Ginza hostess' involvement with Oshio ends in tragedy

“I noticed something was wrong after she took the second tablet. I tried resuscitation but it didn’t work,” explained actor and singer Manabu Oshio, 31, during the police interrogation. I didn’t know it was illegal. The deceased woman was the one who brought the tablets.”

That is what Oshio has been saying since he was arrested last week for violating the anti-narcotics drugs law. Not only is Oshio denying the charges – it appears he’s trying to lay the blame on the woman who was found dead and naked on Aug 2 at the actor’s “hide-out” condo in Roppongi Hills.

The following day, after an autopsy, the body of the woman identified only as “A” was taken to her hometown in Hida by her family. ‘A’ worked as a nail artist in Nagoya upon graduating from a local high school, married at the age of 23 and moved to Ishikawa Prefecture where she started working at a “kyabakura” (cabaret club). Her marriage didn’t last and she moved to Tokyo to work at a Shinjuku kyabakura in 2007.

According to neighbors in ‘A’’s hometown, her ex-husband came to Hida on Aug 4 to attend the wake. “I heard something going on outside in the middle of the night and saw her ex-husband at the entrance of the home, crying with his hands in prayer. ‘A’’s father came out of the house and begged him to come inside.” The father was heard saying to his former son-in-law, “If only she had stayed married to you, this may not have happened.” She was cremated the following day.

What remains bizarre is the disbelief expressed by funeral attendants and neighbors at the snapshot of ‘A’ published in the weekly magazine Friday that was sold on Aug 6. Although a black bar was placed over the eyes, the snapshot did not resemble the woman these people knew, or photos of the deceased that Shukan Post had obtained.

It is not clear when or how ‘A’ met Oshio, but her former coworker commented, “She started working in Shinjuku early in 2007. She was mentioning Oshio’s name about 6 months after. I didn’t think they were deeply involved but she asked me once if I wanted to see his concert with her.”

After working in Shinjuku and then in Roppongi, ‘A’ successfully found herself a job at a high-class club in Ginza, which had been her dream. A fellow hostess described ‘A’ as tall, slender, good-looking and popular, but never wore a dress that exposed her back because she had a traditional Japanese-style tattoo of a koi (carp).

Oshio began appearing at this Ginza club once or twice a month, but always accompanied by another man who paid the tab. Although ‘A’ was not the one “assigned” to Oshio on these visits, it seemed obvious to the other hostesses that they were on close terms.

Oshio was already living alone at the time, and it was rumored that his estranged wife, actress Akiko Yada, was preparing to file for divorce. The fact that her husband, although separated, was using the drug commonly known as ecstasy (MDMA) but also arrested with a naked Ginza hostess who had died from an overdose in his condo, must have been too much for her to handle. Upon hearing of the news, Yada only made a short statement, “He’s betrayed me.” It also remains possible that Oshio may be charged with manslaughter, depending on what the police uncover.

Not only was ‘A’’s dream of success in Tokyo shattered by her involvement with Oshio, she also paid the ultimate price for that ecstasy.

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Latest 15 of 34 Total Comments Show All

lovejazz at 10:16 PM JST - 11th August

There is no evidence to suggest that legalizing drugs increases the numbers using them,in fact there is more evidence of the reverse.

You don't believe that the usage of marijuana would increase in Japan if it were legalized and the price came down as a result if its legalization?
tkoind2 at 02:12 PM JST - 12th August

Legalizing some drugs makes sense. You can tax MJ just as you tax alcohol and tobacco. It is very arguable that it has similar negative impact to these two widely accepted vices. Therefore it makes sense to stop wasting money on supressing and to start earning money off regulated sales. This will wipe out any related organized crime who are involved in the sale of MJ and stop all this press nonsense over something that is far less deadly to the general public than alcohol which frequently results in drunk driving and other issues.

As for the legalization of other drugs. I have mixed feelings. The fact is that markets will exist regardless and the crime that supports them. To offer regulated products would ensure safe drugs and require notification of dangers to potential users all while eliminating criminal networks ability to profit from them. This seems like a win for some drugs and may even result in the development of less dangerous substances to replace existing ones.

But I an not sure we are ready for this second step. But had it existed, how many people, like this poor hostess, would still be with us today?
Rugbyfan at 02:28 PM JST - 12th August

I agree with Frontandcentre and Jizzeez, this low life Oshio deserves everthing he gets. I really hope they don't give him a suspended sentence but actually put him in prison for the longest time possible.
herefornow at 05:09 PM JST - 12th August

Rugbyfan -- absolutely. Scum is way too nice a word to use to describe Oshio. If he somehow manages to emerge from this unscathed, and has any kind of career in the future, then Japan certainly has lost all sense of a moral compass.
SpanishEyez37 at 07:38 PM JST - 12th August

The moment the hostess finds out that he is married or involved why not move on to the next guy? Why steal something that belongs to someone? My sympathies to the family of the girl. Heartbreaking for them.

