Erika Ikeda, the manga illustrator behind Apothecary's Diary, known by the pen name Nekokurage, confessed to income tax evasion in her first trial at the Fukuoka District Court on May 31, 2024.
She admitted to evading about 47 million yen in taxes by not reporting her income for years, with Presiding Judge Yuko Takeda overseeing the case.
After admitting to the charges, Ikeda explained: “I had been planning to file a consolidated tax return for several years.”
The prosecution emphasized that Ikeda began his career as a manga artist in 2010 and was informed by an acquaintance about the importance of filing tax returns. Despite this understanding, she prioritizes meeting her manga deadline over tax obligations.
The prosecution also noted that Ikeda had a history of filing tax returns late, often combining multiple years' worth into one filing. During the trial, statements from her editor and the original author of The Apothecary's Diary were read, revealing that both had urged her to settle her tax responsibilities.
Her editor warned that failure to comply could jeopardize her series, while the author advised consulting a tax accountant.
The indictment states that Ikeda earned about 260 million yen from 2019 to 2021 but failed to meet the required tax payment deadline, resulting in income tax evasion of about 47 million yen. The court was told that Ikeda had paid the full amount, including any applicable late fees.
