Higashiyama to Step Down as Chief of Talent Firm Smile-Up.

Noriyuki Higashiyama, the president of Japanese talent agency Smile-Up., Inc., announced on September 28 that he will be stepping down from his position. Masayuki Yamada, the chief compliance officer at Smile-Up., will assume the role of president effective Thursday, following the expiration of Higashiyama's term. Julie Keiko Fujishima, who succeeded Higashiyama, will continue to serve as a representative director.

Higashiyama took the helm at Johnny & Associates in 2023, succeeding his predecessor after a sexual abuse scandal involving the agency's late founder, Johnny Kitagawa. That same year, Johnny & Associates underwent a rebranding, becoming Smile-Up., and transferred its talent management operations to a separate firm dedicated to compensating sexual abuse victims.

Smile-Up. explained that the decision to replace their president is driven by the growing necessity for legal procedures and expert judgment in handling compensation matters. Higashiyama emphasized during a press conference in Tokyo that this change does not signify the cessation of support for victims, assuring that they will endeavor to fully compensate for the harm caused to every individual.