NGT48 Assault Case

Perhaps we could all be more mindful of how we communicate since we're on an international forum with varying degrees of English fluency and cultural/social norms. Explain ourselves better or ask questions if we don't understand.

 

well that's why I gave the example of being in a box is still being in a box

but if that's still to complicated for others level of English, then I don't know how to dumb it down more.

 

This discussion is one of the most ridiculous things I've seen this month. Some of you are just being pedantic.

 

But... it's still two different boxes. Don't know how to dumb that down for you any more after everyone else has been trying to say that for, I don't know, the past 10 pages.

 

April 14 (Sun)
http://40298ch.com/test/read.cgi/karakoro/1548413013/341

• Jouhou 7 Days Newscaster about case.
• Wide na Show about case.
• Bunshun online content from paid broadcast.
• re:GEINOU about why Bunshun can't tell the truth in the case.

http://40298ch.com/test/read.cgi/karakoro/1548413013/342

• NGT fan tweeting what he experienced at the Jan 10 performance.
• Lawson slashes prices on their NGT goods.
• Story that AKS vanished from their office building signboard.
• A former classmate of Ayakani tweeted about her.
• People wondering if Ogino is referencing Negicco there.
• Sponichi Annex: article on team dissolution and group future.

 

if this case keeps on long enough it's going to become a running joke, like this thread lol

 

Explain.

 

You mean AKS?

 

April 15 (Mon)
http://40298ch.com/test/read.cgi/karakoro/1548413013/343

• Spring Festival free broadcast on GYAO!
• Fifth resale of 54th single "NO WAY MAN".
  
• Something about someone saying that AKS cannot win over members from a big agency. Suspected it's about Ogino. (Not too sure of meaning)
  
• On Fortune Music (Sony), clicking on NGT leads to an error 404 page. EXTRA IMAGE
  
• Inaoka's "plan for marriage with Murakumo".
• Video linking Yakkais with AKS.
• Viking had a short bit about the case.
• TV Asahi: on "Good Morning", management may have said that Maho participated in the discussion. Unconfirmed

 

Well it's something I and I suppose many others have pondered, just why are AKS so determined not to let Nishigata and Ayakani "resign".

People have said it's because of their handshake sales but that doesn't seem like a big enough reason to me, after all other big HS sellers have quit the 48-groups and the groups have kept going.

Speculation: What if AKS know how deeply fishy the SSK ticket sales are for some NGT members but Hori Pro won't allow Ogino to be implicated/disgraced in any scandal. And thus AKS won't ditch Nishigata or Ayakani in case they squeal on Ogino. One would think that Nishigata and Ayakani aren't so significant in their own right that AKS would fight like grim death to keep them but Ogino on the other hand is a Kami 7 member and agency contracted, that makes her bulletproof.

 

A better translation would be:
"Inside of AKS, you can't gain the upper hand over the members affiliated to big external agencies, so you have to follow the implicit will/whims thereof"
The source is an industry insider who spoke on the evening edition of a cultural radio broadcast show (夕方の文化放送, I don't know what specific program it refers to but maybe this one?), I would like to know in what context it was spoken.

A small translation note here, but the words used is "sontaku", which gained a different meaning of its own from the dictionary definition, after being used gratuitously during the Morimoto School scandal which involved PM Shinzo Abe. Incidentally, there was a little debate last year on how this translates into English for the international press to understand.

https://re-geinou.com/archives/1658

Potentially idle gossip (just as much as Bunshun's) but useful for future reference. The part about Koudansha running Flash is something that didn't catch my attention.

Spoiler: Rough translation

山口真帆暴行事件「週刊文春も真相を伝えられない」本当の理由
The actual reason "even Shuukan Bunshun wouldn't tell the truth" about the Yamaguchi Maho assault case

昨年12月に発生したNGT48のメンバー・山口真帆に対する暴行事件が波紋を広げ続けている。自宅マンションに帰宅した山口が、待ち伏せしていた男2人に頭を掴まれるなど暴行を受けた同事件。
The assault incident which took place last December, involving NGT48 member Yamaguchi Maho continues to have repercussions. The incident in question saw her being the victim of physical violence by two men who previously lied in ambush, before putting their hands on her face, among other things.

