Popular Hostess with 230 Million Yen in Birthday Sales Arrested… Why Police Are on High Alert as Cocaine Use Spreads Among Young People

Wary of the “LAST CALL” craze…

“This arrest may prompt the police to get serious about cracking down on the hostess club scene,” said a reporter for a national newspaper.

Rino Tazawa (27), known as “Yamatorino”—a popular hostess who also works as an influencer—was arrested on September 15 on suspicion of violating the Narcotics Control Law. She is suspected of possessing 0.4 grams of cocaine along with a 28-year-old male corporate executive with whom she was living.When she was sent for prosecution on September 17, Tazawa displayed a carefree, playful attitude throughout, winking at the press cameras and sticking out her tongue.

“Suspect Tazawa is a legendary hostess who generated approximately 230 million yen in sales during her birthday month at ‘Jungle Tokyo’ in Roppongi, where she works.She also appeared on the YouTube cabaret hostess audition show ‘LAST CALL,’ where she gained popularity for her bold, no-holds-barred comments—even toward the show’s MCs and high-profile guests,” said an entertainment writer.

Suspect Tazawa has transcended the role of a cabaret hostess; with 164,000 followers on X and 185,000 on Instagram, she wields significant influence as an influencer. Former narcotics officer Ryoji Takahama points out the following:

“In recent years, cocaine busts have been on the rise, especially among the younger generation. While they recognize that stimulants are dangerous, they don’t have a strong sense of the risks associated with highly addictive cocaine. This is because many of them are using illegal drugs as a fashion statement, influenced by misinformation spread on social media, such as the idea that ‘cocaine is a drug used by celebrities.’

Suspect Tazawa’s followers also overlap significantly with this younger demographic. It’s possible that the Metropolitan Police Department arrested her as a ‘scare tactic’ to sound the alarm to her supporters.”

There are also voices pointing to a certain “intent” on the part of the police.

“On the show ‘LAST CALL,’ one of the cast members sparked a major backlash after recommending the use of Manjaro—a diabetes medication—for weight loss.
Young people are easily influenced by what hostess influencers like Tazawa say on YouTube and social media.

The police view the trend—where these women easily earn hundreds of millions of yen, become role models for young people, and act like celebrities—as a serious problem. “Suspect Tazawa’s arrest is just the beginning; there is a possibility that a full-scale operation to dismantle the ‘hostess scene’ that spreads harmful information will begin in earnest,” said the reporter mentioned earlier.

The investigation is closing in on the hostess influencers who have enjoyed unlimited wealth and fame—

From the October 16, 2026 issue of *FRIDAY*