First of all my condolences to the family. Second @womantowoman:Men aren't ''stolen''. They choose not to keep their vows and lay down with someone else.

Actually ,some of the wives ARE aware that their hubby are out catting around,but turn a blind eye because they enjoy the lifestyle they are living and money the husband brings home and why give it up? I knew one guy who's wife would pack his bag to go visit his ''mistress'' for the weekend. She enjoyed the lifestyle, but she didn't want to be bothered with ''the sex thing'' So it's unfair to blame it all on the female.
cow76 at 07:44 PM JST - 12th August

tkoind2, I admit it sounds radical to legalise all drugs but the experiment in Portugal (which everyone should research) has proved that drug use will fall in all categories when legalised.

Lovejazz, I believe young people use drugs partly to rebel against society and parents. If they were legal, usage would not be an act of rebellion and usage would fall. Again, Portugal.

Moderator: Back on topic please.
womanforwomen at 07:52 PM JST - 12th August

You are right spanisheyes. So hard to believe this behavior of women. And I am yet to find out for myself the behavior change of Jwomen after their pregnancy. I am new to this kind of thing. Everything is about the materialistic outlook on life.No wonder they are struggling at this time of crisis.
seesaw at 11:16 PM JST - 12th August

What a sad way to die for that woman. RIP. Oshio must be punished accordingly, regardless of who he is.
timorborder at 01:39 PM JST - 13th August

Think any arguments about drug legalization are irrelevant in this case. With a synthetic drug such as ecstasy, etc., the treatment window in cases of overdose is really small. It is highly likely that this woman would have checked out anyway even if she had been given quick medical attention.

Irrespective of such issues, however, people who abandon others in distress are beyond contempt.
tkoind2 at 03:13 PM JST - 13th August

timorborder. I have to disagree. Two doses of "E" or MDMA would not result in death unless some other extenuating circumstances such as drug interaction or allergy were present if the drugs were pharmicy issued, legal and authentic.

Illegal drugs are not tested, proven and documented as having a consistent dosage, safe ingredience and very predictable interactions with other drugs. They do not benefit from regulation that would assure quality and predictability. So it is very arguable that this girl may still be alive had she taken legal vs illegals drugs.

Likewise if the drugs were legal, there would be far less reason for Oshio to fear helping the girl and to act in a responsible manner. If someone falls ill on a prescription most people would call. And we see people caring for overly drunk people suffering from near alcohol poisoning every weekend on Japan's train lines. And doing so without fear or prosecution or social admonition.

Legalizing, taxing and controlling drugs may well be the answer to crime, safety and control that could result in declining use. It is something that should be very seriously studied.

As for Oshio. I still say he should spend some time in Afghanistan rebuilding schools to pay for this crime or end up in a deep dark jail somewhere. Coward and selfish moron that he is, a couple years in Afghanistan doing good work and fearing for his own hide might make a man of him. Or at least teach him to appreciate life.
AK619 at 09:09 AM JST - 14th August

Japan should not legalize drugs, this place will turn into a mad house where criminals will use the drug to control an already weak minded suicidal people.

Many young people from 16 to 21 years of age died from using MDMA in America. The drug isn't popular anymore from what I heard because its dangerous. Its really stupid to hear grown up people doing this type of drug at 31 years of age, I can't imagine abusing my bodies at that old age.

They should put Oshio in jail for a long time, he's a very selfish immature guy. He could've possibly saved that girls life if he had called the ambulance when she overdosed, instead he left her dead like a monster, even a teenager would call the Police when there friends overdose. I hope he rots in jail for a long time, he cared nothing about that Hostess girl or his wife. What a scum bag....
Nessie at 09:25 AM JST - 14th August

I blame society. On second thought...he's a scumbag.
nemoflow at 09:40 PM JST - 16th August

WAY more people die of Alcohol related issues than they do of taking Ecstasy. The social impacts of Ecstasy have actually proven to be beneficial in many ways; look at the mid-late 80'S in England. Ecstasy pretty much destroyed the whole Hooligan scene and made way for much more peaceful social lives for a very large amount of people.

You can die from taking it, admittedly, but most of the deaths are related to dehydration and over-heating which could be avoided through education.

My theory is, this hostess was already really drunk when she took the pills, was probably dehydrated for days before, and being Japanese, had never been educated in the ways of correct hydration when taking stimulants.

Shame she died, for sure, and this Oshio guy needs to be held accountable. His claim that he didn't know that the pills were illegal is blatant rubbish.
funkymofo at 04:05 PM JST - 27th August

Agree with you nemoflow, perhaps the pills contained something other than MDMA. As ecstacy is illegal, the chemistry is left up to criminals, by definition the worst people's hands to put your life into. A quick question for AK619- how would legalising drugs allow criminals to control Japanese people?
funkymofo at 04:10 PM JST - 27th August

http://www.economist.com/sciencetechnology/displaystory.cfm?story_id=12792611

An interesting article on ecstasy

I agree with other people, the guy is a dick and should be punished for his failure to render assistance etc.