[...]

アイドルグループに所属するメンバーの関与も疑われ、芸能界の枠を超えた重大な問題であることが疑いない同事件だが、意外にも各メディアの報道は控え気味。
With the involvement of members from inside of the idol group also being suspected, this is without question an enormous issue that goes beyond the simple showbiz world, and yet, surprisingly enough, news reports from the various media are somewhat reticent about it.

“文春砲”として取材力に定評のある「週刊文春」も「NGT48山口真帆さん暴行事件　犯人グループは1年前からマンション内の部屋を借りていた」「NGT前支配人の音声入手『中井は真っ黒だよ』アイドルハンター軍団野放しの真実」といった記事を掲載したものの、事件の真相解明を待ちわびるNGTファンの間から「記事内容の不誠実ぶり」が指摘されているのだ。
Even when it comes to "Shuukan Bunshun", which enjoys a steady reputation for its coverage power with its "Bunshun cannon", in spite of publishing articles with such titles as "NGT48's Yamaguchi Maho-san's Assault Case -- The criminal group rented a room inside the apartment building since one year ago", "We have obtained a voice recording of the previous NGT theater manager, «Nakai is totally malicious», the truth on why the idol hunters gang was left unchecked", NGT fans who were anxious for the truth about the case to be unraveled couldn't help pointing out how "They are acting fishy with the content of those articles".

出版関係者が証言する。「近年、ベッキーと川谷絵音の『ゲス不倫騒動』や佐村河内守の『ゴーストライター問題』などでスクープを連発してきた文春ですが、山口真帆暴行事件に関してネット上では『週刊文春の作成した相関図と矛盾点』いった画像が出回るなど“文春砲”は全く信用されていません。その背景には今回の事件について文春が『真相に触れられない』深刻な理由があるんです」
An insider from a publishing company testifies this: "Between the «Licentious adultery controversy» between Bekky and Kawatani Enon, and the «Ghostwriting issue» of Samuragochi Mamoru, in recent years Bunshun has published one scoop after another, but with the Yamaguchi Maho assault case, the «Bunshun cannon» has lost credibility, with pictures circulating around the Internet also describing the «Contraddictions with the relationship graph made by Shuukan Bunshun». Behind all this, there is a deep-seated reason why Bunshun «wouldn't dare to mention the truth»."

どうして文春は真相に触れられないのか。
Why is it that Bunshun wouldn't dare to touch upon the truth?

「山口の自宅を襲撃した犯行グループと文春の間に密接な関係があるからですよ。以前から文春はAKBグループの熱心なファンと“提携”し、グループメンバーのスキャンダルに関するウワサを聞き出す代わりに『情報提供料』を提供していることは業界内で知られた話。今回の事件で文春は『犯行グループに極めて近いAKBファン』に対し月額10万円前後の情報提供料を渡していたと言われていて、文春のカネが“犯行資金”に繋がった可能性が指摘されているんです。そういった事情を踏まえれば、文春が『ありのままの真相』を報道することなんでできるわけがない。文春はこの事件の当事者なんですよ」(同関係者)
"The reason is that there's a tight-knit relationship between Bunshun and the criminal group responsible for having broken into Yamaguchi's apartment. It is a pretty well-known story inside of the showbiz world that, ever since before, Bunshun tends to «join hands» with the most fervid fans of the AKB groups, and in return for getting wind of rumors regarding the scandals of the groups' members, they would offer a «compensation for giving informations». In this case, it is being said that Bunshun handed over a monthly compensation of about 100,000 yen to «AKB fans very close to criminal group», and the likelihood that Bunshun's money contributed to their 'criminal funds' was also brought up. In light of these informations, one can't expect for Bunshun to report «the truth as it is», so to speak. Bunshun itself is a party involved in this incident" (Previously-mentioned insider)

さらに同関係者は文春以外のメディアが貫く同事件に関する“弱腰姿勢”についても指摘する。
Moreover, the same insider also pointed out the following, regarding the "weak-kneed stance" maintained by media other than Bunshun about this same case.

