A team of outside experts has opened a dedicated contact point to collect information on alleged sexual abuse by the late founder of Japanese talent agency Johnny & Associates.

The team announced on Tuesday that the contact point will allow people to provide information without getting in touch with the agency.

Johnny & Associates set up the team in May to look into allegations that Johnny Kitagawa, who died in 2019, sexually abused young promising male talent.

The team is asking the agency's current and former members to come forward if they had been abused or they saw or heard about Kitagawa's misconduct.

The team says its members and contractors will handle the cases and hope to contact people to hear details.

It adds that the information would be used to compile preventive measures after removing personal data.

Seven former members of the agency have launched a victims' group to demand that the agency admit the abuse and make an apology.

The leader of the group, Hiramoto Junya, told reporters on Tuesday that individuals may have little power but when united, they can take on someone formidable.

He also said they want the agency to face the issue squarely, admit the misconduct and hold dialogue with the victims.

The group plans to open a website and accept new members.