TOKYO (TR) – Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested singer Noriyuki Makihara over the alleged possession of stimulant drugs illegal stimulant possession, reports the Yomiuri Shimbun (Feb. 13).
On April 11, 2018, officers found 0.083 grams of kakuseizai, or stimulant drugs, at the residence of Makihara, 50, in the Kaigan area of Minato Ward.
Since then police concluded that the contraband belongs to Makihara. He was arrested on Thursday. The Tokyo Wangan Police Station did not reveal whether he admits to the allegations.
Makihara shared the residence with a male acquaintance. On March 30, 2018, police found 64 milliliters of the illegal sex-enhancement drug Rush inside the premises.
On Thursday night, police raided their agency of Makihara in Shibuya Ward in search of evidence in the case.
In August, 1999 police arrested Makihara for the same crime. That December, the Tokyo District Court handed him an 18-month prison term, suspended for three years.
While a student at Aoyama Gakuin University in 1990, Makihara made his debut. The following year, the popularity of his hit single “Always” propelled him to the New Artist Award from the Japan Record Academy.
Makihara is also known for writing “The Only One Flower in the World,” which was recorded by boy band SMAP in 2003. The track sold nearly 2.6 million copies, placing it third all-time on the Oricon singles chart.
