SMILE-UP. President Higashiyama Noriyuki (東山 紀之) will retire at the end of September, and a new management structure will take effect from 1 October. Yamada Masayuki (山田 将之) will be his successor, Fujishima Julie Keiko (藤島ジュリー景子) will remain a Representative Director, and Jin Takayuki (神 隆幸) will be newly appointed as Executive Managing Director. The company explained that victim relief operations will transition to a legal-focused structure.
SMILE-UP.'s official website announced on the 28th that its president would retire, stating that President Higashiyama Noriyuki (東山 紀之) would retire at the end of September. A new management structure will take effect from 1 October, with attorney Yamada Masayuki (山田 将之) becoming Representative Director, President and CCO. Fujishima Julie Keiko (藤島ジュリー景子) will remain a Representative Director.
Under the new management structure, Jin Takayuki (神 隆幸) will be newly appointed as Executive Managing Director, while the directors, including the incumbent Fujishima Julie Keiko (藤島ジュリー景子), will remain in office. These appointments were indicated at a board meeting held the same day and in the explanation posted on the official website.
According to the explanation released that day, future compensation operations will focus on cases requiring legal procedures and specialist judgment, and it was determined that the victim relief structure should transition to a “legal-focused” model. At a press conference, Higashiyama Noriyuki (東山 紀之) stated his intention to remain personally involved in the issue of the founder's sexual abuse.
According to the company, a total of 1047 compensation claims had been filed as of the 28th. Notifications of compensation details had been sent for 587 claims and compensation paid for 578, while 231 claimants had been notified that no compensation would be provided and 226 could not be contacted.
The transition to a legal-focused structure was cited as the background to the president's retirement, with the future progress of the compensation operations becoming a focus.
On social media, users have expressed hopes that Higashiyama Noriyuki (東山 紀之) will return to show business, with posts calling particularly for the revival of “Hissatsu Shigotonin” standing out.