Former marathon runner arrested for shoplifting

Sad. Once the sponsorship and endorsement money runs out for these former athletes, it must be difficult to go back to a 9-5 job like everyone else.

I've not thought much about it, but do once-famous people deserve to be put in front of the media again if they later commit petty crimes? An ordinary person would get no media attention from this, which is what Hara is now.

I don't want to read too much into an isolated petty incident, but as a father of kids who do sports, I do not think the dedication youth sports as practiced in Japan demand and the excessive attention given to them set kids up for a balanced life.

Joe.  Agree.  This whole notion of athletes as role models just because they can run or jump or kick a ball is something I have never quite figured out.

I find it crazy that politicians that steal millions and ceo's that kill people get golden parachutes and pensions from our taxes ,while people that reach the top of human abilities to represent their country on miniscule budgets are forced to either do naked shoots or steal to be able to survive the latter life....

so unfair it is truly depressing.

Alex - I was thinking the same. The current govt leaders can lie, swindle, bribe, mis-appropriate funds etc to the tune of $millions, but escape almost scot-free, whereas lesser beings get publicly crucified for minor discretions and / or face criminal charges. Being arrested and shamed nation-wide for $20 is the real crime.

In many of these high profile cases such as Hara-san, there are underlying stressful mental conditions and often such acts - the shoplifting of inconsequential objects - are an inadvertent call for help. Reams of documentation re this.

Or perhaps she is a hardened criminal and needs to be toughly treated and set as an example to others who may be eyeing off a chocolate bar?

Note to self. If planning on becoming shoplifter, specialize in 100 m sprint rather than marathon!

do once-famous people deserve to be put in front of the media again if they later commit petty crimes? 

Years ago, FLASH magazine ran a list of Japanese athletes who met with various tragedies. Those who had run-ins with the law were relatively few, but the message was that excellence in sports during one's youth was by no means a certain path to a happy and successful life.

If planning on becoming shoplifter, specialize in 100 m sprint rather than marathon! youll have to run much faster that that to avoid being seen by the security cameras.

The food part I can understand. Sometimes people fall on hard times and are driven by hunger to steal.

But make-up...?

Once the sponsorship and endorsement money runs out for these former athletes...

Most of the sponsorship money given by sponsors for big name events, goes back to the sponsors if their athlete wins. Nothing is free in Japan. Sure, the athlete receives some monetary reward - but it's literally nothing compared to what the sponsors receive back.