(UPDATE 1) Nihon University American Football Team Member Arrested over Illegal Drug

The Yomiuri Shimbun

10:44 JST, August 5, 2023

A 21-year-old member of Nihon University’s American football team was arrested Saturday on suspicion of possessing marijuana and stimulants.

According to a Metropolitan Police Department senior officer, the student is suspected of possessing about 0.02 grams of marijuana and 0.2 grams of stimulants at the team’s dormitory in Nakano Ward, Tokyo. The suspect, whose name has not been released, explained that he was given the drugs, and police will try to determine how he obtained them.

Investigative sources have said that the MPD had been receiving information about alleged cannabis possession among club members since last year, and requested the university to take action.

According to the sources, the university inspected the dormitory on July 6 based on allegations that marijuana had been used there. After searching the suspect’s room, pieces of a plant were found in a bag kept in a lockable storage box along with broken-up pills.

The university did not report the findings to the police until the night of July 18. The MPD subsequently conducted a lab analysis and confirmed the plant pieces were marijuana, and traces of stimulants were found in the pills. Police searched the dormitory on Thursday and questioned university officials.

The university’s board of directors chairperson Mariko Hayashi is expected to hold a press conference on Tuesday.