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“I noticed something was wrong after she took the second tablet. I tried resuscitation but it didn’t work,” explained actor and singer Manabu Oshio, 31, during the police interrogation. I didn’t know it was illegal. The deceased woman was the one who brought the tablets.”
That is what Oshio has been saying since he was arrested last week for violating the anti-narcotics drugs law. Not only is Oshio denying the charges – it appears he’s trying to lay the blame on the woman who was found dead and naked on Aug 2 at the actor’s "hide-out" condo in Roppongi Hills.
The following day, after an autopsy, the body of the woman identified only as "A" was taken to her hometown in Hida by her family. ‘A’ worked as a nail artist in Nagoya upon graduating from a local high school, married at the age of 23 and moved to Ishikawa Prefecture where she started working at a “kyabakura” (cabaret club). Her marriage didn’t last and she moved to Tokyo to work at a Shinjuku kyabakura in 2007.
According to neighbors in ‘A’’s hometown, her ex-husband came to Hida on Aug 4 to attend the wake. “I heard something going on outside in the middle of the night and saw her ex-husband at the entrance of the home, crying with his hands in prayer. ‘A’’s father came out of the house and begged him to come inside.” The father was heard saying to his former son-in-law, “If only she had stayed married to you, this may not have happened." She was cremated the following day.
What remains bizarre is the disbelief expressed by funeral attendants and neighbors at the snapshot of ‘A’ published in the weekly magazine Friday that was sold on Aug 6. Although a black bar was placed over the eyes, the snapshot did not resemble the woman these people knew, or photos of the deceased that Shukan Post had obtained.
It is not clear when or how ‘A’ met Oshio, but her former coworker commented, “She started working in Shinjuku early in 2007. She was mentioning Oshio’s name about 6 months after. I didn’t think they were deeply involved but she asked me once if I wanted to see his concert with her.”
After working in Shinjuku and then in Roppongi, ‘A’ successfully found herself a job at a high-class club in Ginza, which had been her dream. A fellow hostess described ‘A’ as tall, slender, good-looking and popular, but never wore a dress that exposed her back because she had a traditional Japanese-style tattoo of a koi (carp).
Oshio began appearing at this Ginza club once or twice a month, but always accompanied by another man who paid the tab. Although ‘A’ was not the one "assigned" to Oshio on these visits, it seemed obvious to the other hostesses that they were on close terms.
Oshio was already living alone at the time, and it was rumored that his estranged wife, actress Akiko Yada, was preparing to file for divorce. The fact that her husband, although separated, was using the drug commonly known as ecstasy (MDMA) but also arrested with a naked Ginza hostess who had died from an overdose in his condo, must have been too much for her to handle. Upon hearing of the news, Yada only made a short statement, “He’s betrayed me.” It also remains possible that Oshio may be charged with manslaughter, depending on what the police uncover.
Not only was ‘A’’s dream of success in Tokyo shattered by her involvement with Oshio, she also paid the ultimate price for that ecstasy.
© Japan Today
34 Comments
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ca1ic0cat
Same thing happened to the daughter of our accountant. Then the guy abandoned her body in a car. She wasn't found for a week. They locked him up. I hope Oshio gets the same.
benhur
damn... thats too close to home innit?!
biglittleman
No surprise he is blaming it on the deceased woman. I heard that before her death she text someone asking if she should take the drug with Oshio. If true, then it would mean he gave it to her and not the other way around. Why would someone ask if it cool to do a drug if it theirs to begin with? I hope he gets a stiff sentence if he is the culprit.
Jkanda
The whole thing was wrong. He creates pain to the woman he is married to. What are the chances for hostesses to meet a potential life partner during their work? The men who come to these clubs, aren't most of them involved and are not free to get married? The moment the hostess finds out that he is married or involved why not move on to the next guy? Why steal something that belongs to someone? My sympathies to the family of the girl. Heartbreaking for them.
kyoken
I can not picture that. They take drugs, she faints, he undresses her to give her a heart massage. Or they had sex and needed some stimulant ... we will never know.
tokyotom
obviously no-one deserves to die, both were playing a dangerous game on many levels, likely enjoying the excitement of it all
biglittleman
Oshio is scum and is lying to save his butt. He is actually worse because he was cheating on his wife then bailed on a dying women who needed his help.
JeffLee
She worked in a cabaret? As a singer, dancer, performer? I read elsewhere she was just a hostess.
tkoind2
Too many young girls end up as kyabajo or hostesses. People rationalize it as a good job and way for girls to make money. But in the end doesn't this just objectify women? And what does it do to them long term?
