Japanese Comedian Tashiro Masahi Opens Up About Drug Addiction

Miyasako Hiroyuki YouTube

A Japanese comedian who has been arrested five times on drug charges is drawing attention with his cryptic response to the question, “Have you quit now?”

On March 29, Japanese comedian Miyasako Hiroyuki posted a video titled “Old entertainment stories with Tashiro! The guarantees back then were too excessive” on his online channel. Former broadcaster and comedian Tashiro Masashi appeared as a guest, candidly answering all questions.

Hiroyuki asked if Masashi had indeed quit drugs, to which he responded, “I can’t guarantee it.” When Hiroyuki pleaded, “Please stop. Can’t you see it’s ruining your broadcasting career?” Masashi replied, “That’s what addiction is like. Even if I keep quitting, I never know when I might relapse,” and admitted, “I think I need to try harder in that area.”

Hiroyuki implored him to keep fighting and to stop using drugs.

Tashiro Masashi has been arrested five times on illegal drug charges and has served three prison sentences as a result. In November 2019, he was arrested for possession of methamphetamine and marijuana at his home and was sentenced to two and a half years in prison in July 2020. He was released in October 2022.

In 2000, Masashi was investigated for secretly filming a woman’s underwear at a local college station. He defended himself by saying he was trying to create a joke about “an octopus coming out of a miniskirt.” In December of the same year, he was fined about $440.