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Private company

Smile-Up

Logo: 株式会社SMILE-UP., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons3

Japanese talent agency (1962–2023)

Johnny & Associates, Inc. was a Japanese talent agency formed by Johnny Kitagawa in 1962, which managed groups of male idols known as Johnny's.2 It employed 210 people in 2023.1 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0

Last updated Oct 21, 2026.

Overview

Jun 1962Founded1
  • Industryentertainment industry1
  • HeadquartersAkasaka1
  • Websitewww.smile-up.inc
  • Legal formkabushiki gaisha1

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Johnny & Associates2
Photo: Akonnchiroll, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons4

Johnny & Associates, Inc. was a Japanese talent agency formed by Johnny Kitagawa in 1962, which managed groups of male idols known as Johnny's.2

Corporate structure

Smile-Up sits at the top of its group. 3 entities, 1 country on record. Switch between the flow chart and the network, and select any entity to see its details.

Built from subsidiaries, stakes and holdings from Wikidata (CC0); major holders from Schedules 13D and 13G. Each entity in the chart links to its source.

What it owns

What Smile-Up reports owning in its annual reports to the SEC: buildings, land and equipment, real estate and locations, investments, intangible assets and inventory, at the end of its latest fiscal year and a year before.

Stakes and holdings (Wikidata)

Things Wikidata records the company as owning, with the share when stated.1

The story

Founded by Johnny Kitagawa on Jun 1962.1

Leadership

Who has led Smile-Up, and when. Pick a name to see everywhere that person has worked.

Chair

  1. Johnny Kitagawa1962–2019
  2. Julie Keiko Fujishima2019–2023
  3. Mary Kitagawa2019–2020
  4. Noriyuki Higashiyama2023–now
197019801990200020102020

Subsidiaries and ownership

Owners

Subsidiaries

From Wikidata.1

Acquisitions

  1. Succeeded by Starto Entertainment1

Employees over time

  • 20232101

Timeline

  1. Oct 17, 2023Renamed Name changed to SMILE-UP.Inc.1
  2. Oct 17, 2023Renamed Name changed to 株式会社SMILE-UP.1
  3. Jun 1962Founded Founded1

Sources

The numbers on this page point here. Each one links to the record it came from.

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4