Popular Japan singer Makihara arrested over alleged drug possession

Feb 14, 2020 | News On Japan

Feb 14, 2020 (Kyodo) - Popular Japanese singer-songwriter Noriyuki Makihara was arrested Thursday for allegedly possessing illegal drugs at his home in Tokyo, police said.

Makihara, 50, is suspected of keeping 0.083 gram of stimulant on April 11, 2018, and 64.2 millimeter of the liquid inhalant "Rush," an eponym for isobutyl nitrite, on March 30 of the same year at his condominium in the capital's Minato Ward.

The 50-year-old musician, who debuted in 1990, is well-known for a number of hit songs, including "Donna toki mo" (Anytime) and composing SMAP's "Sekai ni Hitotsudake no Hana" (The One and Only Flower in the World).

The Tokyo police have not disclosed whether Makihara, who was arrested at his home in the afternoon, admitted to possessing the illegal drugs.

Source: ANNnewsCH

Typhoon No. 30 Brings Violent Winds to Okinawa's Sakishima Islands

Typhoon No. 30 (Champa), a large and very powerful storm, was moving northwest south of Okinawa as of 9 p.m. on October 22, with the Sakishima Islands already experiencing violent winds ahead of the typhoon's expected closest approach from the afternoon of October 23 through the early hours of October 24, while an approaching autumn rain front threatens widespread heavy rainfall across western Japan.

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.

H3 Rocket Successfully Launches Mars Moon Probe

Japan's H3 rocket successfully launched the Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) spacecraft from the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture on the morning of October 20th, placing the probe into its planned orbit in the first stage of a mission to collect samples from one of Mars' moons and return them to Earth.

Japan Introduces Personalized Motorcycle License Plates

Motorcycle owners across Japan can now choose their preferred license plate numbers under a new system introduced by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism on October 19th, with popular numbers allocated by lottery and applications costing between 2,500 and 3,000 yen.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Society NEWS

Copper Thefts Spreads 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.

Woman Killed After Deer Strike on Shin-Tomei Expressway

A 22-year-old woman was killed late on October 17 after a truck rear-ended a car that had stopped following a collision with a deer on the Shin-Tomei Expressway in Shinshiro, Aichi Prefecture.

Former Priest Arrested Over Unauthorized Sale of Historic Kyoto Temple Property

Three people, including a former chief priest, have been arrested over the alleged takeover of a historic Buddhist temple in central Kyoto, with investigators suspecting they sold temple-owned land and buildings without authorization for approximately 226 million yen, leaving the 300-year-old institution with almost none of its property beyond its main hall and grounds.

< 2 3 4 5 >