Ballet dancer arrested over sex with 16-year-old girl at Tokyo hotel

“You were just one of my playmates.”

And perhaps he will soon head off to prison and find himself to be a playmate -- the pointe shoe on the other foot, as they say.

So how old was he when this happened ?

What's the excuse this time? Again, the classic "I don't remember the incident", or "I was drunk", or "I didn't know she was only 16", or "I didn't know it was illegal"?

Probably 'she started it', or perhaps 'I was just trying to give her some advice.' POS. Throw the book at him.

‘The age of consent in Japan is 13 years old. The age of consent refers to the minimum age at which a person is considered to be capable of giving consent to sexual acts.’

The age of consent in Japan is 13 years old. The age of consent refers to the minimum age at which a person is considered to be capable of giving consent to sexual acts.’

Each prefecture sets their own age and Tokyo is 18. Stop trying to justify this predators behavior.

He shouldn’t have taunted the girl, then he would have been fine.

Police quoted Ito as saying he was advising the girl, who was a ballet student at the time.

So he took advantage of one of his students. That makes it a lot worse than just meeting some high school girl on the internet.

So how old was he when this happened ?

Erm…25 - 1 (or maybe 2) = Significantly older than 16 and therefore old enough to know right from wrong.

He was 22 or 23 at the time, so an age gap of around six or seven years. I am sure that in many western countries this would not be thought of as a crime as 16 is considered fairly adult.

It's very confusing.

Age of consent is 13 or 18…?

If you go to the Supreme Court will they use the 18 or the 13?

Regarding age of consent it seem that he was using the "if she's big enough she's old enough" method of calculation.

Most of us here, of either sex, should maybe think back very carefully over some of the things we got up to in our teens. In this case this guy was old enough to know better and at 16 so was she.

So how old was he when this happened ?

Responses like this happen because of people not actually reading articles before commenting.

Each prefecture sets their own age and Tokyo is 18. Stop trying to justify this predators behavior.

I’m usually in favour of decentralizing power or decision making, but there has been confusion/excuse-making about the age of consent. There needs to be a clear age of consent across Japan as a whole.

@Steviee for enlightenment.

Under article 177 of the Japanese Penal Code, it is an offense for any person to engage in sexual intercourse with a female partner aged less than 13 years. The crime is known as statutory rape, and it attracts a penalty of imprisonment with labor for no less than three years. The law also prescribes a similar punishment for a person found guilty of sexually assaulting, intimidating, or forcibly committing sexual intercourse against a female aged either 13 years or older. However, in spite of the consensual age in Japan being thirteen years at the national level, each of the country’s prefectures and municipalities has independent laws on the age at which young people can consent to sexual activity.

Japanese Penal Code On Forcible Indecency

Article 176 of the Japanese Penal Code prohibits acts of indecency against males or females who are below 13 years of age. It also says that a person who forces any person aged thirteen years or more to commit an indecent act by the use of intimidation or assault is liable for imprisonment with work for a period ranging from six months to ten years. Under article 178, it is a crime to induce inability to resist or unconsciousness on a person to engage in sexual acts with them. The same applies to committing indecent acts upon an unconscious male or female.

The Child Welfare Act Of Japan

Japan’s Child Welfare Act defines a child as anyone below the age of 18 years. Article 34 of the Act forbids any person from causing a child to commit obscene acts. It also stipulates that it is illegal for an employer to send a child aged below 15 years to sell wares in stores that carry out sex-related businesses or in buildings where dating agencies are situated. The Act also bars females below the age of 16 years and males of less than 18 years from getting married without parental consent.

Age Of Consent In Japan’s Prefectures And Territories

Most of the prefectures in the country have obscenity statutes or laws against corruption of minors. The age of consent in the prefectures ranges from 16 to 18 years, and it is illegal to engage in sexual activities with partners who are below this age unless a parent approves of the romantic relationship. In Tokyo, for example, a person has to be at least 18 years to agree to have any form of sexual relations. In both of Japan’s territories, Okinotori Islands and Marcus Islands, the local age of consent is 13 years.

Close In Age Exemptions

The age of consent in Japan has no close in age exceptions. Partners who engage in sexual relations with persons aged less than 13 years can be prosecuted for statutory rape in spite of the age difference, even if the younger partner consented. The absence of close in age exemptions also means that there is no legal protection for two individuals who willingly give in to intimate relations when they are under 13 years of age.