「文春だけでなく、積極的な取材姿勢で知られる『FRIDAY』(講談社)や『FLASH』(光文社)でもこの事件についてはお茶を濁した報道ばかり。その背景にあるのは『秋元康氏の逆鱗に触れてAKBグループメンバーの写真集を出す利権を失いたくない』という出版社のカネの事情なんです。『週刊アサヒ芸能』(徳間書店)に至っては、いつもの怖いもの知らずのスタンスとは裏腹に完全に沈黙している。記者が真相を書きたくても書けないのが山口真帆暴行事件なんです」
"It is not only Bunshun, but even Friday (Koudansha) and Flash (Koubunsha), known for their aggressive coverage attitude, published only news that dodged the core issue, when it comes to this case. At the basis of this are money reasons concerning publishing companies, that they «don't want to lose the rights to publish photobooks of AKB group members by incurring the anger of Akimoto Yasushi». And when one looks at Shuukan Asashi Geinou (Tokuma Shoten), in total contrast with their usually fearless stance, they remained completely silent. The Yamaguchi Maho assault cause is something that journalists cannot write the facts about, even if they wanted to..."

[...]

Well, one of the things I'm thankful for is that the matters snowballed so big that a sworn testimony of the events had to be written down in full on the report, or else people would still be here eating up wholesale anything that it's published by tabloids...

If there's something that worries me after comparing with those testimonies, it's that there's people credited as "NGT48 insiders" that appeared on those tabloids in the early days which, as it turns out, happened to know well about previously unmentioned details of the case (the entire park thing, something few people should have known about), yet at the same time chose to conveniently omit others (the man getting off the elevator thus putting an end to the assault), I can only guess for the purpose of making Maho's actions and motivations appear as dubious to the unwitting reader (without success).
This all the while blatantly lying about some others -- like claiming that Maho denied fingerprint check on the door (something that many disinformation sources, including some anonyomous Twitter accounts, were more obsessed about than the question of when Ayakani had moved out of the other room), or that Maho was the one who randomly brought up other member's names in an argument with the culprits (reportedly nonexistent in the voice recordings).
Now, it would interesting to find out who those people were that sold the same falsified insider story to different tabloids...
For reference, here we theorized the workings of a malicious staff. If true, AKS is clearly not a safe agency to be part of, either now or ever...:
https://twitter.com/gHf0uhzmhu65RDK/status/1113200550395305984

 

The quality of these summaries is getting worse and worse. They're eating at separate tables in the same (public) restaurant, the wota group flagged them down and took pics and a few videos (more than just those two). Knowing Inaoka & co.'s methods the fact they ended up in the same restaurant was almost certainly not a coincidence, but also not something the manager group knew anything about. It was not uncommon in that era for TGSK (also present) to greet or take pics with fans he met out and about.

 

I have a question. So it was a big talking about how Katomina’s dad was like the head of one of the companies sponsoring NGT. But now that NGT has lost all their sponsors, does that include the sponsor that Katomina’s dad owned?

 

Mahohon liked this tweet:

https://mobile.twitter.com/bHtXuCnoMWnpFkO/status/1116444082492956672

 

and then @Cisalpine88's tweet:
https://twitter.com/speranzom/status/1117682733155794945

 

Oh, by the way here is a quick translation of the two tweets that Maho has put a Like on earlier today:
---

AKS社長・吉成夏子氏が面談で
＜今も事件のことをグチグチ気にするなら辞めてもらって構わない＞ と発言
つまり、事件の原因究明は何も明らかにされないまま、
強引に見切り発車をするという事でしょうね

https://wezz-y.com/archives/65071
https://twitter.com/bHtXuCnoMWnpFkO/status/1116444082492956672

So the AKS CEO, Yoshinari Natsuko, during the personal discussion [with other members] had remarked that
"If you are still whining that you are concerned about the incident even now, you can go ahead and give in your resignation, I won't mind"
In other words, they are forcibly rushing things back into activity,
while still leaving nothing clarified about determining the cause of the incident, am I right?

