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Father of actor Tadanobu Asano arrested again for use of stimulant drugs

Yukihisa Sato
Yukihisa Sato (Twitter)

TOKYO (TR) – Tokyo Metropolitan Police have again arrested the father of actor Tadanobu Asano over the alleged use of stimulant drugs last week, reports Fuji News Network (July 2).

On the night of June 29, police stopped Yukihisa Sato, 68, for voluntary questioning at a convenience store. After an examination of his urine gave a positive result for kakuseizai, or stimulant drugs, he was arrested for use of the banned substance.

Police stopped Sato, who was in the company of a young woman, after he was observed to be sweating profusely and speaking incoherently.

In November of last year, police in Shibuya Ward also accused Sato of using stimulant drugs. In March, the Tokyo District Court handed Sato, who was previously convicted of the same crime in 2000 and 2008, a suspended prison term.

“Since there has not been a conviction within a 10-year period, the dependence on drugs is low,” the presiding judge said. “Treatment has begun, and there are relatives who will provide supervision.”

Sato is the president of the agency representing Asano. The 44-year-old actor last year appeared in the Sion Sono-directed comedy “Shinjuku Swan II.”