Chat GPT is gaining popularity because it can quickly respond to all types of questions.

Attempts to introduce artificial intelligence are being made in all fields. The medical field is no exception, with Chat GPT already providing medical counseling. In particular, Chat GPT is gaining popularity because it can quickly respond to all types of questions.

But there is not only a rosy future. There are also many concerns that the rapid application of artificial intelligence technology can cause risks in the medical field. According to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA Oncology), serious defects were found in the medical advice presented by Chat GPT for cancer treatment. In a study jointly conducted by Boston Children’s Hospital and others, the researchers created 104 questionnaires related to lung cancer, prostate cancer, and breast cancer and asked Chat GPT to recommend a treatment. The answers presented by Chat GPT were reviewed by four oncologists according to five criteria and scored. To measure the quality of advice given by Chat GPT to patients, we compared it with cancer treatment guidelines from the U.S. Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN). As a result of the review, as many as 34.3% of Chat GPT presented one or more treatment recommendations that did not match NCCN. In addition, about 13% of the responses presented by Chat GPT showed “welcome.” This may sound true, but it means that it is completely inaccurate or unrelated to the question. Dr. Harvey Castro, an emergency medical specialist and AI expert, pointed out, “It is an important concern because incorrect information can lead to harmful decisions by patients.” “The Chat GPT’s response can sound very human-like and quite convincing,” said Daniel Bitterman, co-author of the study and assistant professor of radiation oncology at Harvard Medical School. “The problem is that there are subtle differences between patients in clinical decisions.” “The answer can be very subtle, so ChatGPT or other large-scale language models are not yet available,” Bitterman stressed.

JULIE KIM

US ASIA JOURNAL

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on the 10th, citing sources. Sources said the two sides are discussing ways to allow Saudi state-owned companies to buy mining shares in African countries, including the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo), Guinea and Namibia, and U.S. companies to purchase some of the minerals produced by Saudi companies.Core metals such as lithium and cobalt, which are needed to supply power to electric vehicles and smartphones, are highly dependent on China. Although reserves are abundant in South America and Africa, respectively, China has jumped into resource development early and has grown its influence in the refining market. Chinese companies refine about three-quarters of the world’s cobalt supply, and about 70% of the world’s lithium-ion batteries are also produced in China.The U.S. is trying to enter Africa to curb China’s dominance in the electric vehicle supply chain. However, it is not easy for U.S. companies to enter the market due to corruption of local governments in Africa. This is because he could be investigated for violating the U.S. Foreign Corruption Prevention Act (FCPA) after delivering bribes to local officials.As Saudi Arabia has long maintained an important position in the world of crude oil, it is also trying to increase its influence by actively investing in the mining world. Saudi Arabia also plans to invest more flexibly in corrupt countries and actually invest $15 billion to develop African mines. Analysts say that it can mobilize large-scale capital to attract developing countries like China. “The White House has contacted several countries, but talks with Saudi Arabia have progressed the most,” he said.

KS CHOI

US ASIA JOURNAL

Apple, once called a “symbol of U.S.-China cooperation,” is expected to suffer great damage in the “high-tech war” between the two countries. “Apple is the king of the tech industry, but it is only a piece of game in the economic war between the world’s two major powers,” he said. “The market value has been hit hard by increasing signs that businesses in China are threatened.”Recently, the Chinese government banned central government officials and employees of state-run companies from using foreign-branded smartphones for business purposes. This seems to be due to concerns that sensitive information from the Chinese government could leak to other countries through overseas smartphones. Currently, iPhone is the only foreign smartphone that has secured a meaningful market share in China. For this reason, this measure is actually understood as an iPhone ban.China’s ban on Apple is symbolic. According to China’s National Bureau of Statistics, there were about 56.3 million workers working for state-owned institutions as of 2021. For Apple, which sells the world’s most expensive smartphones, it is painful for Chinese officials to leave the market.
In addition, public figures and ‘celebs’ who are attracting attention in China will also hesitate to use iPhones in the future. Those who always have to pay close attention to the intentions of the Beijing leadership have no choice but to follow the silent order to “not use iPhone” even if they are not public officials. For this reason, Bank of America predicted, “This measure could eliminate up to 10 million out of annual iPhone sales (about 50 million units) in China.”Huawei, which is considered Apple’s competitor in China, is gaining huge popularity by releasing the 5th generation (5G) smartphone “Mate 60 Pro” despite all-round U.S. Some interpret the move as the Chinese government’s “push Huawei.” Apple, which will unveil the iPhone 15 series on the 12th, may feel pressured. Apple’s stock price has fallen about 7% since the report of the iPhone ban, with its market capitalization losing about USD 200 billion (about KRW 268 trillion).
China is the largest manufacturing base for Apple’s iPhone. The iPhone, designed by the U.S. and manufactured by China, seems to have paradoxically degenerated into a “long-term horse on the chessboard” in the U.S.-China economic war. WSJ analyzed, “If Apple cannot avoid bullets between the U.S. and China, which company will avoid them?” and “If Apple does not survive the U.S.-China war, no company will survive.”

