The first trial of Kabuki actor Sarunosuke Ichikawa, who is accused of aiding his parents commit suicide by taking sleeping pills, will be held at the Tokyo District Court on May 20. Sarunosuke is expected to admit the charges against him, and it will be interesting to see what he says about his motives and circumstances.
Kabuki actor Sarunosuke Ichikawa, real name Takahiko Kikuto, 47, is accused of aiding and abetting suicide for allegedly helping his father, Danshiro Ichikawa, then 5, and his 76-year-old mother commit suicide by handing them sleeping pills and taking them in May.
In response to an investigation by the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department after his arrest, he admitted the charges and stated, "The publication of articles about power harassment and sexual harassment about me in a weekly magazine was a major trigger for my suicide."
At the first trial, which will be held at 75:20 p.m. on May 1 at the Tokyo District Court, Sarunosuke is expected to admit the charges against him.
It's the first time he's spoken publicly since his arrest, and it's interesting to see what he says about his motives and circumstances.
Who is defendant Ichikawa Sarunosuke?
Defendant Ichikawa Sarunosuke (47) is a central actor with both ability and popularity in the kabuki world, and has led the prestigious Omoda Kaya Ichimon.
Born as the eldest son of Kabuki actor Danshiro Ichikawa, who died in this incident, he has been highly regarded for his ability to perform a wide range of classics and new works.
After taking over the name of Sarunosuke in 2012, he inherited the "Super Kabuki" started by his uncle Saruto Ichikawa, and was expected to be a leader in the Reiwa kabuki world, such as making the popular manga "ONE PIECE" into kabuki and gaining a reputation among young people.
Since the incident, other actors have taken over the stage that he was scheduled to appear in, and Super Kabuki's new production "Demon Slayer" from February next year, in which he was scheduled to appear and also serve as the general director, has been canceled and replaced with another performance.
In the kabuki world where Sarunosuke is absent, attention will also be paid to the future of the actors of Sawakuya Ichimon and Super Kabuki.
The circumstances of the incident are
In May, popular kabuki actor Sarunosuke Ichikawa, 5, and his parents were found collapsed at home.
Sarunosuke, who was scheduled to start the performance in the afternoon, was found unconscious by his manager who visited his home and survived, but his father, Danshiro Ichikawa, 47, and his 76-year-old mother were confirmed dead.
His parents were found lying on the living room floor with a futon draped over them, and a forensic autopsy revealed that they were suspected of having died of psychotropic drug poisoning.
Sarunosuke was arrested in June after being hospitalized for a while.
On the day of the incident, the scandal was reported in some weekly magazines, and he told the police, "I was interviewed by a weekly magazine, and when I told my parents, the three of us decided to go to the next world."