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.
For those confused about Age of Consent in Japan:
Romeo and Juliet Clauses apply starting at age 14 to 18 with some small local differences in regions, but an adult over 18 cannot date somebody under 18 without a pre-existing relationship. This has lead to the myth that consent starts at 14, which is false.
The misconception is because the Federal law says age of consent cannot be below 14 but it’s up to the prefectures (none below 16 afaik)
Like how the US has no age of consent, it’s up to the states