Major Japanese publisher Shogakukan faces mounting criticism after allegations emerged that a manga editor potentially covered up years of sexual abuse committed by an author against a minor, prompting manga artists to withdraw their works in protest.
A Tokyo court on February 20 ordered manga author Ichiro Hajime, whose real name is Kazuaki Kurita, to pay 11 million yen (approximately $73,000) in compensation to a victim he groomed and sexually abused beginning when she was 15 years old. The abuse spanned from 2016 to 2019, according to court documents reviewed by Anime Corner.
The Timeline of Abuse and Inaction
The victim, referred to as "A" in legal proceedings, enrolled in a drawing class where Kurita worked as an instructor in April 2016. The abuse included manipulation through private messaging, multiple instances of intercourse at hotels, and dehumanizing acts documented in photographs. Requests for nude images continued even after the victim's graduation in March 2019, with the abuse extending until July of that year.
The victim developed dissociative disorder and PTSD as a result of the abuse.
In February 2020, Kurita was fined 300,000 yen for creating and possessing child sexual abuse material. His manga series Daten Sakusen went on "break" that same month. However, the series continued to be published by Shogakukan's Manga ONE platform until September 2022, more than two years after the criminal case.
According to the court proceedings, Manga ONE editor Takuya Narita mediated between Kurita and the victim in May 2021, over a year after the author's conviction. The victim filed a civil lawsuit in July 2022.
Artists Withdraw Work in Protest
Manga artist Sumi Eno posted a detailed chronology of the case and requested the suspension of their work from Manga ONE. Artist Tsuruyoshi Eri, illustrator of Jojin Kamen, released a statement expressing ignorance of the allegations and apologizing to victims. Multiple creators have since requested their works not be serialized on the platform.
The protests reflect growing frustration within Japan's manga industry over how publishers handle misconduct allegations. The case bears similarities to broader conversations about institutional accountability that have emerged across East Asian creative industries in recent years.
Shogakukan's Response
On February 26, Shogakukan released a statement announcing plans to launch an investigative committee including legal counsel, ascertain facts regarding the editor's involvement, implement disciplinary action, and establish prevention measures.
The publisher stated the editorial department was "unaware of the case's seriousness" and apologized, pledging to take "full responsibility" for continuing to work with Kurita after his conviction. Current Manga ONE editor-in-chief Hironori Hoshino was recently appointed and was not present during the incidents in question.
Systemic Questions
The case raises questions about internal communication at Japan's major publishers. How could an editorial department continue working with an author for more than two years after a criminal conviction for child sexual abuse material? What protocols exist for background checks and ongoing monitoring of creators who work with minors?
In Japan's tightly-knit manga industry, where relationships between editors and creators are central to the production process, the Shogakukan case may force a reckoning about institutional responsibility and victim protection.
Watch what they do, not what they say. In East Asian industries built on reputation and trust, the test will be whether this investigative committee produces meaningful structural change or merely performative gestures.
