It’s been four months since act-age writer Tatsuya Matsuki was arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting two middle school girls in Tokyo. When arrested, he told police, “there’s generally nothing incorrect” with what he was accused of.
Matsuki confessed to the crime again during a court hearing last week. His sentence is still being determined, but he could spend up to a year and a half in prison. The defense has asked for a suspended sentence, claiming that having his manga series canceled is punishment enough.
Considering Japan’s history with cases like this, we should brace ourselves for disappointment. Toriko creator Mitsutoshi Shimabukuro was sentenced to two years for soliciting a 16-year-old for sex in 2000, but his sentence was suspended. When Rurouni Kenshin creator Nobuhiro Watsuki was charged with possession of child pornography in 2017, his only punishment was a $1900 fine.
Shimabukuro was initially fired from “Weekly Shonen Jump” until One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda convinced Shueisha to give him another chance. His new series Build King debuted earlier this month. Watsuki’s manga at the time, Rurouni Kenshin: Hokkaido Arc, was put on hiatus, but it was back in serialization less than a year later.
Something strange about the case is that he is only being charged with committing an indecent act — and only one of the two he was accused of. In the United States, the difference between an indecent act and sexual assault is physical contact. When Anime News Network reported on the arrest in August, they said it was for inappropriate touching.
In Japan, the laws surrounding sexual violence are less clear and sometimes outdated and bizarre. Some people don’t even consider groping a crime — it’s just an annoying thing that happens on the train sometimes.
Matsuki’s sentencing is scheduled for December 23, 2020.
[Source: Anime News Network]
