Police in Narita City, Chiba Prefecture, have arrested 42-year-old Japanese rapper Kan a.k.a. GAMI for alleged marijuana possession.
The hip-hop MC, whose real name is Kunihiko Kawakami, was arrested Monday on suspicion of violating the Cannabis Control Law, Sankei Shimbun reported. Police said Kawakami, who lives in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward, has denied the charge and quoted him as saying he has no recollection of the cannabis.
Kawakami was allegedly carrying 0.5 grams of dried marijuana when he entered an acquaintance's home in Narita City at around 6:30 p.m. on June 15. According to police reports, an informant contacted the authorities and provided information on Kawakami’s whereabouts and possession of the illegal drug.
Kawakami was arrested on May 2 for possession of dried cannabis in Tokyo. He was out on bail when the latest arrest occurred.
© Japan Today
45 Comments
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Fighto!
If anyone is stupid enough to use illegal drugs in Japan, never, EVER use them around a Japanese acquaintance or friend. They will likely grass you up like the aquaintance of Kan a.k.a. GAMI.
Stick to the beers, sake, shochu and whiskey.
Mickelicious
"Sorry, I was stoned at the time" doesn't work, then?
Definitely stick to the beers, sake, shochu and whiskey.
Cricky
For the love of Gods, 0.5 grams, of a natural plant? Such stupidity for this to be a Police matter. Why are police involved in personal non harmful choices?
timeon
Cricky, because it is illegal. The police doesn't make the law, they just enforce it. If a rat says that somebody is doing something illegal, it is their duty to arrest him/her, irrelevant of what you or me think about the law. And yes, I love a big fat joint, but I will never smoke in Japan
sensei258
Damn a whole half a gram? What did they use to find it a scanning electron microscope?
Leopold Federmair
"Stick to the beers, sake, shochu and whiskey": Kill yourself faster!
Shuki Greer
Japan really needs to come into the 21st century. He's getting arrested over half a gram? That's absurd. With all the floods they are dealing with, plus Chinese aggression, etc, the last thing they need to waste resources on is a private citizen with a little pot. He's not hurting anyone with his weed, but your criminal justice system may detrimentally affect his career. Think about it.
Hawkeye
Japanese need to use cbd and thc products to relieve their tension levels. Would make for a happier life and reduce alcohol consumption and associated issues from getting gobsmacked etc every night. Been there done it and regret it.
Silvafan
Either the informant got caught, and the police used hostage justice to force him to make a list of anyone that he knows are cannabis users or the informant is someone angry at the rapper and wanted to get revenge. It explains the small amount on him at the time.
Most of these celebrities and other defendants rarely get caught in the act. They usually get caught because of the reason mentioned above.
It is one reason as a foreigner that I do not share really personal information with Japanese people. I mean look at Ghosn as another perfect example.
Ah_so
I am not sure that this is really the case - laws are a tool that can be used as appropriate. I was with someone once who was stopped in possession while rolling up in a park (in the UK). The policeman just told him off, threw his very small supply into the pond and gave him a warning not to do it again and what a criminal record for drugs could do to his career.
That was appropriate discretion - there was no need to arrest and charge him.
Incidentally, it wouldn't have made any difference to his career - he has gone on to become a moderately successful comedian and film maker.
commanteer
I feel so much safer that the brave police are directing their energies to removing dangerous criminals like this form the streets.
bokuda
Crippy enought, the police does make the law in Japan.
Prosecutors will dictate the new laws to the lawmakers. And if the lawmakers take initiative and make the laws by themselves still the prosecutors will have the final decision.
Tommy Eddy Kookabura
Other countries use it as medical substance for mental health issues in Japan you still can jump Monday morning infront of a train cos nobody really cares about mental health in Japan.
Dango bong
this must be the only country left where you can get arrested for that
asdfgtr
Reminds me of that old American film “Reefer Madness” aka “Marijuana, The Weed With Roots In Hell”.
WA4TKG
OMG! Call out the SWAT Team.
Do all you readers out there know Cannabis was LEGAL in Japan before WWII?
Guess who changed that.
Logical_Fallacy_Killer
Victimless crime. Whoever the rat was that turned him in is a punk.
Paul
Exactly, Japan is a country of snitches!!! The lowest form of life...
