Drugs (Page 2)
It was a good thing the suspect had decided to become a cop, because he doesn’t seem to be a very good criminal.
They apparently had time for a little side gig before the release of their big movie later this month.
Public Prosecutors Office opts for leniency following incidents in October and November.
Looking to buy the gift that doesn’t keep on giving? Souvenir shop in Guam offers stir-in stimulants at a bargain.
We’ve all heard about how safe Japan is. But unless you live here, you may not understand why Japan is considered so safe. The uninitiated may presume that safety is enforced through a rigid society that doesn’t allow freedom of expression, that Japanese people are too worried about losing face to commit a crime, or that the government comes down unnecessarily hard on people who step out of line. In reality, none of these rings true.
But we can’t deny that there’s one thing that Japan does better than anyone else. Join us after the jump for some insights and our own observations.
When it comes to celebrities and drug-use, Japan doesn’t have the same forgiving attitude that many other societies do. Last year, for example, when pop singer Aska was arrested on drug charges, the Studio Ghibli-animated video for the vocalist’s song “On Your Mark” was removed from an upcoming boxed set of Hayao Miyazaki animation.
Now there’s been another intersection of anime, music, and illegal narcotics, as idol singer and voice actress Ai Takabe has been arrested for drug possession, and the anime she most recently performed in has been pulled from online streaming as producers scrub her name from the cast.
On 1 December Yokohama customs and police departments announced the arrest of an allegedly high ranking 49-year-old member of the Sumiyoshikai yakuza group along with six other men in a case of smuggling. They found in his possession 17kg of rock salt, which was actually planted on him by Yokohama customs agents prior to his arrest. All involved are considering it a flawless example of proper law-enforcement.
If you’re confused by this then you might not be familiar with the police tactic known as “oyogasesosa” (swim investigation) or “controlled delivery” as it’s called in English speaking countries.
A taxi driver in Osaka has been taken into police custody after it was discovered that he had given snacks laced with a powerful diuretic to as many as 50 of his female passengers and refused to let them exit the vehicle so that he could watch them squirm, and in some cases urinate, in the back of his cab.
When traveling abroad it’s always advised that you look into the country’s rules and regulations before departing. You never know what activity, considered perfectly acceptable in your homeland, might turn out to be taboo or even a crime in another.
So it’s nice when your hotel sends you a “Warm Notice” like the Star Hotel in China had, which outlines what you may and may not do in your room. The note is dated from 2013 but it was recently posted on Imgur where it gained a lot of attention for it’s simple but important message…
Police have arrested a Hiroshima man after it became clear that he had injected himself with a drug he claimed to have thought perfectly legal. So assured in his convictions that the drug was legit, the man supposedly approached police of his own accord because he “felt strange” upon taking it and wanted them to determine what was causing it.
The beach can be a great place to go to get away from it all. From listening to the gently rolling waves to smelling the ocean air and picking up seashells, there is nothing quite like a relaxing visit to the shore. Usually the most surprising thing found in the sand or water is a strange-looking sea creature, but one man stumbled upon a record-breaking 80 kg of cocaine on November 19 off the shores of Yokosuka City in Kanagawa Prefecture. Police say its street value is about 4.8 billion yen (US$47 million) and they are now looking into whoever was wishing for an apparently very white Christmas.











Gundam teams up with 300-year-old daruma maker for wood-carved anime mecha figures[Photos]
Tokyo’s new extra-expensive ramen restaurant is dividing opinions, so we tried a bowl
Japan’s instant ramen snack theme park features an athletic course even adults can enjoy
Used chopsticks upgraded from “waste” to “valuable material” by Kawasaki City thanks to ChopValue
Krispy Kreme releases new limited-edition fox doughnuts at only four stores in Japan
Pizza Hut Japan’s drinkable curry pizza is here – Is it all we dreamed it would be?[Taste test]
Two new Sailor Moon art manhole covers are coming to Usagi’s real-world Tokyo neighborhood
Japanese temple burns to the ground, fire burning inside for 1,200 years unharmed
Bizarre Japanese vending machine sells “Peace and Equality” and “Angels and Demons”
Kanji ice cream becomes a sell-out hit in Japan
Japan has a new cute and clever sunblock for cat lovers
This Tokyo Station sweets sensation sells out daily, but we finally got our hands on it
Krispy Kreme Japan is bringing two special donuts to the most-forgotten big city in the country
Japan’s izakaya pubs closing at record pace, failing to attract foreign tourists
Tokyo’s life-size Gundam anime mecha statue will be removed this summer
The average age of Japan’s hikikomori shut-ins is getting older, survey shows
Japan enters Golden Week vacation period, survey shows one in three plan to ride it out at home
Ichiraku Ramen-inspired ramen sets from Naruto anime pay homage to Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura
Japan’s new Pokémon jackets give you the look and powers of the Kanto starter trio
Japan now has gyoza doughnuts, and they taste like no other doughnut we’ve tried before
New Kyoto Converse sneakers celebrate Japan with traditional kimono fabrics for your feet
Studio Ghibli releases new anime keychains that are like miniature figurines
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
Japan’s 5.3 million beautiful Hitachi Nemophila flowers are now in full bloom[Photos]
Pizza Hut Japan’s drinkable curry pizza is here – Is it all we dreamed it would be?[Taste test]
Two new Sailor Moon art manhole covers are coming to Usagi’s real-world Tokyo neighborhood
Japanese temple burns to the ground, fire burning inside for 1,200 years unharmed
Bizarre Japanese vending machine sells “Peace and Equality” and “Angels and Demons”
Kanji ice cream becomes a sell-out hit in Japan
Starbucks Japan hoping fans will go bananas for its new mottainai banana affogato Frappuccino
Krispy Kreme Japan is bringing two special donuts to the most-forgotten big city in the country
The story of our reporter P.K. Sanjun’s heart attack
McDonald’s Japan adds curry French fry flavor, regional-taste burgers to its menu with Gotochi Mac
Man in Japan calls in bomb threat because he doesn’t want to go to his own work farewell party
Japan’s izakaya pubs closing at record pace, failing to attract foreign tourists
Memorial bell inside Hiroshima’s Peace Park has been silenced, but for a sweet reason
Japanese vending machine find introduces us to a new drink you can’t get anywhere else
Tokyo’s life-size Gundam anime mecha statue will be removed this summer