JENNIFER KIM

US ASIA JOURNAL

It is estimated that about 8.6 million people, or people born in the 1960s.In Korea, these generations usually start working in their 20s and work for about 30 years. This generation should take care of their parents and take responsibility for their children as they have learned from their responsibilities and obligations.So it’s not easy.Regardless, more than 10% of them have no problem supporting this life with the assets they have received from their parents leisurely or accumulated so far. However, the majority of the population, about 7-80 percent, are still on a daily allowance, looking for work or working daily. Instead of your health or leisure, you should eventually make money.Currently, the Korean economy does not look very smooth.Therefore, both business and work conditions make quality of life difficult. “The last generation to support parents, the first generation to not be supported by children.” Current cultural programs dealing with the life of those born in the 60s who cannot retire with the burden of “double support” on their shoulders are touching generations. Those born in the 60s felt homogeneous in their lives, and the generation of their children expressed gratitude and sorry for their parents’ generation.

A video titled “The old age of a person born in the 60s who has to continue working for his family even after retiring from a large company” has been uploaded and has recorded 890,000 views so far on the 30th. The video was considered a surge in YouTube popularity, especially among middle-aged people, and seems to have been watched by many people through Kakao Talk.The video focused on the reality that people born in their 60s, who account for the highest percentage of Korea’s total population, are still unable to give up their economic activities through both the boom and bust periods of Korea. The production team explained that they entered the labor market when the Korean economy took off in the mid- to late 1980s, contributed to economic development and worked hard for democratization, and in the 1990s, they also experienced the IMF financial crisis. He introduced that he suffered from double hardships in middle age by taking care of parents and children’s education, but he has just lived silently with the strength of enduring hunger. “Born in the 60s is a generation that has to support the previous generation privately and take care of their old age,” he said. He said, “The responsibility for double support lies with those born in the 60s, but society is not paying attention to that part.”Netizens who watched the video showed various reactions by generation. Those born in their 60s said, “The children are all grown up, but they cannot retire because there are 80 adults in the countryside.” “I am an ordinary head of the family who takes care of an old mother in her 90s and raises a son in her 20s. I don’t know how to do it, so I just live hard. “Life is not easy,” he said. The generation of children said, “Even if I say not to give it to my child like that, I am always sorry to my parents who help my child whenever he or she is having a hard time.” “I should call my parents who work hard not to harm my child.” “It breaks my heart. “I want you to buy it for yourself now,” he said.Statistics show the hard lives of the elderly, including those born in the 60s. As the number of elderly people who have to earn their own living expenses for economic reasons increased, the number of elderly people aged 60 or older who work doubled in 10 years. According to the National Statistics Portal of the National Statistical Office in March, the number of employed people aged 60 or older recorded 5.772 million in February. The number increased by 413,000 from a year ago. This is the largest ever since 1999, when related statistics began to be compiled as of February.

The number of employed people aged 60 or older was only 1,856,000 in February 2003, 20 years ago, but increased to 2,734,000 in February 2013, and rose to 5.7 million in February this year, 2.1 times higher than 10 years ago. As the baby boomers born between 1955 and 1963 entered their 60s, the elderly population itself increased rapidly.It is also characterized by an increase in the number of elderly people who have found jobs to earn living expenses. The employment rate, which shows the number of employed people compared to the actual population, has also increased. In February, the employment rate for those aged 60 or older was 42.8%, the highest as of February since statistics were compiled. The employment rate for those aged 60 or older has increased by 0.8 percentage points in 10 years from February 2003 (32.0 percent) to February 2013 (32.8 percent), but has risen sharply by 10 percentage points to 42.8 percent in the past decade.It is sad that one generation has once played the central role of Korea, but now he is in a position to take responsibility for his children and parents, giving up his life and even his old age, and just remain an icon of sacrifice

