On February 21st, 51-year-old producer Kouichirou Itou (Your Name, Suzume no Tojimari) was ordered arrested in Japan for harassing young people in Nagano. Director Makoto Shinkai commented on the matter on social media.
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“I was shocked to see the news of the arrest of someone involved in the production of my films. First of all, I would like to express my deepest condolences to the victims. Furthermore, I am very sorry for causing anxiety to everyone who loves and supports my work. Personally, I believe that the value of the work will not be harmed by the recent incident, but I think it is natural that it is viewed with disbelief. This is very frustrating and sad,” Makoto stated.
Shinkai's statement came two days after Itou's arrest. Although Shinkai doesn't directly mention Itou's name in his tweet, it's likely he's referring to Itou, the only member of his film crew who has recently been detained by the police.
In the same tweet, Shinkai also expressed his condolences to the victims. Shinkai also addressed his hope that this arrest would not negatively affect the reputation of the films Itou produced in partnership with the director. Although this depends on the audience's perspective, he acknowledges and understands that some may now view his films differently.
Finally, Itou produced many of director Makoto Shinkai's works, including his second film, "The Place Promised in Our Early Days," "Children Who Chase Lost Voices," and "The Garden of Words." His success significantly contributed to Shinkai's growing recognition and to the director's two subsequent films, "Weathering With You" and "Suzume.".
Source: X (Official Twitter)