopped.
Both attackers left after they heard the chime of a nearby elevator.

As for the rest: That's pretty much how the story goes.
Management hasn't officially challenged her story. Yesterday there was a Yahoo article that quoted someone "affiliated" with the group that no member (apart from Mahohon obviously) was involved in the assault.

 

it is absolutely not similar though? We are talking about a crime here, not a quarrel over senbatsu positions or screentime. She should go to the police, sue whoever she needs to sue, and get the justice she deserves. What message are they sending to these crazy fans? Is it okay to assault members and behave like animals as long as you keep buying CDs and theatre tickets? This is so disgusting, i have no words.

 

i apologize to kinenbi. i am terrible with words and i really wanted to praise and commend you on revealing your past with us but i didnt know how. thank you.

 

Kitarie just posted this on her Twitter account:


Since I have long graduated from this group already, I am no longer someone with the right to have a say about this. I don't have an in-depth knowledge of every detail either, anything I'll voice would be just me saying things based on conjectures, so I believe I should not be saying anything. That was what I thought, at least, but... You know, seeing things from the outside, there's something that I have to speak out.

You shouldn't be the one who needs to apologize!
Please don't do that. You have done nothing wrong. And I mean seriously! You are making a mistake by bowing your head down! That makes me feels so frustrated at this.
This is not to say that I wish to see the male perpretator apologize, either. But... What is exactly so strange about what you have done? You are making a mistake with this. This is truly saddening.
https://twitter.com/Rie_Kitahara3/status/1083337621223366656

 

@Puni Thanks, now it's clear. But we will never get the full truth. Japanese action: If the kettle is boiling, put on the lid.

 

Agree unfortunately they didn't mention it. So yeah, we'll see.
I think what we can do now is keeping the pressure to solve the issue of members' safety. Though I don't know how we will know it. Knowing that Mahohon's case been solved may be much easier, as some outcomes are expected to happen.