7 NOVA teachers arrested for possessing cannabis, cocaine (http://mdn.mainichi-msn.co.jp/national/news/20070131p2a00m0na017000c.html)
Seven foreign teachers working at the NOVA English language conversation school have been arrested on suspicion of violating a law on illegal drugs and the Cannabis Control Law, police said Wednesday.
Police accuse the seven of possessing five bags containing a total of about 1.5 grams of powdered cocaine, and eight bags containing a total of about 8.2 grams of cannabis, on a street in Tokyo's Roppongi district on Nov. 19 last year.
Investigators said a 32-year-old American teacher who was arrested on the spot on the same day told police another NOVA teacher had made a request for the drugs. The 32-year-old said the drugs were purchased from a street dealer.
Six other suspects later surfaced, including a 35-year-old teacher from Canada who was working at the same classroom in Saitama Prefecture, police said. (Mainichi)
Page 1 St. Marguerite D'Youville Academy Family Handbook Page 2 ::
File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat - View as HTMLschool nurse), illegal drugs (marijuana, cocaine, etc.) or paraphernalia and . Grades 2 & 5 - Terra Nova Standardized. Grade 4 - Mathematics Test
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Yowch. My guess is that they'll get a hefty fine and be deported rather than imprisoned. Either way I think Nova need 7 new teachers.
It was always my understanding that, despite the risks, drug use was rampant amongst Western foreigners in the big cities of Japan. It certainly was in Tokyo in the nineties when I hung out with the modelling crowd. I'm so far removed from that modelling life that I had no idea now. From this story it seems that it is though.
In fact, I wonder how many NOVA employees this drug scandal covers. Whoever created the NOVA mascot had to be on Cannabis or Cocaine:
http://www.taipeitimes.com/images/2005/03/07/20050306182720.jpeg
滋賀県警甲賀署は二庶O日、自宅で大麻を所持していた として大麻取締法違反の疑いで、武村正義元蔵相(72)の 長男で元滋賀文化短大助教授の武村俊一容疑者(44)＝同 県湖南市夏見＝を再逮捕、妻みゆき容疑者(44)と、姉で 正義氏の長女陽子容疑者(46)を逮捕した。
Shiga, police arrested ex-assitant profecer, Shunichi Takemura aged 44, his wife and his sister on suspicion of violating the Cannabis Control Law.
Their father was ex-financial minister (retired).
http://mdn.mainichi-msn.co.jp/national/news/20070223p2a00m0na020000c.html
OTSU -- The eldest son of former Finance Minister Masayoshi Takemura and the son's wife face charges for possessing marijuana, police said Friday.
CityTimes: Voices, vibes, values::
Jul 5, 2002 He enjoyed a taste of success, becoming a teacher, a minister, HIS FORMER VICES: Marijuana, cocaine, mescaline, LSD and alcohol,
http://www.sptimes.com/2002/07/05/Citytimes/Voices__vibes__values.shtmlHOME |
Civic Norms and Etiquettes Regarding Marijuana Use in Public ::
A-Zone (white male, 16, blunts then joints) Teachers wouldn窶冲 like it at all if .. Detecting cocaine use through sweat testing: Multilevel modeling of
http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=2562729HOME |
Edit: added article in English
I think people should so what they like, whether it is drugs, promiscuity, etc. as long as they don't affect other people's lives.
The problem with this thinking and drugs is that you are talking about supply.
Who supplies? Somebody coming across the border with an illegal cargo, yes?
Now we have law enforcement involved and that can lead to trouble. Even death for a law enforcement officer, no?
That's a pretty serious "affect" on somebody's life, no?
Now if the government allows it to be legal, fine. But if it's illegal and organized crime is involved -- bad news. And organized crime is most definitely involved in drug smuggling. Even criminal states are involved.
.
All I know is, I better just quit now and save myself the misery after I move... :)
I am comfortably under the impression that drugs are difficult to obtain, and possession spells doom for one's visa. I do not care if I am wrong about this, either, as I have no interest in that "scene" anyways.
I did see a guy with a little table in Shinjuku selling bags of something marked as "Salvia," which I'm told is a potent drug. I am unaware of its legal status in Japan, but he was selling it quite openly, which would suggest that it's either legal, or fake.
http://www.hokkaido-np.co.jp/Php/kiji.php3?&d=20070217&j=0022&k=200702176355
札大の米国人講師が麻薬所持 密売目的か 大麻など60 00万円相当
同容疑者は「自分で吸うためや、研究のためだった」と 供述している
A lecturer in Sapporo arrested for possessing 60,000,000JPY worth drugs
The suspect told investigators that it was for himself as well as for his reserch purpose.
It might be plausible if he is a medical doctor researching Eikaiwa education & terminally ill patients, however Sapporo University is not a medical school at all.
Perhaps he's dyslexic and he's selling bags of his own saliva.
"as for doing what you want if it doesn't impact on other people. i agree, if they wont to do coke etc that's fine, but they need to remember as guests in japan they are subject to japanese law, and now having broken it they will be subject to japanese punishment too."
