Today, reports from Japan have confirmed the arrest of Kouichirou Itou, a producer best known for their work on Your Name. According to Wakayama Prefectural Police, the 52-year-old man was arrested for allegedly soliciting nude photos of minors. Itou admitted to the charge, and authorities suggest the producer has solicited others as well.
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According to the report, Itou approached a 15-year-old girl for photos in Fall 2021. Authorities say Itou knew the girl was a minor during the exchange, and this crime was discovered when police began a separate investigation into prostitution. Following Itou’s confession, police are now investigating whether other victims were approached.
If you are not familiar with Itou, you should know the anime producer has been busy in recent years. They have worked closely with director Makoto Shinkai for ages. The pair began their partnership with The Place Promised in Our Early Days, and Itou went on to produce Your Name as well. Most recently, Itou helped Shinkai bring Weathering With You to life as well as Suzume.
Sadly, this arrest is not unusual in the manga and anime community. In 2023, anime composer Hidekazu Tanaka pled guilty to sexual assault following their tenure on Pokemon. Other creators like composer Yuya Saito have also been arrested for sexual harassment in the past, and one of the industry’s most notable cases went down in 2017. It was then Nobuhiro Watsuki, the creator of Rurouni Kenshin, was arrested for possessing child pornography.
What do you think about this latest report from Japan? Let us know what you think in the comments below as well as on Twitter and Instagram. You can also hit me up @MeganPetersCB to share your take!
