According to a report from Japanese publication Mainichi, Wakayama Prefectural Police in Japan arrested 52-year-old anime producer Kouichirou Itou for allegedly soliciting a 15-year-old high school girl living in Nagano for nude pictures of herself.

Itou admitted to the charge. However, he claimed that he had “done it with other people, so [he couldn’t] tell if it was this girl or not”.

According to the authorities, Itou asked the girl for the pictures back in September 2021 while knowing that the girl was a minor. Itou’s alleged crime was discovered as part of a different investigation involving prostitution.

Itou has been a producer on many of the works of director Makoto Shinkai, including The Place Promised In Our Early Days, Children Who Chase Lost Voices, The Garden Of Words, Your Name, Weathering With You and Suzume.

In the meantime, check out our review of Weathering With You by heading over here.

Makoto Shinkai’s latest movie, Suzume, is now streaming on Prime Video Malaysia.