With as little data as presented here, I wonder how anyone can come up with an opinion. He might be a lecherous sex addict and she totally innocent - or she might be a "big" teaser and a gold digger - or it might be that her parents saw an opportunity to make some money.

I wouldn't let my 16 year old daughter go to a hotel with a man unaccompanied.

Japanese parents are weird.

While under Japanese law as it applies in the place where the acts occurred he appears to have committed a crime and no doubt he should have known better, nonetheless at 16 most girls are as interested in sex as boys, so at the time she may well have been perfectly willing. Which of course does not change the legal landscape, however without further information to characterise him as predator or pervert is unjustified knee jerk reaction. Unwise he certainly was.

As to the motivation of the parents there is no evidence either way.

“There are other girls. You were just one of my playmates.”

What class, chivalry, romanticism. What is left of Giselle.

Still if found complicit, I am sure the favor will be returned as Mitsuru Ito fellow cellmates choose a playmate too.

“There are other girls. You were just one of my playmates.”

I would understand if he "loved" her, but he's obviously just a maniac. Throw him in jail. No compassion for him.

The girl was impressionable, starry eyed.

A gifted ballet dancer charms, captivates her affections, only to later spurn as nothing more than a playmate.

A callous, cruel, humiliation.

Mitsuru Ito, if found to be answerable, deserves every waving moment in his cell to frightened to go to sleep

Mitsuru Ito.......

https://www.prixdelausanne.org/winners/mitsuru-ito/

Yum yum.

n1k1

So how old was he when this happened ?

Can you solve 25 - 2 = X ?

Chibakun

I wouldn't let my 16 year old daughter go to a hotel with a man unaccompanied.

Japanese parents are weird.

How do you know she told them where she went?

ShinkansenCabooseToday 05:52 pm JST

‘The age of consent in Japan is 13 years old. The age of consent refers to the minimum age at which a person is considered to be capable of giving consent to sexual acts.’

There are other laws too in Japan you have to consider. For example the prohibition of a sexual relationship between student and teacher in case of minors, finally it should be noticed that in Japan parental rights are very strong compared to Western countries. They might object and prohibit a sexual relationship with a certain man if the minor age daughter is still living with them.

It was not the girl but her parents who filed a criminal complaint against this man.

We are all impressionable at 16 years of age, to our hero's , there are red lines that must never be crossed.

Let alone broadcast on social media.

All trust will evaporate, if a community cannot protect it's youth from the alleged peccadillos of Mitsuru Ito.

JimizoToday 06:33 pm JST

I’m usually in favour of decentralizing power or decision making, but there has been confusion/excuse-making about the age of consent. There needs to be a clear age of consent across Japan as a whole.

How is this different from USA? Every federal state has different laws regarding age of consent, about sexual relationship with minors, about minimum age of marriage...

What is legal in one state might be a serious crime just a few miles over the border in another state.

Even in Japan, if her parents let her, she could have married him. Instead, they let her have a one night stand which is obviously completely different...

Should have stayed in Europe, but I’m guessing he had other players dates lined up for his visit home.

Maybe he was testing her how pliable she is for ballet

“There are other girls. You were just one of my playmates.”

Another monster!!!

At 16 I would have hit the love hotels with just about any willing and unrelated woman younger than my grandmother. Hormones etc.

But if you are the older party, you should always obey age of consent laws. Regardless of circumstances. Doesn't matter if your prospective partner is on their knees begging you. You have to say 'no'. Most judges are male and probably didn't get to fool around much as teenagers. They will throw the book at you.

-There are other girls. You were just one of my playmates.

One of the long list of things you should never say to someone. The equivalent of buying your wife gym membership 'because you are getting a bit chubby, darling'. He might as well have turned himself in on the spot. He has nobody to blame but himself.

ChibakunToday  06:43 pm JST

I wouldn't let my 16 year old daughter go to a hotel with a man unaccompanied.

Absolutely, agree with you entirely, assuming of course that she told you she was going to do that. Now I'm not suggesting that your daughter would do such a thing but 16 year old girls can look / behave very grown up and can be very devious. We know little about the actual circumstances of this case, it was 2 years ago and what was said and to whom has not been reported so keeping an open mind is important until more is known.