I have known a few friends who worked as hostesses in my years in Japan. Though I have never been to one of their clubs, their stories paint a pretty sad picture. For most they have ended up alone or in bad relationships with former customers when they leave the trade. And their view of men is often permanently warped thanks to the men they meet in that world.
I feel sorry for this girl. Didn't anyone have the care for her to try to help her find other options? Or talk to her about why her chosen career could lead to a darker side?
Oshio is a scum bag who I firmly believe is responsible for the death of this poor girl. His negligence should be punished along with his obvious abuse of drugs. But beyond all that he should be socially and professionally crucified for his failure to do the right and humane thing and help that poor girl.
He is lucky I do not rule Japan. He would find himself with a choice of five years volunteer work in Helmud province Afghanistan where he could take his chances to reform. Or he could face public shame chained to a pole in Shibuya for all to see for two weeks before serving a long prison term.
fds
unfortunately, we will never know what really happened but she was a consenting adult and as far as we know, took the drugs of her own free will. if fact its possible that she took the second pill cause the sex was so good after the first one.
cow76
Another death caused by drugs being illegal. Had ecstasy been a legal drug, the guy would have called the ambulance instead of his manager and the girl would have survived. (Other benefits of legalising drugs include lower police numbers, lower jail populations, lower criminalisation rates, cleaner/safer drugs, more tax income, better health and LOWER LEVELS OF DRUG USE which has been proved by the experiment in Portugal).
Makkun70
Well, we can assume all we like, but it looks like they were dropping at home, so perhaps dropped and then had sex as they came up the drug. This can be quite nice, as we know ecstasy creates a feeling of warmth and empathy, so taken prior to a sex act can be quite sensual. I would argue like many before that they didn't get ecstasy, it was something else and it went down hill from there..
Wakarimasen
Agree - if not for the ridiculous Victorian attitudes to drugs in Japan (across the world?) this tragedy could have been prevented. What will never be prevented by making drugs illegal is people experimenting with them.
2020hindsight
Have to agree with cow76 and Wakarimasen. Legalizing drugs is the best way to stop all this nonsense.
Well maybe some ambulance workers may have had more success. Selfish idiot.
frontandcentre
Assuming that she wasn't tricked or coerced into taking the drugs, then obviously the deceased woman could be held at least partly responsible for the tragic outcome. However, this nightmare scenario is one in which it's easy enough for Oshio to blame everything on the dead woman, who obviously cannot contradict his version of events.
Is it likely that she bought the drugs, got naked and then took them with Oshio? Maybe - but if they find out he did buy them, I suspect that he'll be going down. If it turns out that he is lying and trying to save his a**e by blaming the victim of his stupidity, then a long stretch is the least he deserves....
Jizzeez
Blaming the woman who died in your bed to save your ass is pretty damn low. I hope he gets it good in jail.
lovejazz
I agree. If we legalize drugs, more people will experiment. This will stop all this nonsense of people dying from experimenting with illegal drugs.
Bento
There is no evidence to suggest that legalizing drugs increases the numbers using them,in fact there is more evidence of the reverse.
gogogo
I'm surprised he didn't blame roppongi as well.
lovejazz
You don't believe that the usage of marijuana would increase in Japan if it were legalized and the price came down as a result if its legalization?
tkoind2
Legalizing some drugs makes sense. You can tax MJ just as you tax alcohol and tobacco. It is very arguable that it has similar negative impact to these two widely accepted vices. Therefore it makes sense to stop wasting money on supressing and to start earning money off regulated sales. This will wipe out any related organized crime who are involved in the sale of MJ and stop all this press nonsense over something that is far less deadly to the general public than alcohol which frequently results in drunk driving and other issues.
As for the legalization of other drugs. I have mixed feelings. The fact is that markets will exist regardless and the crime that supports them. To offer regulated products would ensure safe drugs and require notification of dangers to potential users all while eliminating criminal networks ability to profit from them. This seems like a win for some drugs and may even result in the development of less dangerous substances to replace existing ones.
But I an not sure we are ready for this second step. But had it existed, how many people, like this poor hostess, would still be with us today?
Rugbyfan
I agree with Frontandcentre and Jizzeez, this low life Oshio deserves everthing he gets. I really hope they don't give him a suspended sentence but actually put him in prison for the longest time possible.
herefornow
Rugbyfan -- absolutely. Scum is way too nice a word to use to describe Oshio. If he somehow manages to emerge from this unscathed, and has any kind of career in the future, then Japan certainly has lost all sense of a moral compass.
SpanishEyez37
First of all my condolences to the family. Second @womantowoman:Men aren't ''stolen''. They choose not to keep their vows and lay down with someone else.
