Drug addiction is a serious issue that several actors face due to stress, anxiety, and unhealthy lifestyle. Drug abuse, especially in Asian countries, is considered a grave offence and can cost you an entire career. The Japanese law is very strict about drug abuse, and once involved in a drug scandal, the career, especially that of a celebrity, is never the same as before. Here is a list of Japanese celebs who have had problems with drug addiction.
1. Hiroki Narimiya
Hiroki Narimiya was alleged to be a regular consumer of drugs by a magazine. After the news broke out, he decided to retire from show business. His agency announced that this was due to his wish and not because of the alleged rumours that he quit. He has not looked back to the entertainment industry since.
2. Yusuke Isaya
A popular and established actor, Yusuke Isaye is one of the most famous actors in Japan. It was a shock to many when he was caught in a drug scandal. During a police raid at his house, the police found a large quantity of marijuana from his place. Although the sources have not been named, the actor had to subsequently walk through the legal course as per Japanese law and was sentenced to a year’s imprisonment.
3. Noriko Sakai
Previously known as Japan’s sweetheart, it dearly cost Noriko Sakai her reputation when she was caught in a drug scandal. She had to spend eighteen months in prison and was given three years of suspension from her career. It was a shocking and sad news for her fans all over the world.
4. Manabu Oshio
He was a singer in a band called LIV. He was convicted for a drug case in 2011 and also for failing to assist a person who had died after taking drugs provided by him. Following all this, he retired from the entertainment industry.
5. Noriyuki Makihara
He is a famous singer and songwriter who was involved in a drug case. The singer was sentenced to two years in prison and also suspended for three years for drug usage.
6. Junnosake Taguchi
He is a former member of a popular Japanese idol group called KAT-TUN. He along with his partner weres charged for possessing marijuana in their apartment. They were arrested and then released on bail for some time. Taguchi showed a lot of remorse for his actions and prostrated in front of the police for forgiveness.
7. Erika Sawajiri
Erika Sawajiri is a popular actress in Japan. She found herself in the middle of a drug scandal and when she was caught possessing MDMA and LSD. She was sentenced to 18 months of imprisonment and was also suspended for three years.
8. Ai Takabe
In 2015, famous actress Ai Takabe was convicted for possession of cocaine, leading to the end of her acting career. However, in a mix of events, all the charges against her were dropped in 2016. She was arrested but later released when the charges were dropped. Sadly, this could not save her career and caused her to retire.
9. Pierre Taki
Pierre Taki, a Techno pop duo member, admitted that he used cocaine in small amounts in Tokyo in 2019. He was detained in the police station after his arrest and went for trial.
10. Jung-Il-Hoon
This popular boyband member from Korea with a strong fan following in Japan was charged for the consumption of marijuana in 2020. He is on trial, and the case is still in court.
