Fukada's new film stars former idol Kyoko Saito and is based on real cases of Japanese idols being sued by their own management agencies for violating so-called "no relationship" clauses in their ...

The idol phenomenon in Japan, which emerged in the 1970s, highlights young artists, often teenage girls, who sing and dance ...

Exploitative contracts that force young female Japanese pop stars to forego relationships and sex are at the heart of director Koji Fukada's latest film, which has premiered in Cannes. The 45-year-old ...

Many careers come with sacrifices, but few demand as much personal surrender as that of the Japanese idol. A hybrid of pop star, teen model, and influencer, idols have been a mainstay of Japanese pop ...