TOKYO (TR) – Simon, the former producer of the globally active all-girl music group XG, was released on bail on Wednesday following his indictment for using cocaine, reports TBS News (Mar. 25).
“I’m sorry,” Simon said while deeply bowing outside the Wangan Police Station before reporters at around 7:30 p.m. He had been granted bail with a bond of 2 million yen.
At around 12:30 a.m. on February 23, police found 39-year-old Simon, whose real name is Junho Sakai, and others to be in possession of an unspecified amount of cocaine and marijuana at a hotel in Aichi Prefecture.
On Tuesday, Sakai and two others were indicted for violating the Narcotics Control Act. According to the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office, the trio allegedly used cocaine in the hotel room.
Prosecutors have not disclosed whether they admit to the charges. However, Sakai confessed to using cocaine during questioning by Tokyo Metropolitan Police. “I started using cocaine about a year and a half ago,” he told police.
Prosecutors decided not to indict him for possession of cocaine due to insufficient evidence.
Music conglomerate Avex, which had commissioned Sakai to handle producer duties, commented, “We deeply apologize for causing so much worry and trouble to everyone.”
