Earlier this year, the creator of Act-Age was arrested on charges involving indecent harassment of a minor. Tatsuya Matsuki is now in court over the charges laid before him, and the disgraced artist admitted to the Tokyo District Court of committing an indecent act towards an underage girl. The court will sentence Matsuki on December 23, and the defense team is currently asking for any prison sentence to be suspended.
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According to reports, Matsuki’s legal team is asking for the suspension because of the defendants public ridicule. As a result of his arrest, Act-Age was promptly cancelled by Shueisha, and all plans of further re-releases were dropped. The promising series has now faded into forced obscurity, and Matsuki’s lawyers say such societal punishment warrants a suspended sentence. However, the prosecution is seeking a prison term for Matsuki of one year and six months.
If the defense’s request is made, Matsuki will not have to go to jail pending good behavior. The final decisions about the man’s sentence will be made next month. During his court appearance, Matsuki said he acted out desperately after struggling with unnamed worries. The man also said he harbors a complex towards woman which prompted him to indecently act against the middle school girl, and Matsuki says there is no way he can ever apologize to the underage victim.
For those who are unfamiliar with the case at hand, Matsuki was arrested on August 8 in Japan on suspicion of harassing a minor. Police says a middle school girl was walking in Nakano at night when Matsuki came up on her from behind and inappriately touched her chest. The suspect fled, but police were able to identity Matsuki through security footage after a person resembling the artist was seen similarly harassing a different girl on the street. At the time, Matsuki told police there was “generally nothing incorrect” about the accusation, and he was indicated for one of those encounters shortly afterwards.
What do you make of this ongoing case? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below or find me over on Twitter @MeganPetersCB.
