Tearful Release of Aぇ! group’s Richard Keita Kusama — The Strange Truth Behind the Leaked Video

A video believed to show Richard that spread across social media

Framed—or was it something else?

Keita Richard Kusama (29), a member of the popular idol group Aぇ! group, who was arrested on suspicion of public indecency, was released on October 6.

The allegation stems from the early morning of October 4, around 5:30 a.m., when Kusama allegedly exposed himself near the entrance of a building in Shinjuku 2-chome, Shinjuku Ward. A witness called 110, reporting:

“There’s someone exposing themselves.”

Police officers arrived and took him into custody. He was reportedly under the influence of alcohol at the time.

Meanwhile, what’s drawing attention on social media are photos and videos, seemingly taken secretly, showing a person resembling Richard at the scene on the day of the incident.

The footage shows a man wearing only a white shirt on his upper body, with his lower body exposed, a cap on his head, and socks on his feet. He peeks out from the building entrance and nervously looks around.

With rapid advances in AI technology, some have questioned whether the video could be artificially manipulated. However, the location in the video perfectly matches the site of Kusama’s incident. Online, people are questioning:

“Why is this circulating?”

A female fan of Aぇ! group in her 20s expressed concern:

“It’s true he was arrested, and what Richard did is unforgivable, but for a video to be out there the same day? It feels like it was set up.”

Underlying this is the unique community solidarity characteristic of this town

Indeed, the video appears to have been secretly filmed from the corner of the building before the police arrived. The aforementioned woman commented:

“It would make sense if it were when the police were causing a commotion, but this was before that. He might have been caught up in some kind of trouble.”

Meanwhile, interviews around the area suggest another interpretation.

On the day of the incident, Richard had tried to enter a bar in the building but found it closed. He initially gave up but returned to the building, where the incident occurred.

A regular of Shinjuku 2-chome said:

“When I asked around, people were talking about a suspicious man near the building entrance that morning. On the internet, there are conspiracy theories, but simply put, if a dangerous man is around, it’s common to take his photo as a precaution. In 2-chome, you rarely see someone exposing themselves like that in the early morning. To prevent later trouble, the bar and the community keep tabs—like a neighborhood watch—and information spreads quickly.”

Shinjuku 2-chome has a unique culture of collective vigilance. If someone disrupts the area, the community shares information to warn others.

Although this was a drunken foolish act, the impact was significant.

As a result, the October 5 broadcast of Nippon TV’s The! Tetsuwan! DASH!! was altered, ABC’s Acchi Kocchi Aぇ! on the night of the 4th also replaced content, and Fuji TV’s Aぇ! group no Q&A! special aired on October 3 was immediately removed from TVer streaming. The program was the group’s first nationwide regular show, scheduled to begin on October 12.

A TV station source said:

“Fans were thrilled about the start of the nationwide show, but given the timing, it’s impossible to proceed as planned. There’s a real possibility it could end within six months.”

STARTO ENTERTAINMENT, the agency, announced Richard’s activity suspension on its official website. Upon his release, he reportedly wept profusely while apologizing. He is said to be deeply remorseful, shocked at the trouble he caused his group. Regret comes too late.