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Arts Vision Chairman Arrested for Sexual Assault

posted on by Evan Miller
Company chairman accused of assaulting 16-year-old girl interviewing to become a voice actress

On Monday, prosecutors with the Tokyo Metropolitan Police began their review of an alleged sexual assault committed by the chairman of one of Japan's biggest talent agencies.

Sakumi Matsuda, chairman of the Japanese talent management company Arts Vision, was first arrested on April 4. He is suspected of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl who was auditioning to become a voice actress (or seiyū) last December. According to accusations, the girl was promised that she would be recruited as a voice actress before she was taken to the chairman's office, where he allegedly "touched the lower parts of her body." The girl, who remains anonymous, reported the assault in late December to the police station in Shibuya. "I tolerated it so I would get accepted," said the girl. Her application to Arts Vision was eventually rejected.

Although Matsuda was arrested on April 4, he was released because of an illness. Tokyo Police are currently investigating Matsuda to see if he committed any further crimes. According to sources, Matsuda has admitted to the charges against him. Due to the age of the girl involved, he is officially accused of violation of laws against child prostitution.

Matsuda founded Arts Vision in 1984 after working as a manager at the Tokyo Actor's Consumer's Cooperative Society. Since its inception, Arts Vision has been known for managing many of Japan's most popular anime voice actors and actresses. Some famous names that have worked with the company in the past include Yuji Ueda, Megumi Hayashibara, Miki Itoh, Hekiru Shiina and Yurika Ochiai.

Thanks, Dormcat.

Source: Jiji Shinpo, TV Asahi News

This article has a follow-up: Yui Horie Denies Involvement in Arts Vision Scandal (2007-06-06 10:54)
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