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.

    • T00l_shed@lemmy.world
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      8 months ago

      There are Romeo and Juliette laws for things like that, essentially a reasonable age gap.

      • LeadersAtWork@lemmy.world
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        8 months ago

        Yes. However, for everyone that doesn’t understand why the word “reasonable” is important here: When it comes to age differences and sexual relationships, what a “reasonable person thinks” isn’t nearly as important as how a reasonable person might react when laying down a sentence. Sexual misconduct involving the word “Minor”, which immediately brings with it terms like “Coercion”, “Authority”, and the “inability to give consent” tend to receive strong reactions, and strong responses.

        Basically, if you’re 18 and your partner is 17, be extremely cautious to the point of not becoming sexually active together. This includes videos and photos. People’s lives have been ruined for less. I am not in any way advocating for and validating (or dismissing) large age gaps, only providing information for our younger users who may not realize this.

        • T00l_shed@lemmy.world
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          8 months ago

          Thank you for the additional details. I figured a 17 and 18 year old would be fine but beyond that it gets questionable IMO.