Actually ,some of the wives ARE aware that their hubby are out catting around,but turn a blind eye because they enjoy the lifestyle they are living and money the husband brings home and why give it up? I knew one guy who's wife would pack his bag to go visit his ''mistress'' for the weekend. She enjoyed the lifestyle, but she didn't want to be bothered with ''the sex thing'' So it's unfair to blame it all on the female.
cow76
tkoind2, I admit it sounds radical to legalise all drugs but the experiment in Portugal (which everyone should research) has proved that drug use will fall in all categories when legalised.
Lovejazz, I believe young people use drugs partly to rebel against society and parents. If they were legal, usage would not be an act of rebellion and usage would fall. Again, Portugal.
Moderator: Back on topic please.
Jkanda
You are right spanisheyes. So hard to believe this behavior of women. And I am yet to find out for myself the behavior change of Jwomen after their pregnancy. I am new to this kind of thing. Everything is about the materialistic outlook on life.No wonder they are struggling at this time of crisis.
seesaw
What a sad way to die for that woman. RIP. Oshio must be punished accordingly, regardless of who he is.
timorborder
Think any arguments about drug legalization are irrelevant in this case. With a synthetic drug such as ecstasy, etc., the treatment window in cases of overdose is really small. It is highly likely that this woman would have checked out anyway even if she had been given quick medical attention.
Irrespective of such issues, however, people who abandon others in distress are beyond contempt.
tkoind2
timorborder. I have to disagree. Two doses of "E" or MDMA would not result in death unless some other extenuating circumstances such as drug interaction or allergy were present if the drugs were pharmicy issued, legal and authentic.
Illegal drugs are not tested, proven and documented as having a consistent dosage, safe ingredience and very predictable interactions with other drugs. They do not benefit from regulation that would assure quality and predictability. So it is very arguable that this girl may still be alive had she taken legal vs illegals drugs.
Likewise if the drugs were legal, there would be far less reason for Oshio to fear helping the girl and to act in a responsible manner. If someone falls ill on a prescription most people would call. And we see people caring for overly drunk people suffering from near alcohol poisoning every weekend on Japan's train lines. And doing so without fear or prosecution or social admonition.
Legalizing, taxing and controlling drugs may well be the answer to crime, safety and control that could result in declining use. It is something that should be very seriously studied.
As for Oshio. I still say he should spend some time in Afghanistan rebuilding schools to pay for this crime or end up in a deep dark jail somewhere. Coward and selfish moron that he is, a couple years in Afghanistan doing good work and fearing for his own hide might make a man of him. Or at least teach him to appreciate life.
AK619
Japan should not legalize drugs, this place will turn into a mad house where criminals will use the drug to control an already weak minded suicidal people.
Many young people from 16 to 21 years of age died from using MDMA in America. The drug isn't popular anymore from what I heard because its dangerous. Its really stupid to hear grown up people doing this type of drug at 31 years of age, I can't imagine abusing my bodies at that old age.
They should put Oshio in jail for a long time, he's a very selfish immature guy. He could've possibly saved that girls life if he had called the ambulance when she overdosed, instead he left her dead like a monster, even a teenager would call the Police when there friends overdose. I hope he rots in jail for a long time, he cared nothing about that Hostess girl or his wife. What a scum bag....
Nessie
I blame society. On second thought...he's a scumbag.
nemoflow
WAY more people die of Alcohol related issues than they do of taking Ecstasy. The social impacts of Ecstasy have actually proven to be beneficial in many ways; look at the mid-late 80'S in England. Ecstasy pretty much destroyed the whole Hooligan scene and made way for much more peaceful social lives for a very large amount of people.
You can die from taking it, admittedly, but most of the deaths are related to dehydration and over-heating which could be avoided through education.
My theory is, this hostess was already really drunk when she took the pills, was probably dehydrated for days before, and being Japanese, had never been educated in the ways of correct hydration when taking stimulants.
Shame she died, for sure, and this Oshio guy needs to be held accountable. His claim that he didn't know that the pills were illegal is blatant rubbish.
funkymofo
Agree with you nemoflow, perhaps the pills contained something other than MDMA. As ecstacy is illegal, the chemistry is left up to criminals, by definition the worst people's hands to put your life into. A quick question for AK619- how would legalising drugs allow criminals to control Japanese people?
funkymofo
http://www.economist.com/sciencetechnology/displaystory.cfm?story_id=12792611
An interesting article on ecstasy
I agree with other people, the guy is a dick and should be punished for his failure to render assistance etc.