The Wakayama Prefectural Police revealed on May 8, 2024 that Your Name. movie producer Koichiro Itou has been referred to prosecutors for additional violation of Child Prostitution & Pornography law in Japan, after it came to light that he had paid an underage girl for sexual intercourse.
The latest case involved a 17-year-old high school girl from Yokohama. Investigators believe Itou knew the girl was a minor when he paid her 30,000 yen for having sexual intercourse at his residence in December 2023.
He is also suspected of taking and saving photographs of the act.
As I understand it this is in place to prevent having to prosecute teenagers for having consensual sex. Which they’re going to do, illegal or not. But if they were one or both below the age of consent they would legally not be able to consent and this would be considered a rape, easily prosecutable by angry parents.
It is genuinely good that it is this way.
Makes sense, but does it also make it that, say, 30 year olds can marry a 16 year old? When I hear age of consent, that’s what I hear.