ReasonandWisdomNippon
If you look at the evidence when it comes to Marijuana, its safer then alcohol, no one ever died of smoking too much weed. It has many many health benefits and the reason it's becoming more legal worldwide.
It doesn't make you violent or aggressive its the opposite of that. I believe Japan is behind by a lot when it comes to understanding Marijuana and all of its benefits and uses.
socrateos
Fighto!:
No.
If murdering or stealing is illegal, just don't do it, even if you feel you can get away with it.
If something is illegal, just don't do it, even if you feel you can get away with it.
If something is illegal and you feel it should not be, then make it legal first.
Fighto!
@ Socrateos - hence my post stating that people in Japan should not use illegal drugs, and stick to consuming the vast array of alcohol available (very affordable and legal in Japan).
If anyone is dumb enough to do something illegal, like drugs, DO NOT attempt it around Japanese people. You will be caught.
Zaphod
Ridiculous. But he should have known the situation in Japan. Stick to booze.
doggar
Marijuana is a seriously addictive, dangerous drug. 97% of marijuana users go on to use heroin, meth or cocaine. Japan should adapt the laws of malaysia-- death penalty.
Zaphod
doggar
LOL, where did you get that nonsense from? Some government pamphlet from the 60s?
Emily Jean
@WA4TKG
Yes. It was the US that banned it
These ignorant people are an embarrassment
asdfgtr
Here is a powerful film clip from 1936 warning about the dangers of marijuana:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=aYHDzrdXHEA
Wolfpack
Rap and marijuana are often found together. It’s a thing.
socrateos
Fighto!
No. you avoid any illegal activity because it is illegal, not because you get caught.
You avoid crime because it is wrong, not because you get punished.
Kumagaijin
More likely a government pamphlet from 2020.
Strangerland
There's something to be said for civil disobedience in certain situations. It forces government to be accountable to the people rather than acting as a unidirectional dictatorship.
Strangerland
You seem to be thinking law = morality. While they are often in line, they sometimes aren't. There is nothing morally wrong with smoking marijuana. However, it is illegal.
I don't smoke marijuana in Japan, because I don't want to get punished. It has nothing to do with it being wrong - my opinion in this case is that the law is wrong and does more damage to society than the drug itself.
Strangerland
Pretty much every industry and marijuana are often found together. Lawyers, teachers, prison guards, police (in places where it's legal), IT people, restaurant workers.
I'm not sure why you picked this particular industry to point out, but I'm sure it has nothing to do with it being a black art form.
Strangerland
That's actually true of alcohol. It's been proven to not be true with marijuana smokers however. Maybe you got your drugs mixed up.
Michael Machida
Im still stuck on Japanese Rapper.
Mr Kipling
He can now legitimately call himself a “gangster rapper”..
Ken Wyatt
Was he violently attacking other people?
Causing property damage?
Or was he just minding his own business?
If so, coppers should not bother wasting tax payers' money on trivial stuff like this.
Tailgaters and red light ignorers are more dangerous, so go and arrest them.
sir_bentley28
hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha (inhales) hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
What? Where did you hear this? From a Nixon advisor? Let's look at Snoop Dog. He's been blazing' since the lat 80s-early 90s. Willie Nelson been smoking since dinosaurs were up and around and NEVER has anyone of them "went on to use heroin, meth or cocaine".
Don't these people in Japan know that there's an equation to it all:
Hip hop = Weed
Rock = Cocaine/heroine
Will Taylor
Snitches get stitches.
Urbestbud
Yeah! Tell the Chinese that it is against the law to voice their opinion. They shouldn't try to have freedom. It's against the law. (insert sarcasm)
Ah_so
Something Rosa Parks should have thought of before going on her crime spree. She broke the law, therefore she did wrong.
Or maybe it is your logic that is wrong
Cannabis
when will Japan see that cannabis is a medicinal tool.
Luis David Yanez
Well, you can actually legally get CBD based products in Japan.
I actually have been using CBD for anxiety for about a month now.
Ah_so
Years ago I saw a survey of how Japanese people rank crime. The top three were:
Murder
Rape
Drugs [dealing and use were not specified]Just shows how a population can be brainwashed. Not surprising that someone will snitch considering how grave many consider it.