Japanese Talent Agencies Face Wave of Bankruptcies
Listen to the story
Many talent agencies in Japan are having money problems. Some agencies have closed down this year.
One agency is run by actor Hiroshi Fuse. A court has started bankruptcy action for his company. This means the company cannot pay its debts.
The agency is in Akiruno City, near Tokyo. In past years, the actors from this agency appeared less on TV. This may be one reason for the problem.
A research company called Tokyo Shoko Research studies business news in Japan. It reported this story about agencies closing.
Hiroshi Fuse was famous in the past for being a stylish, popular actor. His personal life has also had some hard times.
Vocabulary8 words
- bankruptcy
- when a company cannot pay money it owes
- agency
- a company that manages the work of actors or singers
- debts
- money that a person or company must pay back
- actor
- a person who plays roles in movies or TV shows
- research
- careful study to learn facts
- trend
- a general change happening over time
- media
- TV, newspapers, and other ways of sharing news
- exposure
- how much people can see or hear about someone
Quiz
Answer key
1. Many are closing down 2. The actor Hiroshi Fuse 3. True
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
Many talent _____ in Japan are having money problems. Some agencies have _____ down this year.
One agency is run by actor Hiroshi Fuse. A court has started _____ action for his company. This means the company cannot pay its _____.
The agency is in Akiruno City, near Tokyo. In past years, the actors from this agency appeared less on _____. This may be one reason for the problem.
A research company called Tokyo Shoko Research studies business news in Japan. It _____ this story about agencies closing.
Hiroshi Fuse was famous in the past for being a stylish, popular _____. His personal life has also had some hard times.