After learning about the incident, the girl’s parents filed a criminal complaint against Ito.

When was this I wonder?

behave very grown up and can be very devious.

According to the article, "behave very grown up and can be very devious." This was all just a "honey trap," I guess?

RealizationAug. 18  10:26 pm JST

“There are other girls. You were just one of my playmates.”

Another monster!!!

Remember that rotten 1983 movie 'Class' where jacqueline Bisset is a 'cougar' who messes with a preppy private school student and she tells him he's just another lay? And do you remember 'Dirty Dancing'?

It's the same stupid scene, yet Hollyweird glorifies it and it ain't classy in real life. People who do these things are perverts, monsters, manipulators, users and dirtbags.

YohanAug. 18  08:40 pm JST

JimizoToday 06:33 pm JST

I’m usually in favour of decentralizing power or decision making, but there has been confusion/excuse-making about the age of consent. There needs to be a clear age of consent across Japan as a whole.

How is this different from USA? Every federal state has different laws regarding age of consent, about sexual relationship with minors, about minimum age of marriage...

And it's time for a change in those laws and attitudes in America too. This ain't the 1950s, it's 2021. This ballet dancer is old enough to know better and he is scum. No excuses for this, throw his ass in the slammer.

There is a distinct possibility she was 16 going on 30, if you know what I mean. High probability that his taunting her with the "other women" and "playmate " comments simply put the young lady into vengeance mode. She apparently had no problem with the sexual encounter until she was a scorned woman. Happens all the time across all age groups.

"After learning about the incident, the girl’s parents filed a criminal complaint against Ito."

It appears, at least, that the girl did not complain on her own even after the [expletive deleted] remark from the guy which, as unnecessary as it was, has maybe destroyed a possibly successful career in one of the most brutal and body destroying disciplines man has so far invented. And good luck for 'teaching' either because this will not fade easily from his resume. Poor males...looking down "Ah, little feller, whathavya done to me this time?" But who, really, is worse off? Those who stumble or those whose beyond hostile reactions you know come from their own secret desires?

“There are other girls. You were just one of my playmates.”

That cruel comment did him in, and rightly so. It shows his true character (or lack thereof). Then there is the fact that he took advantage of a teacher/student relationship. Parents like to know that the teacher they send their teenage daughter to isn't going to take advantage of that special relationship to have sex with her.

And perhaps he will soon head off to prison and find himself to be a playmate -- the pointe shoe on the other foot, as they say.

Advocating prison rape puts one on the same level as this guy. Besides, Japan isn't America - the prisoners don't rule the prison.

ChottobakaToday  01:50 am JST

There is a distinct possibility she was 16 going on 30, if you know what I mean. High probability that his taunting her with the "other women" and "playmate " comments simply put the young lady into vengeance mode. She apparently had no problem with the sexual encounter until she was a scorned woman. Happens all the time across all age groups.

It does but she is no woman yet. And he is 25 years old, old enough to know better. There's still no excusing what he was doing and besides, if you cheat on your 'playmate' you cheat on all of them. A romance is meant to be one x one, not a triangle and certainly not having several 'playmates'. So he is a gigolo cad anyway.

“There are other girls. You were just one of my playmates.”

So, does this mean hes had many more relationships with other girls? if so were/are they underage? or is this just to brag about himself? either way its back fired on him, idiot should have kept his big mouth shut. will the police look into his statement?

16! Even 17 year olds are not ready!

It’s just the senpai abusing his kohai-a regular occurring act in Japan…

16! Even 17 year olds are not ready!

Say what? In most of Europe the legal age is younger than 16. In many it's 16. In a few, mostly micro-states it's 17 or 18. To be arrested for having consensual intercourse with a 17 year-old girl is patently ridiculous. 16 is harsh but if that's the law, one has to be careful. I think younger than 16 isn't great. 16 seems like a good age to be legal.

16! Even 17 year olds are not ready!

I agree. Ballet dancing is horrifically dangerous.

Brian WhewayAug. 19  03:08 pm JST

“There are other girls. You were just one of my playmates.”

So, does this mean hes had many more relationships with other girls? if so were/are they underage? or is this just to brag about himself? either way its back fired on him, idiot should have kept his big mouth shut. will the police look into his statement?

Big mouth like a Pac-Man. He's digging his own ditch and he's gonna fall in it!