Koichiro Ito, 52, stands accused of coercing 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. According to another report from leading Tokyo broadcaster TBS, Ito transferred 12,500 yen (about $85) to the girl in exchange for the photos, violating Japan’s Child Prostitution and Pornography Prohibition Act.
The executive has anime credits dating back nearly 20 years, and he was the lead producer on anime auteur Makoto Shinkai’s globally beloved recent blockbusters, including Your Name, Weathering With You, and Suzume.
According to Japan’s public broadcaster NHK, Ito has essentially admitted the charges. He told investigators that he had nude images sent to him by underage girls on several occasions, and couldn’t recall which girl the police were referring to with their current case.
Main points from the article: