The Apothecary's Diaries Manga illustrator Erika Ikeda, known by her pen name Nekokurage, admitted to income tax evasion charges during her first trial at the Fukuoka District Court on May 31, 2024.

Ikeda is accused of evading about 47 million yen in taxes by failing to declare her income for several years. Presiding Judge Yuko Takeda oversaw the case.

“I have been planning to file a consolidated tax return for several years.”, she said after admitting the allegations.

In the opening statement, the prosecution pointed out that defendant Ikeda began working as a manga artist in 2010 and was informed of the need to file tax returns by an acquaintance.

Despite this, she chose to prioritize meeting manga deadlines over meeting her tax obligations.

Prosecutors also noted that Ikeda had a pattern of filing his tax returns late, combining several years' worth of tax returns into single returns.

Statements from her publisher and the original author of The Apothecary Diaries were read in court, revealing that both had urged her to comply with her tax responsibilities. Her publisher warned that failure to comply could jeopardize her ongoing series, while the author advised her to consult a tax accountant.

According to the indictment, Ikeda earned approximately 260 million yen between 2019 and 2021. However, she failed to file her tax returns by the required deadlines, resulting in her evading about 47 million yen in income tax. The court was told that Ikeda has since paid the full amount, including any applicable late fees.

Source: Live News