EJ SONG

US ASIA JOURNAL

An unmanned taxi (robot taxi) service that runs 24 hours a day without a driver has been launched in San Francisco.However, there are concerns that this robot taxi could become a 24-hour love hotel. The San Francisco Standard published an article interviewing four users who had sex at a robot taxi.The media claimed that sexual intercourse is taking place in RoboTaxi, but no one mentions it.
A passenger named Alex said he had sex three times in a robot taxi. “I think I’m a trailblazer,” he said. “It’s fun to realize that it’s a place where you can do this in the United States.”A passenger named Meghan said, “It’s not ideal, but we were in a public place and it was more fun and interesting because the act was prohibited.”
This proves that concerns that “robotaxi can be used as a place for sex” have come to reality over the years.In 2019, a video of a couple having sex in a Tesla moving through an autopilot, an autonomous driving device, spread.

At the time, CEO Elon Musk said on Twitter, “There were more ways to use autopilot than we imagined,” adding, “I should have known this would happen.”In a report published in the journal “The Annals of Tourism Research” in 2018, there was also a saying that hotels used on an hourly basis are likely to be replaced by autonomous vehicles.Currently, in San Francisco, GM’s self-driving car Cruise and Google’s Waymo have been licensed to operate 24 hours a day since the 10th.
Cruise operates 300 vehicles at night and 100 vehicles during the day, while Waymo operates 250 vehicles.Cruise and Waymo vehicles have cameras and microphones not only outside but also inside. These devices are used for passenger safety and support. In the case of microphones, it is known that they are activated only during passenger support calls.In the meantime, the media explained that sex in an unmanned taxi may be in violation of the usage regulations.”In order for users to use the service, they must sign a rule that they will not engage in illegal or inappropriate behavior,” Cruz said. “Sex in the vehicle can be an ‘inappropriate behavior’.”

KS CHOI

US ASIA JOURNAL

According to AP on the 10th, Paqui, a manufacturer of One-Pip, asked a retailer to stop selling its products on the 8th.
“It says on the label that people who can’t eat spicy food or children shouldn’t eat snacks,” Pacqui said in a statement on its official website the previous day. “But we decided to work with retailers to take them off the shelves.”According to the news agency, the product package contains warnings such as “This challenge targets adults, not people who are sensitive to spicy food or have underlying diseases,” and “eat snacks and don’t drink any drinks for as long as possible and post them on social media to see people’s reactions.”Earlier, according to the Daily Mail in the UK, Harris Willova (14) from Worcester, Massachusetts, died after complaining of abdominal pain after participating in the One-Tap Challenge on the 3rd.

The exact cause of death is not yet known, but Willova’s mother claimed her son died of complications from spicy snacks. In response, local media reported that Pacqui stopped selling it as a memorial, saying, “I feel deep sadness and express my condolences to my family.”Dr. Peter Tsai of Brigham Women’s Hospital said, “Eating snacks containing high concentrations of capsaicin can lead to death. Eating a lot can cause arrhythmia or irreversible heart damage.”Massachusetts authorities also warned students and parents of the dangers of the One-Pip Challenge.”Parents should talk about this with their children and stop them from participating in the challenge,” Worcester County District Attorney Joseph Early saidThe snack, officially called “Pacqui Chips,” uses reaper peppers and naga viper peppers, known as the world’s hottest peppers, as ingredients. In particular, the “Scoville Index,” which shows the degree of spiciness, reaches 2.2 million. Cheongyang red pepper in Korea is between 4,000 and 10,000.The One-Pip Challenge is an event that lasts without drinking any drinks for a certain period of time after eating this Pacqui chips.

JENNIFER KIM

US ASIA JOURNAL

Immunity is the production of antibodies against pathogenic microorganisms that enter the body outside, neutralizing toxins or killing pathogenic microorganisms to prevent the disease next The system that responds to various factors that invade the body and damage the body in various ways is called the immune system. Defends the body against bacteria, viruses, parasites, and other invaders in various ways described below. The study involved in this is called immunology.