[note: I may translate the Wezzy article later in this same post if anyone is interested *]

---
AKSの記者会見の時に記者に聞かれたものの松村氏が答えられなくて持ち帰りになった質問はいつどこで回答出すのか
これと同様に、新潟日報が早川氏に保護者説明会や #山口真帆 さんの近況について聞いた時に「第三者委員会が終わるまでコメントは差し控えたい」と答えた
もう3週間過ぎてるんだよ
#NGT48


https://twitter.com/speranzom/status/1117682733155794945

About those questions that journalists asked during the AKS press conference, but Mr. Matsumura couldn't answer to and told he'd bring them back for further consideration -- when and where are they going to give back a response?
Likewise, when Niigata Nippo asked Mrs. Hayakawa about the families briefing meeting and the current condition of Yamaguchi Maho-san, she answered that "We'd like to abstain from making any comment until after the third-party committee is finished working"
It's been 3 weeks and counting, you know.
#NGT48

In pic:
A list of matters that, during the press conference, AKS had sworn they would conduct investigations on, or that they would take note and give further consideration later:

(1) On the personal contacts on a private level between the group's staff and a certain portion of fans
(2) On giving an explanation of the content of the report document, after having the experts from third-party committee itself also attend the event
(3) On whether or not AKS is possibly going to ask Yamaguchi-san if there's any intention for her to hold any public conference later on
(4) About the kind of legal measures to be taken against the criminal perpetrators
(5) On the fact there's member(s) who have admitted to have been in a close relationship with such perpetrators group

I'm waiting for it without ever forgetting, please do give us a clear explanation.

---
* Edit: As promised. I don't know if Maho agrees with anything that's written in the article (which is actually critical of the Bunshun "scoop" while giving a summary of it), or it only served to confirm that such a declaration took place, but any rate here it is:

https://wezz-y.com/archives/65071

Spoiler: Page 1

"If you are whining that you are concerned about the incident ...", the unbelievable remarks of AKS CEO over the NGT48 incident

The April 18, 2019 issue of "Shuukan Bunshun" has published what is a confession from a NGT48 member, named Girl A-san.
Last December, inside the dormitories of NGT Yamaguchi Maho fell victim to physical violence with the culprits ending up being arrested, and it was only on January that this came to be known to the world outside through a confession from Yamaguchi herself. The way AKS Co. Ltd., which runs NGT, had made no attempts to publicly divulge this case, along with AKS's official comments conflicting with the statements from Yamaguchi Maho's side, all resulted in sponsor companies withdrawing one after another, while the condition has now protracted all the way until April with no signs of calming down.

Even so, AKS is now engaging in what is a "forward-looking rebuilding" of NGT, as they announced on April 11 the "cessation of the teams system". Afterward, they will reportedly "make a new start as NGT48 1st generation and kenkyuusei". The closing shows for the currently ongoing Team NIII and Team G are planned to be performed on April 21.

With that said, on "Bunshun" Girl A-san revealed that a general meeting had been held in the city of Niigata on April 5th, along with a consultation talk with Yoshinari Natsuko, AKS CEO.
While her honest thoughts are to quit the group, she says that if she were to resign at the moment, it is possible that those net users who are following the case might interpret her as one of the "suspected" members who associated with those criminals, which makes her unable for her to quit even if she would.

Now, if she were really intent on resigning, one would think it would be better for her to speak out through any social media, which is allegedly under restriction by the management, instead of going out of her way to schedule a meeting with a tabloid journalist to communicate any of it anonymously.
But in any case, in the same tabloid Girl A-san talked about the atmosphere of that general meeting as being "basically a classroom assembly hunting for the culprits".

For instance, "the member(s) that are being bashed the most on the Internet denied by saying «But it's actually different...»", and in addition to that two of the members who are under suspicion claimed that they only "replied back to direct messages (on social media)", apparently.
The only one to be introduced by her real name is Nakai Rika, who explained that hers wasn't a relationship of a love type, with that certain fan.
Meanwhile, it was told that "a certain member standing in a managerial position, and who has a leadership-like role, also had her own personal history of mingling together with some fans". In this so-called emergency classroom meeting, allegedly Yamaguchi Maho wasn't present.

