Former entertainer Kato Kokoro of the group 'ME:I' has claimed that her reported illness was allegedly a fabrication by her previous management. Kato made this startling revelation without providing specific details. This news has caused quite the stir within the Japanese entertainment industry as it raises ethical questions about the ways agencies manage their talents.

In Japan, celebrities often have very little control over their private lives due to the rigid structures of talent agencies, and this issue is a matter of concern to many fans and industry insiders. Kato's claim has thus triggered many conversations on social media and in the press on the power dynamics in play between talent and management in Japan.

In comparison to the US or EU, where talent agencies also exert influence yet there is a greater emphasis on personal agency and autonomy, the relationships between talent and agencies in Japan are often more complex and can be seen as overly controlling. Kato's allegation, if true, would represent a significant breach of trust.