"Suzume" producer arrested for child pornography
23 Feb – Anime producer Koichiro Ito has been arrested on suspicion of creating child pornography.
The news came from Japan's news outlet, Mainichi Shimbun, stating that the 52-year-old has been accused of coercing a 15-year-old girl to send him nude selfies back in September 2021 over social media, which he reportedly paid for USD 85.
The exchange violated the Child Prostitution and Pornography Prohibition Act in Japan.
The producer was revealed to have been taken into custody from his home in Shibuya on 21 February.
The news came as a surprise among anime fans and industry players alike. Ito has produced various hit animated features including "Your Name", "Suzume" and "Weathering With You".
Meanwhile, it was reported that Ito has more or less admitted to the charges, saying that underage girls have sent him nude images on several occasions.
