Koichiro Ito, the famous producer behind the beloved anime film “Your Name,” has been caught up in a scandal that has shocked the entire anime industry.
The 52-year-old filmmaker faces the serious threat of charges related to child prostitution and child pornography, casting a shadow over his illustrious career.
Ito's legal troubles began when he was arrested by the Wakayama Prefectural Police on suspicion of violating the Child Prostitution and Child Pornography Prohibition Act.
This is not the first time he has faced such accusations. In fact, Ito had been indicted three times previously for similar crimes, raising serious questions about his conduct and the safety of young girls.
According to investigators, Ito allegedly paid a 17-year-old female high school student in Yokohama 30,000 yen (about 275 USD) to perform sex acts at his home in December 2023.
Shockingly, he knew that she was underage at the time. The illicit encounter was filmed, adding to the charges against him. Wakayama Prefectural Police have called for “severe punishment,” emphasizing the severity of the situation.
But the revelations don't stop there. Ito reportedly confessed to prostituting more than 20 girls, many of whom he met through social media platforms.
“I met at least 20 underage girls on social networks and paid them for sex
strong>.” Ito confessed according to the investigation.
His modus operandi was to lure young girls into compromising situations, exploit their weaknesses and then record the encounters. The victims ranged from high school students to part-time workers, all of whom were unsuspecting targets of his predatory behavior.
Koichiro Ito worked with director Makoto Shinkai not only on Your Name but also other films including Weathering With You, Garden of Words and the recently released Suzume.
As news of Ito's arrest spread, “Your Name” fans expressed shock and disappointment on social media.
Source: Asahi