The younger brother of Japanese pop singer and actress Noriko Sakai has been arrested for allegedly threatening a man's life with a gun.
According to police, Takeshi Yoshihawa, 34, allegedly pointed a handgun at another motorist and threatened to kill him on a freeway in Koga, Fukuoka Prefecture, on June 26 this year, TV Asahi reported Wednesday. Police say Yoshiwara then went missing for several months until causing a traffic accident on a freeway in the town of Ube, Yamaguchi Prefecture, on Tuesday at around 2:20 p.m.
Yoshiwara is believed to have been driving a rented car at the time of the incident, which he abandoned as he fled from the scene of the crash. He was later arrested by officers in Ube, TV Asahi reported.
During police questioning, Yoshiwara declined to speak until he had consulted a lawyer, police said.
Sakai, 41, was herself on the run from the law in 2009 when police issued a warrant for her arrest on charges of drug possession. She was given a suspended sentence which ended last month and she made her showbiz comeback in a stage play this month.
© Japan Today
21 Comments
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papigiulio
Quite a family habit to flee. Good that they caught him, punish him hard.
Disillusioned
Did they get the gun?
WilliB
that is one screwed-up family.
Elbuda Mexicano
Just your typical YAKUZA family here in Japan, so I do hope they throw that book at him! Idiot!
Okinawamike
During police questioning, >Yoshiwara declined to speak until he had consulted a lawyer<, police said.
Wait, that's an option?
Mirai Hayashi
THIS
and
THIS
Sakai is no good...nothing about her is any good. She should never be let back into the public light again...EVER!
taj
"During police questioning, Yoshiwara declined to speak until he had consulted a lawyer, police said."
The one smart thing he did.
Pretty messed up family. That said, the sins of the husband and the sins of the brother, don't necessarily mean that she should not be able to work to be able to legally support herself.
tmarie
So much for that nursing life eh?? I wish I didn't have to keep hearing about her or her family.
WA4TKG
Was it an "ASSULT" weapon ?; I thought HAND GUNs were ILLEGAL in J-Pan ? How come there isn't a ENTIRE HEARD of Anti-Gun Kooks commenting about THIS one ? WHERE are you " Japan is such a SAFE Country " Gi'Ji' Pro-Nationalist types ?
Alex Einz
Give her a break, aint her fault and showbiz well intertwined here as well as anywhere really with the other side of the law. trust me, you dont want to go over anyone here with a fine tooth comb...
smithinjapan
Awww.... just when the J-public was feeling sorry for Nori-P and celebrating her comeback. I guess it's in the genes.
TokyoGas
Wow, talk about a rotten barrel of apples. Sister does a runner because of drug possession charges and brother threatens a man with a gun. Charming.
WA4TKG
Thanks Laguna; I realized that after I hit the ENTER button, but by then it was too late. Woops.
nandakandamanda
Or should that have been whoops! :-D
It could have been a model gun, for all we know.
Fadamor
Interesting that instead of commenting on the suspect, most of the comments here are bashing the suspect's sister.
Herve Nmn L'Eisa
So, is the sister her brother's keeper? Or is he responsible for his own actions? Was it a water gun? Don't know, do we?
Frungy
Article 30 (1) of the criminal procedure code
Article 39 (1) of the criminal procedure code
Articles 76, 77, 78, and so on also apply. These spell out (amongst other things) that you need to be informed of your right to a lawyer.
So yes, you're allowed a lawyer, and you're allowed a private interview with your lawyer without anyone snooping in any way.
There is a massive gaping loophole though, being asked to "assist the police with their enquiries" (i.e. unofficial questioning) doesn't fall under the criminal procedure code, so if you're not officially charged or subpoenaed then you're in a bit of a legal grey zone. I think this may be where this popular misconception springs from, that mostly the police "ask" people to come down to answer some questions and generally this yields enough information to then file charges, by which point it is too late to call for a lawyer.
Patrick Hagger
A typical case of road rage in the United States, no bullets no foul
darknuts
The Lindsey Lohan of Japan.
AustPaul
"There is a massive gaping loophole though, being asked to "assist the police with their enquiries" (i.e. unofficial questioning) doesn't fall under the criminal procedure code, so if you're not officially charged or subpoenaed then you're in a bit of a legal grey zone. I think this may be where this popular misconception springs from, that mostly the police "ask" people to come down to answer some questions and generally this yields enough information to then file charges, by which point it is too late to call for a lawyer"
Why? If you attend the station of your own volition should you not be allowed to leave at any time as well? If you then become a suspect and arrested then your rights as an arrested person should kick in...
gokai_wo_maneku
Yes, where did he get the gun? Was it real?