Unlike Hollywood where agents work for the star, in Japan, the Jimusho (agency) holds absolute power. Agencies like Yoshimoto Kogyo (the titans of comedy) control the narrative. They decide who gets TV time, which scandals are suppressed, and who is "graduated" (fired).
2026 is being hailed as the "Year of J-Pop" as Japanese artists finally move beyond domestic dominance to secure global mainstream success.
