Roppongi hostess influencer arrested in cocaine case
SingTao · 1 SOURCES1 day ago2 MIN
Summary
Tokyo nightlife figure and influencer Rino Tazawa was arrested with her 28-year-old boyfriend after police allegedly found cocaine and other suspected narcotics-related items at their home in Roppongi. The case drew wider attention after video from her transfer showed her making playful facial expressions toward cameras, triggering a backlash online.
Key Points
- The Metropolitan Police Department arrested 27-year-old Rino Tazawa and her live-in boyfriend, 28-year-old Kota Fukumoto, over suspected cocaine possession at their residence in Roppongi, Minato Ward, Tokyo.
- Police said they had received a tip earlier this year alleging Tazawa used cocaine, then conducted an internal investigation for several months before the September 15 search.
- Officers executing a search warrant allegedly found about 0.4 grams of cocaine, 21 packets of white powder pending identification, and several straws suspected of drug use.
- Tazawa reportedly admitted the cocaine belonged to both of them and said they used it together, while Fukumoto denied ownership and tried to distance himself from the case.
- During transfer to Harajuku Police Station and prosecutors on September 17, Tazawa was filmed winking, pouting and sticking out her tongue in the police car, fueling criticism.
Why It Matters
The case has become more than a routine drug arrest because Tazawa is a high-profile nightlife celebrity with more than 330,000 social media followers and a strong commercial profile in Tokyo’s hostess industry. For Hong Kong readers, it also underscores how quickly criminal allegations involving internet-famous entertainment figures can become cross-border tabloid news once arrest footage spreads online.