Fri Aug 28, 6:29 am ET From >
TOKYO (AFP) – Japanese pop star Noriko Sakai was indicted Friday on drug charges in a scandal that has shattered the singer-actor''s wholesome image, local media reported.
Sakai, 38, was charged with keeping a small amount of amphetamines at her apartment in Tokyo, Kyodo News and Jiji Press news agencies reported, quoting prosecutors.
Sakai was arrested on August 8, a week after her husband, pro-surfer Yuichi Takaso, 41, was arrested, with a bag of methamphetamines in Tokyo''s Shibuya entertainment district.
She disappeared after her husband''s arrest, saying that she had to look after her school-age son, and promised to see police later, but then could not be contacted by telephone or email for the rest of the week.
Sakai -- who has enjoyed popularity in China, Taiwan and South Korea and is known for her girl-next-door image -- made her music debut in 1986 and has until recently appeared in TV commercials for carmaker Toyota.
She has also appeared in a promotional video for Japan''s Supreme Court to raise public awareness of a new jury system.
In 1993, she took part in a celebrity campaign to fight youth drug abuse.
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