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Tokyo just took a massive L in court, and artist Namichie is the one celebrating.
The Tokyo District Court has ruled in her favour, calling her 2021 arrest straight-up illegal and ordering the government to cough up 300,000 yen in damages.
It all started in Shibuya when police stopped Namichie, found some plant material in her car, ran a dodgy field test, and decided she was in trouble for violating Japan’s Cannabis Control Act.
She was thrown into detention for nearly two weeks—only to be released with zero charges.
Judge Naoya Hirai wasn’t having it.
He called out the police for using an unreliable test and basing the arrest on nothing more than a hunch.
Turns out, the field test didn’t even meet the official standard for a positive result.
Oops.
Namichie, known for her music, costume design, and writing, says the whole ordeal took a massive toll on her life and career.
While she’s relieved by the verdict, she’s also speaking up about how broken the system is.
This case isn’t just about one artist—it’s shining a light on Japan’s legal system and the way law enforcement handles arrests. With this ruling, the government’s got some explaining to do.