Amen, Couldn't put it better
It took ages before a world famous musician with tons of petition from Japanese got his visa again.
Be careful.
http://music.yahoo.com/read/news/12056166
Are you referring to McCartney? he didn't suffer too badly, considering he was nailed with over 8 ounces of marijuana and spent only 9 days in jail!
レゲエ歌手「Ｂ≠mＩＮＪＡＨ」大麻所持で逮捕
愛知県警春日井署などは乾燥大麻を自宅に隠し持ってい たなどとして、同県春日井市のレゲエ歌手（２７）ら男 ５人を逮捕した。容疑者は「Ｂ≠mＩＮＪＡＨ」という 喧ｼで名古屋市を中心に音楽活動をしており、大麻を自 分で吸っていたほか、ほかの４人に販売したり、譲った りしていたという。
http://www.zakzak.co.jp/gei/2007_03/g2007030607.html
Aichi, police arresed 5 men including a singer of "B-Ninjah".
Cannabis law is equally applied to Ninja here.
My advice to anyone in Japan is if you are doing drugs or smoking it stop before you get caught. Do it long enough and they will eventually catch up with you. If you are not and are thinking about it, DON'T. Going through the Japanese justice system is something I would not wish on anyone.
I agree. I know a guy who was not only smoking it in his close friend's (who would also do it also - an Okinawan believe it or not!) upstairs apartment (which was very close to the neighbors) from him, but also growing it in that apartment! :shock: When he showed me this, I almost lost it out of disbelief and paranoia. He assured me it was "cool". :cool: We would go up there nightly to drink large Asahi's and listen to music while his future wife slept downstairs (she did not participate, but knew exactly what was going on up there), while he would spark up. :music: :smoke: :beer: He used a Malt's beer can as a homemade pipe/bong. :souka: I could not believe it. :shock:
Luckily, nothing ever happened! :relief:
If the freedom cannabists in Japan claim is something 99.99% in Japanese, 0.01% in other language, I am glad to choose the police state.
http://www.cannabist.org/index.html
Actually，even with permanant residency (Eijuken), you will have that revoked, and deported. Anyone with less than citizenship will be kicked out for good.
I wish people would do their research first or at least know a little of what they are talking about before they go about making blanket statements.
Actually that is not true Shaka. Although I am not proud of it, I had the unfortunate experience of being caught with a miniscule amount about 18 years ago which I detailed here a while back. The amount was so small (0.021 grams) that it would probably be laughed at here in the US.
I was tried and convicted and received a suspended sentence. I was married to a Japanese at the time and had my own English school. Since I cooperated with the police, wasn't arrogant, didn't lie to them, they kept their word and didn't report my case to the newspapers. I also showed true remorse to the three judges at the trial.
Whether it was because of this I don't know, but I WAS NOT deported, I WAS ALLOWED to stay, and my visa was renewed. Also, I was never forbidden to return as I return to Japan on a yearly basis. I also knew of two other people with permanent residence visas with Japanese wives who got popped some years before and after me and they were not deported either.
It may be due to the fact that the case was not severe and that they have Japanese spouses. I don't know, but none, including myself were deported. Single people, on the other hand, with no ties to Japan, are probably deported.
My case may be almost 20 years ago, but I feel the same holds true today. If you have a Japanese spouse and a permanent residence or spouse visa, you are not deported if you are just a user. If anyone knows something different, please post it.
This story in the OP reminds me of what one detective said during my interrogation, "If I throw a stone into a group of foreigners, it will probably hit one that is doing drugs."
My advice to anyone in Japan is if you are doing drugs or smoking it stop before you get caught. Do it long enough and they will eventually catch up with you. If you are not and are thinking about it, DON'T. Going through the Japanese justice system is something I would not wish on anyone.
As for me? I haven't touched the stuff since and never will again as long as it remains illegal.
I found nice gaijin's post interesting and checked:
Salvia Divinorum (http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drugs_concern/salvia_d/salvia_d.htm)
It's the type that's called "dappou (extralegal) drug" that appears to be in circulation among urban youths.
Thanks for another interesting bit of info! :wave:
It took ages before a world famous musician with tons of petition from Japanese got his visa again.
Be careful.
"still, if I was working on that wage as an english teacher for nova I'd probably have a drug problem too!"
Right, Tokyo is more expensive than your average U.S. city and still they earn much less. I would work as an English teacher just for the experience of living in Japan.
I think people should so what they like, whether it is drugs, promiscuity, etc. as long as they don't affect other people's lives.
yeah for sure. 25man a month pre-tax is not a massive amount of money in tokyo by any stretch. would be 'ok' somewhere out of big cities but it's horrible that they pay so little. but i guess not many people would do it for a career. it's just a way to spend a year in japan and have fun and not work too hard. I could never do it. I'd be spending that months pay in a week. hell the appartment I stayed at last time in tokyo was 23 man in rent a month so that would leave me 2 man to spend!!! on the flipside I work a lot more than 4 or 5 hours a day :( but I'd rather work AND have the money, that just relax with no money.
