Chage and Aska are a popular singing duo in Japan (as well as other parts of Asia) and one-half of that duo (Aska) was caught having possessed and used the drug, Ecstasy.
My issue is that many entertainers (geinojin), end up having their sentences suspended by the courts. Back in 2009, popular singer/actress Noriko Sakai was involved in a drug scandal and later arrested for having possessed stimulant drugs. While she served several days in detention and later admitted to using illegal stimulants (amphetamine), she received a suspended jail term of 3 years so long as she stayed out of trouble (which she did). The irony is that like many entertainers, she also did some anti-drug spots.
During the 3 years, she stayed completely out of the limelight except for a 2011 tour in Beijing. In late 2012, she held a press conference to announce her return to the geinokai in December 2012. Note that in the 90’s, I was a pretty big fan of hers and like many others, felt disappointed in her actions (even though I’d long stopped following her career).
Similarly, Tetsuya Komuro, a famous songwriter and producer of many popular 90’s JPOP acts including Amuro Namie, Kahala Tomomi, Suzuki Ami, TRF, and hitomi (as well as founding member of popular 80’s group, TM Network and in the 90’s, globe), was arrested and charged for fraud in November 2008.
Komuro took a ¥500,000,000 in exchange to sell to a Hyogo-based investor the copyright to his songs (which he had already sold to Avex Holdings). Prosecutors again wanted him to serve a prison term but the courts gave Komuro a 3 year suspended prison sentence in May 2009 since he accepted responsibility for his actions and also made restitution.
Later that summer, Komuro appeared in surprise performance at a-nation (which is a concert event comprised of Avex Holdings acts). Outside of that, Komuro kept low key though (writing music for other performers) in terms of public appearances. It wasn’t until 2012 and 2013 that he made a full time return including partnering up with his TM Network bandmates again to release a new single and album as well as embark on a nationwide tour.
And there are many other cases like this where if it were the average citizen, they’d have the book thrown at them. Entertainers on the other hand can perform the ritualistic shazai (謝罪) apology by expressing their apologies for their misdeeds and bowing deeply. The result is often times a suspended sentence so long as they remain out of trouble for the period of time mandated by the judge.
The thing is that Japanese prisons are notoriously harsh and regimented in a way that is meant to reform non-white collar criminals. So I can see why judges may prefer the suspended sentence route when remorse is shown and restitution/compensation provided (except of course in the most egregious of cases). Most of these folks don’t belong going to prisons like that. Still, this continually letting off entertainers sends the wrong signals.
