Another “first” for this year’s show
Image via NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen’s X/Twitter account
© NHK
The series of strange firsts for NHK’s 74th Kōhaku Uta Gassen (“Red and White Song Contest”) — Japan’s most-watched music television program — continues as the show posted “principles respecting human rights for performers” on its website for the first time.
On November 13, NHK revealed the lineup of artists participating in this year’s program and this list does not include any former Johnny’s (now Smile Up) artists. The first time in 44 years since 1979.
NHK previously announced in September that it would “not make new requirements for entertainers from… [công ty] performing in his shows in the present” before the Johnny Kitagawa sexual abuse scandal.
Seemingly still involved in the scandal, NHK posted the following instructions:
We respect human and individual rights and aim to create an orderly production site where everyone can perform to their full potential at every stage of the production process. content production. We prohibit the sexual exploitation and sexual abuse of performers and do not tolerate malicious, discriminatory or offensive harassment. We do not tolerate discrimination based on race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, disability, political ideology, sex, age or gender for any reason at the venue manufacture. We do not tolerate labor practices that violate human rights, such as forced labor. We respect children’s human rights and do not tolerate child labor or child abuse. For minor performers, we will comply with relevant laws and regulations such as the Labor Standards Act. We will consider the physical and mental health of each performer and aim to ensure a safe and secure environment. All NHK executives will respect the human rights of performers. We require talent agencies and other clients associated with performers to agree to these principles.
The annual New Year’s Eve competition pits two teams of female singers (red team) and male singers (white team) against each other. This year’s program will take place at 7:20 am on December 31. JST. This year’s theme is “No Borders: Koete Tsunagaru Ōmisoka” (No Borders: A New Year’s Eve that connects beyond borders).
Source: NHK via Hachima Kiko