The immune system is in line with the evolution of life, and in a way, it can be said to be a living witness of evolution. As you move from simple animals to complex animals, various types of immune systems develop. Insects, for example, have innate immune systems like us. One of them is a gene called Toll, and through these things, they fight against fungi that infect insects. In vertebrate genitals , they have both innate/adaptive immune systems, and there are various types of white blood cells in the eugenic language, the lower body, the lower body, and the lower body. Now new facts are being revealed in this story. From primitive multicellular organisms to other single-celled organisms, the immune system was developed to control the symbiotic bacteria when they reproduce too much, enter the body, or harmful bacteria settled down. Normal bacteria and immune systems have evolved and developed more and more bacteria, such as teaching immature T cells what’s good and bad, suppressing immune responses, breaking down nutrients that our bodies can’t break down, releasing antibacterial substances, and activating immune cells Bacteria were thought to have no adaptive immunity to the virus, but in the 2000s, a mechanism for cutting and eating a specific sequence of viral genomes called CRISPR/CAS9 was discovered. Once CRISPR remembers the virus, or bacteriophage’s genome, in its DNA, and when the same virus invades, CAS9 contrasts it with the previous viral genome, and if it is the same, it creates a viral RNA decomposition enzyme and cuts off the viral genome immediately. This is an excellent example of adaptive immunity. The mechanism itself is surprising, but the biology community welcomes that there is a way to easily manipulate genes using this system. Currently, there are attempts to solve the virus’ antiviral resistance problem with this technology, and some achievements are being made. Viruses are relatively well coped with germs, but as viruses also evolve, viruses that penetrate the host’s immune response continue to emerge.

Germs are the most encountered in our lifetime, and the immune response is well prepared accordingly. Of course, germs that avoid or block immune responses are everywhere. In the cell walls of pneumococcus and anthrax, there are stenosis that prevents cells from attacking, and Cougarase that prevents attacks by solidifying plasma by Staphylococcus aureus  In the case of in vitro parasites, there was no fluid or cellular immune response, and behavioral and physical immunity developed. There was behavior on the back, such as monkeys catching each other’s in vitro parasites. The modified prions detect and attack mononuclear cells that are not themselves, and the lymphocytes inhibit the immune response because the modified prions were originally normal prions. Recently, due to various pathogens and viruses, people are making efforts to improve their immunity.Usually, the bigger the immune system, the more it is. That’s why people want to gain immunity if they can get it with effort or supplements.However, people are looking for various efforts and ways to gain immunity more effectively than expected, and especially food and supplements are simply looking for things that can be tried around them, but the nutritional status has improved a lot compared to the past, but the number of allergic patients is increasing.  Allergies are a disease of the immune system and are often referred to as atopy. Allergic diseases are caused by the combination of genetic and environmental factors. The characteristic of allergies is the excessive activation of white blood cells called mast cells and basophils by antibodies such as IgE, resulting in severe inflammatory reactions.  However, compared to the past, food-related diseases increased by 277% in the United States alone for 10 years from 2007 to 2016, but immune-related diseases are steadily increasing due to complex effects on the environment or the environment they are exposed to. In this way, people want to relieve the increased stress on immune-related diseases that reduce human quality.In addition, people are not properly managing their health and immunity, as opposed to increasing interest in their health as they get busy. So people are trying to boost their immunity simply by buying nutrients that are on the market to boost their immunity, but they haven’t been very effective in boosting their immunity.

Imubarrier Corporation (CEO: Ryohei Nishikubo), a company created to secure such points and address such needs.Poly I:C is a company that develops as a drug additive, IMU is an immunoactive (antibody), CBD is an autonomous nervous system-controlled VCO that can be used in various forms and for various purposes, such as outdoor sprays, to address the needs of various users.In particular, Poly I:C is an immune stimulant manufactured by synthesizing citidilic acid and inocinic acid (a seafood flavor component) and heat-treating with double-stranded RNA, and is used as a vaccine aid and an immunoactive aid for use. The advantage of Imubarrier is that the traditional Poly I:C disadvantage must be kept at minus 20 degrees Celsius when distributing, but the only company in the world that has succeeded in pulverizing is able to distribute at room temperature. The main role and efficacy are used to prevent virus invasion from outside and to kill and reduce the role of virus and bacterial antibodies that have penetrated the body, and Imubarrier powder can even help produce antibodies, The company also aims to release products for humidifiers in the future, so that consumers will be able to use them more conveniently in the future.Imubarrier is sold not only in powder form but also to so that In addition, This company is also trying to make products in the form of spray. We think that coming in the form of spray products and humidifiers as preventive drugs is also very valuable in the futur

