Gainax head arrested for tax evasion

July 14, 1999

Yomiuri Shimbun

The president of the Gainax animation production company, creator of the hit animated science fiction film "Neon Genesis Evangelion," was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of concealing 1.5 billion yen in profits.

Tokyo prosecutors have begun investigating the company in Musashino, western Tokyo.

In October, the Tokyo Regional Taxation Bureau filed a complaint against Gainax and its president, Takeshi Sawamura, 40, for violating the corporate tax law.

For a two-year period ending in July 1997, Gainax allegedly evaded paying about 580 million yen in corporate taxes, sources said.

Gainax produces films and television programs, and develops software for personal computer games. The television program "Evangelion" became very popular when it was broadcast for six months from autumn 1995.

Yomiuri Shinbun, July 14, 1999