GACKT Official X Update. Translation below
Regarding the recent case involving Nagabuchi and the Diamond Group:
Actually, even before this news broke,
I had heard about this company.
The entertainment industry is smaller than you might think.
Information spreads quickly, for better or for worse.
Therefore, I wasn’t surprised by this incident.
In fact, my first thought was,
“Even Nagabuchi-san drew the short straw?”
Of course, we should wait for the judicial decision regarding the details of this case and who is responsible.
But that’s not what I was concerned about.
There are countless companies in this industry that survive solely on the prestige of being in the entertainment industry.
However, their operational capabilities and financial management are far from adequate.
Even agencies whose names everyone knows often have surprisingly sloppy management.
That’s why the recent exodus of talents, actors, and artists from agencies is inevitable.
Being a large company and having value are two different things. I’ve drawn the short straw several times in the past.
Hundreds of millions of yen in unpaid wages.
There were many other egregious acts as well.
The month after I terminated my contract with that firm,
I became entangled in the firm’s tax evasion scandal.
I should have severed ties much sooner.
But many people in the industry at the time kept nagging me,
“You shouldn’t leave your current firm.”
Looking back now,
those words also clouded my judgment and delayed my decision.
No, that’s not right.
Ultimately, it was my own lack of knowledge that caused the problem.
It wasn’t anyone else’s fault.
Not seeing through it, and delaying my decision,
it was all my responsibility.
That’s why
I still haven’t forgotten what happened back then.
As a major lesson.
I’ve always wondered:
They have dozens of employees.
But once a project starts, it’s all outsourced. If that’s the case, I want to ask:
“What is the purpose of that employee?”
I still often think that.
It used to work that way.
Television was overwhelmingly dominant.
Sponsors provided funding.
Agencies had strong power.
There was certainly a time when simply belonging to an agency had value.
But it’s different now.
Advertising money has shifted to the internet,
and information can be disseminated by individuals.
Direct contact with fans is also possible.
Despite this,
much of the industry remains stuck in its old structure.
About 15 years ago,
I had this conversation many times with senior figures in the industry.
At that time,
they all said the same thing:
“But still, Japan is all about television.”
But now,
those same people are saying,
“We’ve been eaten alive by the internet.”
The times haven’t changed.
They simply refused to see the changes of the times.
Entertainment agencies, artists, and talents all need to learn more about business management.
Connections alone won’t guarantee survival.
Titles alone don’t create value.
Organizations that can’t create value as a company will be ruthlessly weeded out.
And this isn’t someone else’s problem.
This applies to our agents as well.
And it applies to myself too.
The times have long since changed.
The only ones who haven’t changed are us.
今回の長渕さんとダイヤモンドグループの件。
実はこの報道が出る前から、
ボクの耳にはこの会社の話が入ってきていた。芸能界は思っている以上に狭い。
良くも悪くも情報はすぐ回る。だから今回の件を見ても、
正直驚きはなかった。むしろ最初に思ったのは、…
— GACKT (@GACKT) June 3, 2026
Translation: GACKT ITALIA Team
Translation © GACKT ITALIA