YeinJee's Asian Journal

Japanese folks are shocked by two high profile celebrity drug scandals last week.

Actor-singer Manabu Oshio, 31, was arrested on Monday for illegal drug use and is under investigation for the death of a woman.

Oshio admitted that he was taking drugs with the lady before her death, but was coerced to do so… the media are not buying the story though, considering how poor his image has been in the past few years.

The woman’s cause of death will be determined in a week or two, and it’s still remained to be seen if Oshio was further involved in the case.

His management agency Avex is swift to cut off his contract though; and his actress wife Akiko Yada, 30, is filing a divorce. It’s also revealed that the couple has been separated for about six months, with Oshio’s extra-marital affairs one of the major reasons.

Once the brightest Japanese star earlier this decade; his attitude has caused his own downfall over the years… and this final chaos is going to bury his entertainment career for good.

The second case is probably more disheartening, involving singer-actress Noriko Sakai, 38, who was adored for her clean image for the past two decades.

The news first broke out that Sakai was missing with her 10-year-old son following her husband’s arrest (on Tuesday) for possession of illegal substances.

The public showed sympathy initially and worried about her where-about, but was later shocked by the news that the police has issued arrest warrant on Sakai.

Apparently the cops found more illegal substances from her home; and her husband seems to suggest that Sakai was a drug user as well.

Sakai was asked to go give a police statement, but she slipped away giving the excuse that she needs to find a caretaker for her kid and went missing since. Her son was later found under a friend’s care, but she’s still hiding somewhere.

[update] Sakai turned herself in.

Sakai was a famous J-pop singer in late 80s and early 90s, popular in some other Asian countries as well; her later career shifted towards acting with mixed results.