Image: Michael Loccisano, Getty Images for DFI
Itou’s verdict sentenced him to four years in jail over crimes against three minors.
After his trial on 7 January, 2025, Your Name and Suzume producer Kouichiro Itou was handed a four-year prison sentence on charges of obscenity against minors. The conviction was announced on Friday, 28 February. According to a Wakayama District Court spokesman, the conviction was for the violation of laws on child prostitution and pornography, including non-consensual sexual intercourse and the filming of indecent images.
Prosecution demanded six years for Itou’s crimes
According to regional broadcasters, the now 53-year old Kouichiro Itou was arrested back in February 2024 over allegations of soliciting a then-15-year-old high school girl for nude photos back in September 2021.
As investigations continued, it was revealed that Itou had a number of compromising videos and images in his computer, some of which were of two other minor-aged individuals that were obtained sometime between 2022 and 2023..
Due to the extremity of the crime, the prosecution at the Wakayama District Court demanded a six-year prison sentence, stating that “the crime was committed at the whim of sexual desire, and there is no room for leniency in the circumstances involved.” Ito pleaded guilty during his first hearing, although his defense sought to deny the prosecution’s recommendation, citing that Itou had settled with two of the victims and was also receiving counseling.
In the end, the court settled on handing Itou a four-year sentence. According to Mainichi Shimbun, presiding Judge Keiko Fukushima said in a statement “His actions severely harm the mental and physical development of victims who are not mature enough to understand the impact of sexual activities, his culpability is high.”
Before being arrested, Itou was known for being a long-time collaborator with celebrated director Makoto Shinkai, and produced some of his blockbuster films like Your Name and Suzume.
