Rom-Com Manga Creator Charged With Child Pornography Possession Found Guilty
A new report from Japan confirms the legal ordeal surrounding Kenya Suzuki has come to an end. The popular rom-com manga artist was arrested earlier this year on charges relating to child pornography amongst others. Today, a local court found Suzuki guilty of the crimes which also includes violating Japanese custom regulations.
The update comes months after authorities made their arrest of Suzuki. At the time, the artist was suspected of importing magazines put together by a German nudist organization. These magazines featured "photos of nude children from overseas, which you can't get in Japan" as Suzuki said in his own words.
This contraband was found in conjunction with "nude photos of young girls" that Suzuki purchased from an auction site. During the investigation by authorities, the artist said his purchases were legal when their transactions were made, but they were since banned.
However, police say the items were bought between 2020 and 2021, and Japan did not alter the legality of underage pornography during that timeframe. This evidence mounted against Suzuki as his trial neared, and prosecutors were able to secure a one year, two months sentence prison sentence for the artist.
Following this sentence, Suzuki released a statement acknowledging his wrongdoing. "I am deeply ashamed of my own lack of awareness and shallow behavior...I will strictly admonish myself so that I will not commit the crime again," the artist shared. Suzuki went on to say the illegal materials he bought were never meant to influence his hit manga, but that has done little to save the rom-com. Please Tell Me! Gaiko-chan has been on hiatus since Suzuki was arrested, and there is no word on whether the title will ever resume.
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