InfoAnda - Japanese pop star Sakai pleads guilty to drug charges

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Yahoo! My Yahoo! Mail More Yahoo! Services Account Options New User? Sign Up Sign In Help Yahoo! Search web search Home Singapore Asia Pacific World Business Entertainment Sports Technology Australia China India Indonesia Japan Malaysia Philippines Thailand Vietnam Japanese pop star Sakai pleads guilty to drug charges AFP - Tuesday, October 27 Send IM Story Print Japanese pop star Sakai pleads guilty to drug charges TOKYO (AFP) - – Japanese pop star Noriko Sakai pleaded guilty Monday to illegal drugs charges and prosecutors demanded 18 months' jail in a trial that has sparked intense public interest and frenzied media coverage. More than 6,600 people lined up for just 20 visitors' seats in the Tokyo District Court -- second only to the crowds drawn by the 1996 trial of the doomsday cult leader behind the deadly Tokyo subway sarin gas attacks. Sakai, 38, is a former teenage pop idol turned actress, known in the 1990s for her innocent girl-next-door image and later for her perfect mum persona, whose fame extends to China, Taiwan and South Korea. She was arrested on August 8, a week after her surfer-husband Yuichi Takaso, 41, was taken into custody after police caught him with drugs, reportedly methamphetamines, in Tokyo's Shibuya entertainment district. Sakai told the court she started using drugs about four years ago, encouraged by Takaso, and had used them almost every month since summer 2008. "I was exhausted physically and mentally at that time," said Sakai, who appeared in a black suit and clenched a white handkerchief. "I am to blame," she told the court, Jiji Press reported. "I want to quit stimulant drugs completely and make efforts to rebuild public trust." Asked her occupation, she said she was "unemployed," media reports said. Sakai said she wanted to divorce her husband and start her life over again, possibly joining the nursing profession, local media said. Takaso, a self-described professional surfer, said in his own trial last week that he was carrying illegal "stimulants" at the time of his arrest on August 3 because he was planning to use them later with his wife. His arrest eventually resulted in drug charges against Sakai, whose enduring fame had won her advertising contracts with carmaker Toyota, government public awareness campaigns and even a role in a commercial against youth drug abuse. Adding to the drama, Sakai went on the run for about a week before turning herself in to police and admitting to habitual drug use. She then spent more than a month in detention on charges of possessing and using illegal stimulants before being released on bail of five million yen (about 55,000 dollars). A verdict and sentencing are scheduled for November 9. Recommend Send IM Story Print Related Articles Japanese solar car leads race Down Under AFP - Tuesday, October 27 Thai police arrest suspect in Aussie ring heist AP - Tuesday, October 27 Sri Lankan committee to answer abuse allegations AP - Tuesday, October 27 Pakistan kills 19 militants in border offensive AP - Tuesday, October 27 Pakistanis battle Taliban after diversionary raid Reuters - Tuesday, October 27 News Search Top Stories Euro hits fresh 14-month highs against dollar German consumer sentiment falls: GfK Electrolux to close two US plants ING to raise 7.5 bln euros to repay govt, restructure Sean Penn arrives in Cuba to interview Fidel Castro More Top Stories » ADVERTISEMENT Most Popular Most Viewed Most Recommended Thousands eat breakfast on Sydney Harbour Bridge Recession or not? US economy likely to be in limbo Obama declares swine flu emergency Sean Penn arrives in Cuba to interview Fidel Castro Madoff associate Picower found dead: police More Most Viewed » Boyzone singer Gately dies in Spain Mobile phone giant Nokia sues Apple over patents More Most Recommended » Elsewhere on Yahoo! Financial news on Yahoo! Finance Stars and latest movies Best travel destinations More on Yahoo! News Home Singapore Asia Pacific World Business Entertainment Sports Technology Subscribe to our news feeds Top StoriesMy Yahoo!RSS » More news feeds | What are news feeds? Also on Yahoo Answers Groups Mail Messenger Mobile Travel Finance Movies Sports Games » All Yahoo! Services Site Highlights Singapore Full Coverage Most Popular Asia Entertainment Photos Copyright © 2009 Yahoo! Southeast Asia Pte. Ltd. (Co. Reg. No. 199700735D). All Rights Reserved. Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Community | Intellectual Property Rights Policy | Help

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