crime

Manga author who groped girl’s breasts gets suspended sentence

27 Comments
By Casey Baseel, SoraNews24

In August, manga author Tatsuya Matsumoto (also known by his pen name, Tatsuya Matsuki), creator of "Act-Age," was arrested for groping the breasts of a 14-year-old girl in Tokyo as he rode past her on his bicycle on a June evening. The police identified Matsumoto through security camera footage, and the 29-year-old admitted that “there is no mistake” regarding the accusations.

With any debate over Matsumoto’s guilt so swiftly settled, the issue became what his punishment would be. With the memory of "Rurouni Kenshin" creator Nobuhiro Watsuki only needing to pay a fine after his arrest for possession of some 100 discs of child pornography, not everyone was counting on the Japanese justice system to come down particularly hard on Matsumoto, and while his sentence is arguably more severe, it doesn’t include any mandatory jail time.

Matsumoto’s trial came to a close in Tokyo District Court on Dec 23, with presiding judge Tota Akamatsu handing down the 18-month prison sentence the prosecution had been seeking. However, the sentence will be suspended for three years, meaning that Matsumoto won’t have to spend a single night in jail as long as he stays on the right side of the law for the next three years, at which point his debt to society will be considered repaid.

It’s unclear how much time Matsumoto has spent in police custody since his arrest on Aug 8, but even if he’s been in lock-up the entire time, that would still amount to only four and a half months for groping a minor, plus the promise to not break the law anymore for at least the next three years, which really isn’t much of a punishment when you consider that everyone is already required to follow the law on a permanent basis.

During the sentencing, Akamatsu described the crime as “indecent and malicious in nature” and chastised Matsumoto for “using the innocent victim as an outlet for the stress you were feeling,” referencing Matsumoto’s explanation that he had been “feeling worried and uneasy about many things, but didn’t express that to anyone” at the time of the incident.

Sources: Livedoor News/Kyodo via Otakomu, Nihon Keizai Shimbun, NHK News Web

Read more stories from SoraNews24.

-- Eye reflection stalker who assaulted idol says he “would like to do everything he can” for her

-- Man found innocent of molesting charges by claiming he was pickpocketing

-- Ken Akamatsu bemoans Britain’s child pornography sentencing

© SoraNews24

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

27 Comments
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Freak...sadly, this is practically a fut'su' Japanese guy..or IS it ?

7 ( +9 / -2 )

During the sentencing, Akamatsu described the crime as “indecent and malicious in nature” and chastised Matsumoto for “using the innocent victim as an outlet for the stress you were feeling,” referencing Matsumoto’s explanation that he had been “feeling worried and uneasy about many things, but didn’t express that to anyone” at the time of the incident.

Hey Matsumoto, ever heard of calling up a friend or relative and having a good chat with them? They're apparently free and is almost as good as going to a professional for your mental problems. It really boggles me that sex offenders aren't as heavily punished in contrast to other crimes considering how draconian this country's legal system is.

15 ( +15 / -0 )

Maybe they thought he was just doing field research for the manga

3 ( +10 / -7 )

Bungle,

You're speaking about a minor. Proud?

indecent and malicious in nature

But not enough to put the perv away. Shame on you.

9 ( +15 / -6 )

Absolute filth. The scum child-molester should be behind bars for many, many years. I truly hope he is never able to work again.

"Rurouni Kenshin" creator Nobuhiro Watsuki only needing to pay a fine after his arrest for possession of some 100 discs of child pornography

Surprise surprise, another manga pedophile who should have been taken out of society. Permanently.

17 ( +18 / -1 )

Considering Japan rarely even punish people for rape or repeated rapes, this is not a surprising result. I think if this did not get on the overseas press, he won't even get a suspended sentence and will just be walking free to assault more girls.

This is a country who allows teachers who have raped their underage students to continue teaching, etc. Rape and sexual assaults is essentially de facto legal since it is rare that people ever get punished for this. You have that Keio guy on his 6th rape and still not spending a day in jail or face any punishment. Someone find me a case where a rapist get any punishment in Japan? I doubt you will find any.

16 ( +16 / -0 )

By all means if you can’t express your worried and uneasy feelings, feel free to relieve your stress by molesting a young girl.

8 ( +8 / -0 )

100 discs of child porn and only had to pay a fine? It's 25 years in other countries, so lame Japan!

20 ( +20 / -0 )

Probably trying to get inspiration for his next cartoon.

Well done, Japan.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

Dude, lucky you live in weak @ss judicial system Japan.

They would love child predators like you in US prisons.

Sorry for the victim she'll be scarred, hopefully get over it.

10 ( +11 / -1 )

@Henry k, pedophiles are normally segregated for other prisoners for their safety, I am not sure if this is the case in the USA. in the UK they are.

As for groping this girl, IF, hes spent this amount of time in custody, its enough, plus the 3 years suspended sentence, I would have also liked to have seen a public apology given to the girl in front of her parents, then this could have been reported on TV news, during the apology he could have said its not right to do what he did and hopefully it would send out a message that its unacceptable behaviour.

-7 ( +3 / -10 )

@ HenryK

"Dude, lucky you live in weak @ss judicial system Japan"

Its' only lucky for the J's; a hidden agenda.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

The only unusual thing about this in Japan is that he got caught.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

How can anyone in Japan get away with soo much child porn and gropping a 14 year old oppai? I don't get it. If this was a foreigner getting caught what would his sentence be? This sicko pedofile is lucky to be back on the streets. Im sure he'll be returning to his sexual fantasies.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

In Three years time when he is older, he can molest another child and get another 3 year suspension, then wait another 3 years...

7 ( +7 / -0 )

@ZorotoToday  03:57 pm JST

Does Japan have a pedophile registry?

the would be one BIG registry!

11 ( +11 / -0 )

There are lots of trains to jump under, go for it. He broke a serious social rule.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Good old Japan -- molest a child, and literally get off... Scott free. Oh, my... but of course... he can't sexually assault anyone else for another 1.5 years, so I guess that's some terrible "punishment". And Japan wonders why it's a laughing stock when it comes to laws and punishment here.

10 ( +10 / -0 )

Japan is not serious about punishment for child porn and should be kicked out of the UN, so weak on so many things they have signed but I wont go off topic for fear of the mod

3 ( +3 / -0 )

gogogoDec. 28  05:30 pm JST

100 discs of child porn and only had to pay a fine? It's 25 years in other countries, so lame Japan!

This is obscene. 100 discs of kiddie porn? Glamster Gary Glitter had an odyssey of running from the law and getting jailed and extradited due to less things than this. Session musician Eric Rosser, who once played on John Mellencamp hits also got extradicted from Thailand and went to prison in the USA for child porn. And R Kelly is facing felony child porn charges, amongst other sex crimes.

This creep got a slap on the wrist and this is a slap in the face of justice.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

He actually groped two girls that day but only gets a slap on the wrist.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

With the memory of "Rurouni Kenshin" creator Nobuhiro Watsuki only needing to pay a fine after his arrest for possession of some 100 discs of child pornography

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you in all its splendour and glory........Tha Japanese Justice system. See how it works in favour of the rich and famous?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Yeah that guy who had porn DVD of middle schoolers...and did he call in the police to share his DVD or something how did they find out? Also, isn't legal age in Japan 16 or something?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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