Producer of ‘Suzume,’ ‘Your Name’ arrested on child pornography charges

A producer involved in Anime hits ‘Suzume,’ ‘Your Name’ was arrested in Tokyo this week on the charges of alleged creation of child pornography, The Hollywood Reporter reported.

Koichiro Ito, 52, is accused of forcing a 15-year-old girl he met over social media into sending him nude selfies in September 2021, Japan’s Mainichi Shimbun newspaper reported Thursday.

As per a report in the Tokyo broadcaster TBS, Ito transferred 12,500 yen (about $85) to the girl in exchange for the photos. This action violated Japan’s Child Prostitution and Pornography Prohibition Act. On Wednesday, he was taken into custody.

Ito’s arrest has rocked Japan’s anime industry. He has been involved in projects that date back to nearly 20 years. He was also the lead producer on anime auteur Makoto Shinkai’s globally beloved recent blockbusters, including Your Name (2016, $358 million worldwide), Weathering With You (2019, $193 million) and Suzume (2022, $323.3 million).

Japan’s public broadcaster NHK has reported that Ito has essentially admitted the charges. He informed the investigators that he was sent nude images by underage girls many times and could not recall which girl the police are referring to. At the moment, police are looking for other possible victims.

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