▲Imu Barrier Corporation

▲ +81-6-4980-9464

▲Ryohei Nishikubo

▲https://immubarrier.co.jp/

▲ Info@immubarrier.co.jp

SOPHIA KIM

US ASIA JOURNAL

Foreign media analyzed that such frequent extreme choices by teachers are related to Korea’s widespread mental health problems and Korea’s harsh education systemIn an article titled “Hundreds of thousands of Korean teachers are protesting against extreme choices caused by parents,” CNN said on the 6th (local time), “Hundreds of thousands of teachers are protesting against the burden of teachers in Korea, which is notorious for its heavy education system.” CNN reported in detail the atmosphere of the rally site and the hardships felt by teachers in the educational field through teacher interviews.
“Because of the so-called child abuse prevention law, it is difficult to teach children in the classroom because teachers are not authorized,” a teacher told CNN. “Many teachers are under great stress because they are afraid of being reported by angry parents even if they discipline or discipline students in the classroom.”
CNN reported that many in education criticized the controversial Child Welfare Act, which was introduced in 2014.
CNN added, “The death of a teacher was a turning point for many teachers across Korea who have long complained that they cannot discipline students for fear of retaliation.” From January 2018 to June 2023, 100 South Korean public school teachers took their own lives, most of them elementary school teachers, according to government data.
■ Korea, which has traditionally respected teachers, why?
The BBC diagnosed on the 4th that “what fuels this situation is Korea’s super-competitive society, where almost everything depends on academic success.” The BBC said, “Students compete fiercely for their grades for the best college from a very young age,” adding, “In particular, most families have only one child, so there is only one chance to succeed.”The Guardian, a British daily, also said in a report titled “Abused, Trauma, and Impotent Teachers: Why Korean Teachers Protest,” “Parents identify themselves with their children in a family with only one or two children and live a child-centered life. As a result, it has become difficult for children to accept any criticism they receive from teachers, and they see it as a direct insult,” he analyzed the cause.CNN also said, “In Korea, many teenagers cite education as their biggest concern. Most Korean students receive additional tutoring at private institutes every day and continue to study until late at night, he said. “This stress affects parents.”
Professor Kim of Seoul National University of Education told the BBC, “Traditionally, Korea has a very strong culture of respect for teachers, but many parents often ignore teachers after receiving high education due to rapid economic growth.” A teacher told the BBC, “Until four years ago, we could have sent students out of the classroom or sent them to the back of the classroom, but since then, parents have started to sue for child abuse. The only way parents think is ‘my child’ and they become very selfish.”

EJ SONG

US ASIA JOURNAL

However, the steel and chemical sectors, which are highly dependent on exports, are unlikely to avoid the impact of falling demand from China. The Nihon Keizai Shimbun (Nikkei) reported that 80% of companies are expected to outperform their existing targets after comparing their own net profit forecasts for fiscal 2023 (April 2023-March 2024) with those of three or more securities firms.Automobile manufacturers are expected to perform well beyond their targets. Nikkei explained, “The weak yen is a factor that boosts automakers’ profits.”Toyota is expected to earn 850 billion yen more than this year’s target. Toyota’s net profit this year is expected to be 3.43 trillion yen.Toyota has already filled 51% of its annual performance planned between April and June this year. Operating profit surged 94% year-on-year to 1.1209 trillion yen during the period, and net profit also rose 78%. Toyota is the first Japanese company to post an operating profit of 1 trillion yen on a quarterly basis. In addition to the yen’s low, production recovered due to the resolution of the shortage of automotive semiconductors, and Lexus’ strong sales in North America led the performance.Mizuho Securities analyst Yoshitaka Ishiyama said, “We expect many automakers to raise their earnings forecasts for this year in their next quarterly results.”

Nintendo, a Japanese video game company, is also benefiting from the yen. Nintendo originally expected its net profit to fall 20% year-on-year this year, but the market is expected to fall only 2%. This is because Nintendo’s new work has been very successful, and the yen’s weakness has increased the foreign currency’s foreign exchange gains. In addition, the media said that the performance outlook for the travel industry is bright as the number of inbound travelers increases rapidly. In fact, according to an announcement by the Japanese Government Tourism Bureau (JNTO) on the 16th of last month, the number of tourists visiting Japan in May exceeded 2 million, recovering to 80% before the COVID-19 pandemic.On the other hand, 20% of companies are expected to perform below their original target this year. The aftermath of sluggish demand in China is affecting the Japanese industry. “There are no companies in the chemical and steel sectors that are not affected by the Chinese economy,” the media said. In particular, chemical companies such as Sumimoto Chemical and Asahi Kasei are expected to be directly hit by the slowdown in China’s economy and falling demand for petrochemical products.Kenji Abe, chief strategist at Daiwa Securities, said, “The benefits of the increase in yen and inbound tourists will further strengthen our performance,” adding, “The future U.S. benchmark interest rate outlook and China’s economic trend hit by the real estate crisis will be variables.”

