Shigeru Joshima Appears Shocked and Subdued at Event Following Richard Kusama’s Arrest

He also seemed lacking in energy during the event

“An Overconfidence in Thinking It Won’t Happen to Me”

On October 5, an event aimed at eradicating fake police scams was held at the commercial complex Terrace Mall Matsudo in Matsudo City, Chiba Prefecture. Former TOKIO member Shigeru Joshima (54), who has been appointed as a Special Anti-Crime Support Officer by the National Police Agency, made an appearance.

Dressed as a police officer, Joshima commented solemnly on a quiz question posed during the event—“Which age group is most likely to fall victim to fake police scams?” Although the correct answer was people in their 30s, most of the audience answered people in their 60s. With a serious expression, Joshima warned that such assumptions show “an overconfidence in thinking ‘I’m safe,’” and urged the public to stay alert.

“The event took place on a special stage inside the mall, but even before it began, there was a slightly tense atmosphere among the staff. The venue only had about 60 seats and wasn’t very large, but the turnout wasn’t great. Some fans were there, but overall attendance was poor. Among those standing at the back, a few mothers were whispering, ‘I wonder if he’ll really show up, even after Richard got arrested.’” (An onlooker)

Richard refers to Keita Richard Kusama (29), a member of the idol group Aぇ! group, who had been arrested by the Tokyo Metropolitan Police on the morning of October 4 in Shinjuku for public indecency after allegedly exposing himself.

“Kusama regularly appeared on The! Tetsuwan! DASH!! (NTV), where Joshima is a regular cast member, and he was also scheduled to appear in the October 5 broadcast for the ‘Giant Canteen’ segment. However, at around 11 a.m. that day, his agency STARTO ENTERTAINMENT issued an official apology on its website, stating: ‘We take the social impact of this matter very seriously and have decided to suspend Kusama’s activities.’ The episode that aired that evening was re-edited to remove his appearance.” (TV magazine writer)

Thus, while that controversy was unfolding, Joshima was attending this event. Even 15 minutes before the start, many seats remained empty. However, when a police PR staff member began calling out to passersby—“Shigeru Joshima’s event is about to start!”—more people gradually stopped to watch, and by the time the event began, around 100 people had gathered.

Joshima took the stage alongside a female police officer for a talk session, speaking with conviction: “The police will never ask you to transfer money.”

“Maybe because it was a police-related event, but Joshima’s expression remained stiff throughout, and his tone of voice was noticeably lower than how he sounds on TV. He didn’t seem energetic. However, when he handed out awareness goods to each attendee afterward, he smiled at the children, and for a moment, it felt like his usual self again.” (Another attendee)

After the event ended, Joshima quickly left the venue, surrounded by tense-looking staff members. His expression at that moment was dazed—as if his mind were elsewhere.

On June 20, Taichi Kokubun (51), another former TOKIO member, was announced by NTV to be leaving The! Tetsuwan! DASH!! due to multiple compliance-related issues. Kusama, who had joined the show starting with the August 16 broadcast, had been well received. Although he was released on October 6, his return to the program remains uncertain.

Considering Joshima’s mental burden amid all this, one can’t help but feel sympathy for him.