▮ AKS CEO: "If you are whining that you are concerned about the incident..."

There are actually two big issue points about that article by "Bunshun".
First of all, one point is that they are backpedaling, by trying to revert this incident from an issue involving AKS, down to an issue strictly involving certain individual members. The assertion that "a certain member holding a managerial position, who is in a leadership rank, also had her own history of relationships with fan" is only there to enable this "hunt for the culprit", by insinuating that it could be one of the team captains or vice-captains: Honma Hinata, Kato Minami, or Ogino Yuka.

Moreover, as a last word, the same tabloid's article ends with "Now attention is on the developements by Yamaguchi, who didn't attend the classroom meeting". From start to finish, the article reads as if it's trying to make it out to be a personal issue of the members.

What's more surprising, though, it's that during the talks, AKS CEO Yoshinari Natsuko was reported as having declared that "If you are still whining that you are concerned about the incident even now, you can go ahead and give in your resignation, I won't mind".
If those words will turn out to be true, they would be words expressing in vivid details AKS's stance of making this incident a thing of the past, without trying to investigate into it. Even so, the tabloid in question hasn't pursued this matter even one little bit.

https://wezz-y.com/archives/65071/2

Spoiler: Page 2

To tell it fair and clear, what lies deep at the root of this incident is not even the question of "who are the members who associated with the perpetrators", but why AKS "tried to hide this incident ever taking place".
Men claiming themselves to be fans were free to enter inside a dormitory in which several NGT members are living, going as far as renting apartments in there, but it wasn't until Yamaguchi Maho made her revelation on January that this condition was exposed to the public. Why is it so?

On the research report by the third-party committee, it is described that there are NGT members who would engage in discussions without restraints when approached by men thought to be part of the criminal group, that there are members who have met with such men multiple times individually, not to mention that one of the men who were arrested for assaulting Yamaguchi had previously met up with other NGT members inside the same apartment building.
By tolerating members who did so, it directly means to expel Yamaguchi Maho from the group, to put it another way. Driving out Yamaguchi, who exposed about the corruption within the group after being victim to physical assault, while giving a pass to the members who committed any inappropriate actions. This is truly unnatural.

On the Internet there is an ever-accelerating tendency to fingerpoint the "guilty members" and bash them, but one must not impose all the responsability on the individual members. Even the members who have "consorted" with such fans, had their own "reasons for consorting", isn't it so.
These motives are, arguably, at the true essence of such a case on which they cannot shed light on.

 

You'll be waiting forever. They have clearly decided to run down the clock until Maho's contract runs out then they'll just plough on and the public will gradually forget as no new news or revelations unfold. They all in on this and nothing is going to stop them now. No public support, no sponsor support etc and still they proceed. Whatever they're protecting, they'll clearly die on a hill for so I wouldn't expect a thing other than business as usual.

 

Somehow they expect society to go ahead, pretending that nothing has happened.
But somehow, there is sometimes something that catches the flame, and it seems that it is one of those times.
I do not usually write much, because English is not my native language and I'm not good at writing it, but I've read everything published on this topic every day.

Simply for me, it is impossible not to leave this case unresolved. A woman has been attacked and has asked for help. As NGT48 did not provide help, she had to ask for it through social networks. So "we" are those social networks.
If a person asks you for help, are we human and help her?
Or society is already so sunk in hell, it does not matter, total personal satisfaction.

I feel if I do not express myself well. I just wanted to express my thoughts, why this thread should still stand in giving the news and reporting everything that happens.

 

actually, i cant believe the case isnot been resolved yet..
are those girls are really worth protected? and if ogino is involving, why she has not been pushed to withdraw from the agency yet? anyway, why did the management really wants to tarnish their own name though? is maho is from low class family that has no worth and can be kicked just like that compare to the bad girls?? or because of the bad girls can attract rich wotas better?

 

It the rich wota that got NGT doing so well in SSK and yes people like ogiyuka and gatanne are shit fan magnet