Japanese TV personality admits using cocaine

Jun 06, 2019 | News On Japan

Jun 06, 2019 (NHK) - Japanese musician and actor Pierre Taki appeared in court on Wednesday and admitted to using cocaine.

The 52-year-old defendant, whose real name is Masanori Taki, has been indicted on suspicion of using cocaine at his apartment in central Tokyo in March.

At the first hearing held at the Tokyo District Court, Taki answered questions from the judge clearly, and apologized for having committed a crime.

He told the court that because he works as an actor in movies and television, he was exposed to a lot of pressure and felt cornered mentally.

He said that he should have found ways to release his stress other than drugs, but was too weak to do so.

Taki pledged not to use any illegal drugs ever again.

Prosecutors are demanding an 18-month prison sentence, saying Taki has been addicted since his 20s.

Taki's attorney asked for a suspended jail sentence, as he regularly receives treatment and has the support of his families and friends.

The court is expected to deliver its sentence on June 18.

Typhoon No. 30 Unleashes 10-Meter Waves as Heavy Rain Spreads Across Japan

Typhoon No. 30 remained nearly stationary west-northwest of Yonaguni Island at 5 a.m. on October 24, bringing severe weather and waves exceeding 10 meters to Okinawa's Sakishima Islands, while an increasingly active weather front threatens to deliver heavy rainfall across western and eastern Japan through October 27.

Typhoon Disrupts Flights as Japan Braces for Widespread Travel Delays

Typhoon No. 30 continued to disrupt air travel across Okinawa on October 24, with cancellations affecting flights to the southwestern islands, while railway operators and highway authorities prepared for potentially widespread disruption across western and central Japan through October 26.

Japan's Terra Drone Supplies Weapons to Ukraine as Russia Warns of Retaliation

Japanese drone manufacturer Terra Drone has delivered interceptor drones to Ukraine's Ministry of Defense for the first time, prompting Russia to threaten retaliatory measures on October 21, as Japan considers expanding domestic drone production and strengthening its coastal defenses through thousands of unmanned aircraft.

PHP Security Flaw Forces Shutdowns Across Japan, Including Takaichi's Website

A critical security flaw discovered in PHP, a programming language used by an estimated 70% of the world's web systems, has triggered widespread disruptions across Japan since October 21, forcing banks, restaurant chains, government agencies and other businesses to suspend online services as a precaution against potential cyberattacks.

Cyberattacks Hit Japanese Police and Businesses

A growing wave of cyberattacks across Japan has raised concerns over the possible use of Chinese-developed artificial intelligence in hacking operations, with personal information belonging to tens of thousands of police employees potentially exposed and major companies forced to suspend online services, while cybersecurity experts warn that slow decision-making within Japanese organizations is allowing damage to spread.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Society NEWS

Fire Breaks Out at Kurosawa Film Studio Warehouse

A fire broke out at a warehouse believed to belong to Kurosawa Film Studio in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, shortly after midnight on October 23, prompting the dispatch of 40 emergency vehicles after a report that a battery was burning, with witnesses describing explosion-like sounds and vibrations strong enough to shake nearby windows.

Four Mutilated Fawn Carcasses Found at Nara Temples

Four dead fawns with missing body parts have been discovered around Kofukuji and Todaiji temples in Nara between August and October, prompting Nara Prefecture to hold an emergency press conference on October 23 after experts determined that wild animals were unlikely to have caused the injuries, raising suspicions that humans may have deliberately harmed the young deer.

Copper Thefts Spread Across Japan

A wave of copper thefts has struck public facilities across Japan, with thieves stripping metal from bridges, park shelters and shrines, including a park known as a popular anime pilgrimage site, while police in Nagano Prefecture have made arrests following a series of similar incidents.

Footage Released of New Year's Day Motorcycle Rampage in Kochi

Police in Kochi Prefecture have released footage of a group of teenagers riding motorcycles recklessly through Kochi City on January 1st, 2026, in a New Year's Day incident known as a "first sunrise motorcycle rampage," with 18 people aged between 15 and 19 arrested or referred to prosecutors for suspected violations of the Road Traffic Act.

Japan's Former Empress Turns 92 as Family Gathers to Celebrate

Empress Emerita Michiko celebrated her 92nd birthday on October 20th, receiving birthday greetings from Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako and other members of Japan's imperial family at her residence in Tokyo, as concerns grow over her declining physical strength and signs of fatigue.

Deputy Mayor Fatally Crushed by 3-Ton Festival Float

The deputy mayor of Saijo City in Ehime Prefecture died after being crushed beneath a festival float weighing approximately 3 tons while participating in a traditional autumn festival on October 17.

Princess Aiko Smiles at Detective Conan

Princess Aiko, the only daughter of Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako, arrived in Tottori Prefecture on October 19 for her first visit to the region, where she is scheduled to attend a national disaster prevention conference and a symposium on disaster preparedness.

Gunma Police Rearrest Man in Murder of Mother-in-Law

Police in Gunma Prefecture rearrested a 30-year-old man on October 18 on suspicion of murdering his former mother-in-law at her home in Ota City last month, following an attack that also left the woman's eldest son injured.

< 2 3 4 5 >