Tomoharu Taguchi’s Descent into Methamphetamine Abuse Triggered by Death of Beloved Cat

“I learned about his arrest from the news. That’s why I understood why his house lights hadn’t been on recently. I’m not sure if it was May or June. Narcotics officers came to my place. After showing me their identification, the officers chatted while watching his house through the glass. They must have known that he had once again gotten involved with drugs.”

Tomoharu Taguchi (63), a former member and keyboardist of the rock band ‘C-C-B,’ is facing charges for violating the Narcotics Control Law for possessing methamphetamine at his home in Tokyo. With this being his third arrest, a man running a local shop in Taguchi’s neighborhood expressed his frustration.

The initial trial was held at the Tokyo District Court on September 2, 2024.

“According to the indictment and other documents, on or around June 17, 2024, Defendant Taguchi used methamphetamine at his home. On the following day, June 18, he was found in possession of approximately 0.5 grams of methamphetamine. Appearing in court in a T-shirt, Taguchi admitted to the charges, stating, “There is no mistake.” He was arrested twice before on similar charges in 2015 and 2016 by Kanagawa Prefectural Police and received guilty verdicts in both cases. He served time for the second arrest and was released in February 2019,” (a reporter from a national newspaper’s social affairs department).

Defendant Taguchi lived with his parents and older brother as a family of four. After his parents passed away and his brother moved out, he lived alone in their home, which is well over 50 years old.

A man in the neighborhood, who is about a decade younger than Taguchi, began speaking with regret, saying, “I have known Mr. Taguchi since he was a child.”

“The popularity when ‘Romantic ga Tomaranai’ became a big hit in 1985 was incredible. I was amazed that such a superstar came from our neighborhood. A lot of fan girls would gather in front of Taguchi’s house, overflowing onto the sidewalk. Taguchi’s mother would collect fan messages for him, and local stores near his home would open their doors, saying, ‘Feel free to rest here.’ Everyone helped out.

Even after C-C-B disbanded, it seemed that Taguchi continued with his music. I often saw him loading instruments into a car with what seemed to be bandmates. However, since his second arrest in 2016, there has been almost no activity at his place. We would exchange greetings if we met, but I also found it somewhat awkward to strike up a conversation.”

 

With his absence, there were also voices of concern for Taguchi’s well-being in the vicinity of his home.

“I wondered if he might have been hospitalized. There were times when acquaintances of Tomo-chan (Taguchi) came by saying they couldn’t get in touch with him. I was worried that he might have died alone somewhere, and then the news of his arrest came. I am friends with Tomo-chan’s mother, and I have known him since he was a child.

After his mother passed away, I occasionally shared meals with him. I was always concerned about him. I used to say, ‘If you misbehave, I’ll spank you in place of your mother.’ It’s hard to believe that such a kind person as Tomo-chan ended up turning to drugs. I wonder if living alone in the house was not good for him,” said a local housewife.

When asked by the prosecutor why he turned to methamphetamine, Defendant Taguchi answered, “It was because my beloved cat at home died in an accident.” His social media frequently featured photos of his cat.

“The prosecutor has requested a sentence of 2 years and 6 months in prison, citing a likelihood of habitual drug use and a high risk of reoffending. On the other hand, the defense is seeking a suspended sentence,” said the aforementioned social affairs reporter.

The former superstar, once a local pride whose brilliance was so dazzling, now faces a dark period. The verdict will be delivered on September 17.