Renowned Japanese producer behind anime Suzume, Your Name arrested for child pornography

Koichiro Ito, the producer behind some of the most acclaimed anime shows such as Your Name and Suzume, was arrested in Toyko this week. Ito was taken into custody by Wakayama prefectural police on suspicion of child pornography.

The director was arrested in Tokyo’s Shibuya ward. As per several media reports and Japan’s Mainichi Shimbun newspaper, he was accused of asking for nudes from a 15-year-old girl, who he met online in September 2021. 

According to Tokyo broadcaster TBS, the producer transferred 12,500 yen (about $85) to the girl in exchange of her explicit photos, violating Japan’s Child Prostitution and Pornography Prohibition Act.

Ito's name emerged when police were investigating separate, unrelated child prostitution cases. As per NHK, Japan’s public broadcaster, Ito has admitted to the charges and spoke of having possession of the nude images that the girl sent to him. He has also told investigators that he had objectionable images of underage girls that were sent to him on several occasions. Now, the police are finding other potential victims, via THR. 

However, he couldn't recall which girl the police were talking about.

Ito has a career spanning two decades in the Japanese film industry. He has produced projects like The Garden of Words, and Modern Love Tokyo, including the recent blockbusters Your Name, Weathering With You and Suzume.

(With agency inputs)