Image via TV Asahi

During the trial of anime and video game composer Hidezaku Tanaka, who is being tried on the charges of indecent assault against a 15-year-old, Tanaka admitted to following the young woman into a bicycle parking lot in Meguro in August 2022, calling out to her using indecent language and pulling her forcefully by her hand.

Tanaka has been accused of telling the young woman “won’t you do it? I’ll give you money.” At the Tokyo District Court on the morning of March 15, Tanaka admitted to the charges, saying “there is no doubt [this is me].”

RELATED: Anime Composer Hidekazu Tanaka Arrested on Suspicion of Indecent Assault

Tanaka is best known for creating the background music for THE [email protected] CINDERELLA GIRLS and Wake Up! Girls, as well as arranging the music for anime openings such as the current Japanese Pokémon anime theme “1, 2, 3,” Bottom-tier Character Tomozaki’s opening theme “Jinsei Easy?,” and Uzaki-chan Wants to Hang Out!’s second season opening theme “Ichigo Ichie Celebration.” Most of the songs he has composed have been pulled from the airwaves.

Talking about that day, Tanaka recalled that he followed her from the train station because he “liked her face and atmosphere.” The teenager went straight to the police box after the events and reported the incident.

Alongside the incident, Tanaka has also been charged with repeatedly filming upskirt videos of women on trains at Ebisu Station as well as exposing himself on a train traveling from Yurakucho Station to Tokyo Station. These incidents occurred between September and November 2022. Tanaka also admitted to at least ten other incidents like the above over the past decade.

During the interrogation of Tanaka, he apologized for the acts and claims that he committed the crimes due to the “thrill of being found out” and to “relieve daily stress from work.” 

The trial continues at Tokyo District Court.

Sources: TV Asahi, TBS News Dig

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Daryl Harding is a Senior Japan Correspondent for Crunchyroll News. He also runs a YouTube channel about Japan stuff called TheDoctorDazza, tweets at @DoctorDazza, and posts photos of his travels on Instagram.