BTW, I should add that although conversation english teacher salary is very low, dont think all jobs are. I have friends now working in japan permanently and they do quite well. around 10,000,000 per year + bonus is not uncommon. but again they are not what you'd call 'cruisy' jobs. long hours, lots of stress etc. but I think it's worth it. :)
as for doing what you want if it doesn't impact on other people. i agree, if they wont to do coke etc that's fine, but they need to remember as guests in japan they are subject to japanese law, and now having broken it they will be subject to japanese punishment too. :(
I find it amazing they could split such a small amount of drugs into so many baggies! In Australia pot smoking and coke use is rampant and quite open. In japan I've met plenty of japanese people who smoke pot, and if you go to any clubs in shibuya etc you will see plenty of japanese people on ecstacy. in roppongi it's mostly people who just want to get really drunk so it's not as prevelant. I know the price of weed in japan is around 5,000 per gram (takaii desu ne!).
still, if I was working on that wage as an english teacher for nova I'd probably have a drug problem too!
disclaimer: just to be clear I've never bought or sold drugs in japan. I like nama beeru and mild sevens. it's enough for me :)
"still, if I was working on that wage as an english teacher for nova I'd probably have a drug problem too!"
Right, Tokyo is more expensive than your average U.S. city and still they earn much less. I would work as an English teacher just for the experience of living in Japan.
I think people should so what they like, whether it is drugs, promiscuity, etc. as long as they don't affect other people's lives.
BTW, I should add that although conversation english teacher salary is very low, dont think all jobs are. I have friends now working in japan permanently and they do quite well. around 10,000,000 per year + bonus is not uncommon. but again they are not what you'd call 'cruisy' jobs. long hours, lots of stress etc. but I think it's worth it. :)
as for doing what you want if it doesn't impact on other people. i agree, if they wont to do coke etc that's fine, but they need to remember as guests in japan they are subject to japanese law, and now having broken it they will be subject to japanese punishment too. :(
wat are these jobs? still teaching english or other type of work. let me no
... info info info ?
I have decided to stop using marihuana overall.
I've never heard much on rampant Japanese drug problems, especially amongst Gaijin, but then again, plenty of folk over here have tried a joint at least once, and Japanese youth do seem more wild and un-restrained of late.
I guess why this case is more published is because its foreigners, Japans favorate scapegoat. :blush:
Still, shocking.
Oh I know it's not really that hard; I've been offered them before, I just don't want anything to do with them, which is what I meant by my first paragraph.
ディオール日本法人の元副社長、コカイン密輸で逮捕
フランスの高級ブランド「クリスチャン・ディオール」の日本法人（東京都千代田区）の副社長だった仏人 の男が、約３００回分に相当するコカインを国際郵便で 密輸したとして、警視庁に逮捕されていたことがわかっ た。
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/national/news/20070403it01.htm
Vice president, Dior, arrested
A French man was arrested for importing cocain.
Shinasaku Takasugi, a young samurai in the Choshu clan, illegally went to China and saw the reality, then changed his mind from the anti-gaijin movement to the anti-shogunate movement.
... The amount was so small (0.021 grams) that it would probably be laughed at here in the US. ...
Hmmm. I think that would depend on what jurisdiction the arrested was in. If I weren't feeling lazy I could probably go on Google and find some horror stories about people who went to prison for a long time because of possession of a mery small amount of a controlled substance.
My advice to anyone in Japan is if you are doing drugs or smoking it stop before you get caught. Do it long enough and they will eventually catch up with you. If you are not and are thinking about it, DON'T. Going through the Japanese justice system is something I would not wish on anyone.
I think that is good advice for traveling to just about any country. The only significant exception I can think of is Amsterdam, Netherlands, where usage of marijuana is pretty much ignored, from what I've read (unless the situation has changed). Me, I would want to go to Amsterdam for quite different reasons. I don't "use" anything stronger than my own coffee.
Forget about the visa, spending time in a Japanese prison is what I'd be worried about.
In the 1990s a NOVA teacher was arrested for possessing marijuana and it caused the school a lot of damage to its business reputation. I wonder how much of an effect it'll have this time.
I am comfortably under the impression that drugs are difficult to obtain, and possession spells doom for one's visa. I do not care if I am wrong about this, either, as I have no interest in that "scene" anyways.
I did see a guy with a little table in Shinjuku selling bags of something marked as "Salvia," which I'm told is a potent drug. I am unaware of its legal status in Japan, but he was selling it quite openly, which would suggest that it's either legal, or fake.
Actually，even with permanant residency (Eijuken), you will have that revoked, and deported. Anyone with less than citizenship will be kicked out for good.
I am comfortably under the impression that drugs are difficult to obtain, and possession spells doom for one's visa. I do not care if I am wrong about this, either, as I have no interest in that "scene" anyways.
I did see a guy with a little table in Shinjuku selling bags of something marked as "Salvia," which I'm told is a potent drug. I am unaware of its legal status in Japan, but he was selling it quite openly, which would suggest that it's either legal, or fake.
I dont do drugs,in Japan. during ten months I have found a way how to get em. Its not really that hard.. I used to have that impression too.
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Cannabis, Cocaine and the Nova teachers