Company: Johnny`s Jimusho

Johnny & Associates, Inc. (株式会社ジャニーズ事務所, Kabushikigaisha Johnny's Jimusho), formed by Johnny Kitagawa in 1962, was a talent agency that trained and promoted groups of male idols in Japan.

The first group Johnnys debuted in 1962, but their debut was before Western boy band movement. The agency was originally formed to train Japanese broadway theatre actors for musicals similar to West Side Story, when Japanese authority hated Japanese new musical movements, especially the rock and roll music.

Kondou Masahiko's song "Orokamono" won the grand prix award at the 29th Japan Record Awards in 1987. Genji Hikaru's song "Paradise Ginga" also won the grand prix award at the 30th Japan Record Awards in 1988. The agency produced even rock band Otokogumi. Otokogumi's debut single "Day Break" was released in 1988.

However, the agency later rejected the nominations of Japanese awards. One of the reasons was that their band Ninja's music genre was categorized as "rock/pops" in the 32nd Japan Record Awards in 1990, though Johnny & Associates thought that its music genre was "enka/kayoukyoku". Another reason was that the nominations could make competitions between Johnny's groups.

After debuting the talents, Johnny's & Associates would then arrange for them to be signed to record labels such as J Storm, Johnny's Entertainment or labels owned by other companies such as Avex Trax. Regardless of the labels the groups are assigned to, the members and their respective groups would still be bound to their talent agency, Johnny & Associates.

In the wake of continuing sexual abuse allegations directed against Johnny Kitagawa company was renamed Smile Up (branded as SMILE-UP).