Koichiro Ito, a producer involved in some of Japan’s highest-grossing anime blockbusters, was arrested by Wakayama Prefectural Police on Feb. 21 on suspicion of creating child pornography.
According to Mainichi Shimbun, Koichiro Ito, 52, is accused of inducing a then 15-year-old high school girl in Nagano Prefecture whom he met on social media to send nude selfies to his smartphone in September 2021. Investigators allege that he knew the girl was underage, and are investigating the possibility that there are more victims.
Ito was quoted as telling police, “I had a similar exchange with another person, so I can’t remember if it was this girl or not.” Officers opened the probe into Ito after his name surfaced in a separate child prostitution investigation.
The Hollywood Reporter added that Ito transferred 12,500 yen (about $85) to the girl in exchange for the photos, violating Japan’s Child Prostitution and Pornography Prohibition Act.
Koichiro Ito is known as the producer of several Makoto Shinkai films, including Children Who Chase Lost Voices (2011), The Garden of Words (2013), Your Name (2016), Weathering With You (2019) and Suzume (2022).
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