Singer-songwriter Noriyuki Makihara, 50, was arrested on Thursday on suspicion of the possession of both stimulant and pharmaceutical drugs.
According to a senior official of the Metropolitan Police Department, Makihara is suspected to have been in possession of about 64 milliliters of a liquid called "Rush," which contains a designated substance, in a condominium he lived in at that time in Minato Ward, Tokyo, on March 30, 2018.
He is also suspected of possessing 0.083 grams of stimulant crystals while living in the same room on April 11 that same year.
According to a source close to the investigation, his roommate, a man in his 40s, was arrested in March on suspected violation of the Stimulant Drugs Control Law. Upon searching the room, the police found stimulants and other drugs, leading to the suspicion that Makihara was in possession of stimulant drugs.
In August 1999, Makihara was also arrested by the MPD along with his roommate on suspicion of the possession of stimulant drugs. In December of the same year, he was found guilty by the Tokyo District Court and was sentenced to 1-1/2 years in prison with a three-year stay of execution.
Makihara debuted in 1990 and won the new artist of the year award at the Japan Record Awards for his song, "Donna Toki Mo," (At any given time) in 1991. After that, he released a string of hit songs, including "Mo Koi Nante Shinai" (I'll never love again) and "Spy." He provided the band SMAP with "Sekai ni Hitotsu Dake no Hana" (The one and only flower in the world), which sold more than 3 million copies and is said to be the bestselling single in the Heisei era.
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