SOPHIA KIM

US ASIA JOURNAL

The press conference held on September 7 at Johnny & Associates, a Japanese entertainment company, shocked the industry and the public. In this interview JOHNNY & ASSOCIATES PRESIDENT JULIE K. For the first time, FUJISHIMA has admitted to sexual harassment charges, acknowledging its responsibility and announcing that it will step down from all positions. This was a formal acknowledgment of the sexual harassment issue by the former president in the history of Johnny & Associates.Previously, he was not aware of Johnny H. Kitagawa’s alleged annoyance and was not aware of it at all, but admitted at the press conference that he was aware of it for the first time, saying, “I want to take responsibility as a nephew because it’s a problem caused by my uncle.”Noriyuki Higashiyama, who was newly appointed as the new president of Johnny & Associates at the press conference, was also an entertainer of a group that gained popularity not only in Japan but also in Asia in the past as a group called Shonen-tai, whose founder Johnny H. Kitagawa debuted as an entertainer. As such a celebrity entertainment company, the former president’s recognition shocked not only Japan but also the people and media who liked and were interested in J-Pop.

In addition, the founder of JOHNNY & ASSOCIATES held two Guinness world records, but this incident deleted all records other than the person who produced the most concerts.According to Reuters, JOHNNY & ASOCIATES has been introduced as an entertainment company with a significant presence in Japanese culture, producing popular J-POP artists from all over East Asia, such as SMAP and arasi. However, former President Johnny H. Kitagawa’s report of sexual harassment shocked Japan.Higashiyama, the new president, commented on the issue of changing the company’s name. “The name Johnny’s is of course the name of the founder, but I think the most important thing is the energy and pride that the actors have built up. “From now on, everyone should work hard as one to the extent that they can dispel such an image,” he said. However, the issue of changing the company’s name is still controversial among victims and talent, for example, Yuichi Nakamaru of KAT-TUN said on a television program on the 10th. “Objectively, I think changing the company name is definitely a valid decision. It was Johnny’s WEST’s Junta Nakama who made this comment. In the meantime, I’ve said that the name Johnny’s will bring back bad memories quickly, and the general public knows it’s strange to keep using the name Johnny’s name. So I also think we should change the name of the company, and I’m also determined to lose the name of Johnny’s WEST.” Large companies’ responses to JOHNNY & ASSOCIATES, the entertainment giant that has had a huge impact in the advertising industry over the past half century, are divided. Currently, NISSAN Motor Corporation has officially announced that it will not enter into a new advertising contract with JOHNNY & ASSOCIATES’ talent. In addition, it was announced that Takuya Kimura’s advertising contract will be judged again when the contract period expires. Suntory Holdings Limited has announced that it will expire its existing contract and not enter into a new contract if the victims’ explanations of remedies and preventive measures are not sufficient from JOHNNY & ASSOCIATES.

These measures can be seen as taking into account the current situation of JOHNNY & ASSOCIATES. McDonald’s Japan has announced that it will not renew its advertising contract using JOHNNY & ASSOCIATES’ talent after the contract expires. In this regard, Kao decided to quickly stop advertising using Johnny’s talent because the sexual harassment issue was judged to be contrary to Kao’s human rights policy, and announced that JOHNNY & ASSOCIATES would decide on additional measures after checking how to reform and prevent recurrence. However, we will not consider lifting the talent contract with JOHNNY & ASSOCIATES at the moment, and we will make further judgments after confirming how JOHNNY & ASSOCIATES progresses in its reform and recurrence prevention efforts in the future. In addition, the decision is drawing keen attention in Japan as kao currently maintains contracts with four teams, including Kento Nakajima of the “Sexy Zone.” If there are various opinions in Japan, fans who are currently responding positively to the press conference said that this recognition could change the dark side of the entertainment industry in the future, but on the negative side, JOHNNY & ASSOCIATES should be eliminated. The reason is that the image named Johnny’s has already been negatively recognized worldwide, so no change can occur. There are many positive aspects of the press conference in Japan, but a big part of the negative thoughts is that the name is not changed. On the victim’s side, it is unpleasant that the perpetrator’s name continues to be used, and the victim does not accept it and says he will continue to use it with other reasons, and secondly, critics are concerned about changing the label used by Johnny’s talents. Many fans and officials pointed out that there could be no damage, but they would have to make a big decision to reduce it.

SOPHIA KIM

US ASIA JOURNAL