Wakanohou arrested for drug possession

[Kintamayama 45,408]

20 year old Wakanohou has been arrested for possession of cannabis. More soon.

Edited August 27, 2008 by Kintamayama

[Hashira 0]

Oh no!

To those unaware, cannabis possession is a major offence in Japan. While I'm not sure of details, simple possession of a small amount could mean decades in prison. Needless to say there is a huge chance that his sumo days are done.

[Kintamayama 45,408]

It happened in late June. He is suspected of smoking cannabis mixed with Russian tobacco in the street near the heya. Additionally ,tobacco was found in a purse he had lost (So??).

[ilovesumo 12]

Can it help that he is under 21?

[Kintamayama 45,408]

June 24th, around 1 PM, he was caught in the street with 0.368 grams of what is most likely cannabis. His purse was found to contain Russian tobacco mixed with cannabis. "I bought it from a foreigner in Roppongi", he admitted. A "smoking apparatus" was seized from his home as well.

Edited August 18, 2008 by Kintamayama

[Kintamayama 45,408]

20 is the legal age of adulthood in Japan. He was two weeks shy of his 20th birthday when the offence happened. I'm not if he was arrested before or after his birthday

He was arrested today.

[ilovesumo 12]

Smoking is less bad than punching a reporter in Japan?

Roho is still there.

Let's hope he can go on.

But even if he can't. He made some money already...

I'll try searching for the law online.

[Hashira 0]

Smoking is less bad than punching a reporter in Japan?

I would say no (as in smoking is worse-in Japan)

punch a person in a bar or somewhere and you will likely not be charged (if you're japanese), you'll get off with some sort of fine through negotiations, etc,

caught smoking cannabis and you're a hard-core criminal.

Edited August 18, 2008 by Hashira

[Kintamayama 45,408]

"As a person, he did something he shouldn't have done. I think it is most regrettable. When we have all the details, we will deal with this very strictly. From now on, we will be guiding all kyokai members sternly on this issue. This is totally inexcusable", said Kitanoumi Rijicho.

[Jeronimozo 3]

He should have been content with heating the wall instead of heating some "smoking apparatus".

[ilovesumo 12]

I found the law at Wikipedia.

link

It's crime to import, export, to grow, sell, and to buy it, even when it's done outside of Japan (is my translation correct?).

Whole law text of the minisry

I think this is important

第二十四条の二 　大麻を、みだりに、所持し、譲り受け、又は譲り渡した者は、五年以下の懲役に処する。

２ 　営利の目的で前項の罪を犯した者は、七年以下の懲役に処し、又は情状により七年以下の懲役及び二百万円以下の罰金に処する。

３ 　前二項の未遂罪は、罰する。

there can be a fine or imprisonment...

oh dear.

I can't see any "xy gram is ok" phrase. Is there any?

[Odoriou 0]

As if they had expected this, Mainichi had an article on the subject just a few days ago.

The NPA said more younger people are becoming involved in cannabis-related crimes. During the first half of this year, 65 percent (781) of those arrested or reported to prosecutors for violating the Cannabis Control Law were in their teens or 20s.

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/national/news/20080...0na006000c.html

Oh... wasn't the yokozuna rope made of hemp? (In a state of confusion...) I hope they don't arrest Asashoryu as well...

[Fay 1,677]

These are bad news (In a state of confusion...). A lot of young people try cannabis but only few have to handle such serious consequences as probably Wakanoho. Not the fight I would have wished between my boy and John's.

[ilovesumo 12]

Can't find much about a juvenile law in Japan. From 14 (it was 16 until a reform) kids are criminal responsible.

[Sakana 46]

The main fact is not if he will be condemned or not by Law, but if he'll be thrown out of sum

Edited August 18, 2008 by Sakana

[Asashosakari 19,542]

The main fact is not if he will be condemned or not by Law, but if he'll be thrown out of sum

[ilovesumo 12]

The main fact is not if he will be condemned or not by Law, but if he'll be thrown out of sum

[sekihiryu 51]

I was just got a shock when I saw this on the news - Wakanoho you dumb-ass, the Japanese do not mess around when it comes drugs at all, this is not the Netherlands. Cannabis is viewed as bad as cocaine or heroin in this place.

Unbelievably stupid.

