The Japanese media love a scandal and so far 2018 hasn¡¯t disappointed in that regard. Two recent stories centered around J-pop idols have been mostly ignored by mainstream outlets, but both have taken off online thanks to web publications, hinting at a shift unfolding in the nation¡¯s news landscape.
In late March, teenager Honoka Oomoto died in an apparent suicide in her home prefecture of Ehime. She was a member of a local idol-pop group called Enoha Girls, and has been investigating the incident. On May 19 it published a story online built around comments from the young woman¡¯s mother, who said the pressures of idol work contributed to her daughter¡¯s death.
Bunshun also shared messages from the chat service Line suggesting that the talent agency working with Oomoto pressured her to prioritize performing over school, and threatened her with a penalty fee if she quit.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.