Kusanagi returns to showbiz after arrest

Ridiculous -- a damn soap opera, including numerous feined bows of apology and crocidile tears from his fellow SMAP members. All covered like its "news". This country has lost all perspective and sense of reality.

This article doesn't say if Kusanagi was clothed or not

What a disappointment...I prayed he was history...

This guy appears so often on TV that the viewing audience has been brainwashed into believing he (and his groovy SMAP buddies) are interesting. My gut contorts when I see his skinny Vulcan face on 3 programs at the same time and then on cm's in between...

I call him now Hadaka Otoko.

"I think he is Korean"

He speaks Korean, does that count?

Japanese celebrities are meant to be "conformist". What exactly is conformist about them?

should be in the crime section...

This article doesn't say if Kusanagi was clothed or not

Yes it does. Re-read the article.

How demeaning was that.The guy is 34...it was uncomfortable just listening to him.

Kusanagi’s comeback came relatively soon—after just 35 days.

Word on the street, as Huggy Bear would say, is that he was set to star in a big drama or movie starting production in the next few weeks, and the contracts were already signed before the arrest. So too much money at stake to waste time on the ritualistic "voluntary" time off.

who cares????

Exactly! Who cares beyond the fact that we have to continue to be torturned by his terrible acting, singing and "talent" for more years to come.

Kusanagi had voluntarily stayed out of the public eye since his April 23 arrest on suspicion of public indecency.

this contradicts an earlier article here that said he was placed under house arrest by his agency

This guy gets punished for being naked at midnight in park; meanwhile that unfunny fool Kojima is naked on primetime TV on a nightly basis. Makes no sense.

‘‘I will strive anew as a member of (music group) SMAP

strive anew ? who speaks like this ?

We dont want you, go back to your park please.

"we have to continue to be torturned by his terrible acting, singing and "talent" for more years to come."

There should be a button on your remote control to, as it's referred to in the industry, "change the channel." There also should be a nifty button somewhere on the controls with a label that might read "off." Try using either of these to alleviate some of that torture you’re experiencing.

i am happy for him. Good luck.

In Japan, misbehaving celebrities voluntarily stop working, sometimes for years if the scandal is serious, because they are expected to be role models in a conformist and reserved society

I haven't laughed so much in a few days. Not since Manyoo lost the champions league final to Barca. Is this why we have so many bumbling idiots in today's society.

Besides, I thought parents were supposed to be role models. All these so called squeaky clean artists, read morons, are about as much use as a chocolate fireguard!!

He is trying to promote naturist life style in Japan, what a bold move, the park should become the first clothing optional park in Japan, tourist will be flocking to there..

let`s hope he got help as well for his (hinted at) alcohol abuse problem.

Thanks for reminding us about getting "chi-digi" set up in time, Mr. Kusanagi. Wouldn't want to be caught with our pants down. I mean...

it was all over the morning news, the same interview 3 times in an hour :(

Welcome back, Johnny's Boy... the comeback will be a good chance to finally split with the dirty old man...

he is the key to a nuclear-free korean peninsula. FREE KUSANAGI!

Just cause the dude got drunk and took his clothes off means nothing. The park was dark, and he was genki happy. I hope he does it again...and I would like to hear his Korean. What does fluency mean?

whitepokey -- agree. All these celebs with the shot-gun weddings of late are great role models as well -- right? But, then again, if there were any real leaders in politics or business here, then young people would not have to look for role models in SMAP.

Japan has been a cultural desert for over a month now. I'm sure most of us are anxiously awaiting his return so that Japan's otherwise very high quality television programmes can become even better.

I'm glad he's back! More power Kusanagi kun!

Welcome back, Kusanagi-kun!

Combinibento: couldn't agree with you any more.

I'm sure there wouldnt have been any kids out at 3am when Kusanagi was arrested.

it gets worse at 4:45.

I saw his comeback on Waratte Ii To Omou this afternoon. Got lots of applause from the audience for his little "sorry" speech. Dressed in a black suit, very subdued, and didn't say much during the program. Nice was to make half a million yen in an hour. I way welcome back. I kind of like the guy. Also, "fluent" in Korean means he is really "fluent" according to a K-friend of mine. He doesn't expect Kusanagi will have much trouble with his Korean comeback.

A very warm welcome back to one of dirty old immoral pervert Jonny's favourite butt-boys.

In Japan, misbehaving celebrities voluntarily stop working, sometimes for years if the scandal is serious, because they are expected to be role models

so... dull and talentless? :p

yawn yawn yawn. Kusanagi is so boring. Never missed him.

"But prosecutors dropped charges after Kusanagi profusely apologized in a nationally televised news conference and promised not to overdrink again."

Hope criminals of the future remember this: we'll see if those on the defense of Kusanagi, who claimed that it's not only celebrities, is correct or not. Of course, we actually won't, since other perps who commit such acts never really make the news and are probably, and rightly, just locked up for a bit and/or forced to do community work.

I can see a person simply given harsh words and embarrassed for streaking in public, and people actually cheering for that person, but Kusanagi was stinking drunk (not for the first time), causing a ruckus, argued and fought with police, and as such resisted arrest. "I'm sorry" should simply not cut it as a defense, nor should it be a reason to skirt the laws.

LoveUSA: "they" are the pedofiles who wait to see little children playing in the water without clothes"

Yes, and they should be locked up, as Kusanagi should have been (or at least gotten more punishment than he did). If a pedophile were caught and simply bowed and apologized, and promised he wouldn't 'overstare' anymore, do you think it's okay not to punish him/her further?

Even so, he does live in Tokyo Midtown and has tons of money. I day this as I sit in my rokujo. I even have a college degree,which he doesn't. What gives? He is laughing all the way to the bank. I'm cheering him on because I like the guy. Wish I chould sit down and have a beer with him.

Though it might be encouraging his problem a little (okay, a lot), I would too.

I still think the media blew this out of proportion - But maybe I'm just desensitized by the media circus in US. "Hadaka ni natte nani ga warui?" Really now. - Welcome back! =)