Goodbye Wakanoho. (In a state of confusion...)

Edited August 18, 2008 by sekihiryu

[Jakusotsu 6,010]

I remember a certain head shop in Roppongi with a wide assortment of goods, even putting up ready-made joints for sale. Being a public shop, I don't know if they contained the real thing or just some fancy stuff, but I gladly knew better than to try one. B-)

Wouldn't be surprised if Wakanoho simply didn't know about the severity of Japanese law in these cases.

[Jonosuke 28]

It's obvious that his sumo career is over. It may affect other "foreign-born" rikishi, especially Russians as the Kyokai will be forced to observe and watch their daily conduct more carefully. Undoubtedly there will be more tightening and control.

I also feel this could be the end of the current Magaki Beya. The oyakata already embarrassed the Kyokai officials after beating his recruit and made a rather insensitive comment soon after telling reporters other oyakata were doing it to which supremely made others pissed. At the moment there aren't that many friends coming out in the Kyokai for Magaki.

Normally Wakanoho should have been treated as a minor so the media should be not be disclosing his name but then the fact they made it is an exception rather than rule. I suppose they figured once the Kyokai dismisses him, it would become obvious.

Frankly Wakanoho has been displaying an unattractive behavior for a while like destroying certain items after his loss and his rather distasteful dohyo conduct. He has often left abruptly during keiko sessions even those ranked above him were giving him training sessions.

The fact that the Kyokai has been under the gun for some time will make him an easy scapegoat. Once charged, he will be gone,

Edited August 18, 2008 by Jonosuke

[ilovesumo 12]

It's a total waste. He came here when he was 15. What's he going to do back in Ossetia now without even a secondary school education?

We can try to put him into Amasumo but there he won't make money. He can wrestle. K1?

[Asashosakari 19,542]

Different situation completely. There is no reprimand for drugs in Japan. Having a bit of grass for a personal smoke here puts you in the same category as a Columbian drug lord pushing to primary school kids as far as most people are concerned.

I was responding to Sakana's "the Kyokai decision is more important than what the justice system does", since there's (in all probability) a direct connection between both. All I'm saying is, I bet that Toyozakura would have been intai'ed too if criminal charges had been filed for his kitchen utensil shot and he'd received some type of judicial punishment for it. Since something like that is apparently in Wakanoho's immediate future now, he likely can't expect any leniency from the Kyokai either.

Edited August 18, 2008 by Asashosakari

[Mark Buckton 1]

the police will now be looking at exactly who he was with in Roppongi.

Law wise ilovesumo, it is a mess in Japan - what you find online will unfortunately have little bearing on the end result.

The odd part is that he, as a 19 year old when the 'crime' happened has been named even if arrested now.

I live in a part of Tokyo where, 10 years before I landed, a teenager killed a girl, encased her in concrete and did so partly with the knowledge of his mother (who knew the girl was being kept in the house prior to death - but beaten and raped IIRC)

He was never named. Then, just 3/4 years back he was out from his kiddy jail and committed another attempted abduction - still not named despite now being in his 30s - as this could ID him from the earlier crime.

If Wakanoho was in the brown stuff before the age of 20 he deserves to be treated as others are / have been. If arrested today, that really has no bearing.

Coincidental si (not) the timing considering the Nagoya Basho and jungyo just ended - and that he would be leaving the country next week for Mongolia.

Personally, the above notwithstanding, and I like him, have met him on quite a few occassions - interviewed twice but I now think he should be removed from the sport, along with anyone else connected to this.

Edited August 18, 2008 by Mark Buckton

[ilovesumo 12]

K1?

Chances of getting a visa into Japan again also screwed.

Shit.

[Mark Buckton 1]

Reminds me of someone else who may have thought his fame would be protection enough and was wrong.

Paul McCartney's drug use made headlines in January 1980 when he arrived at Tokyo's Narita Airport for an eleven-date tour with his band Wings.

The singer was arrested after customs officials discovered half a pound (225g) of marijuana in his luggage.

He spent 10 nights in a Japanese prison before being released and deported.

Sir Paul now admits "it was the daftest thing I've done in my entire life".

Paul McCartney now enters Japan as an invited guest of the state and official rep of the UK each time he comes hback - the only way to legally get around the lifelong ban his drug offence brought about.