(C) United Daily News

TOKYO – Ryoko Yonekura, one of Japan’s most prominent actresses, has been referred to prosecutors on suspicion of violating the Narcotics Control Act, local media reported on Tuesday.

According to Fuji TV and FNN Prime Online, the Kanto-Shinetsu Regional Bureau of Health and Welfare's Narcotics Control Department recently sent investigative documents regarding the case to the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office.

The Investigation
The investigation reportedly began in June last year after authorities received a tip-off that Yonekura had been using drugs with an Argentine national, identified only as "Mr. A." During a subsequent search of her residence in Tokyo, investigators seized substances suspected to be illegal drugs.

While "Mr. A" has since left Japan, the narcotics department has been investigating the ownership of the seized substances with the intent of booking the pair for joint possession.

Response from Yonekura
In a statement released last December, Yonekura acknowledged the investigation. "It is true that investigative authorities conducted a search of my home, as reported in some media outlets," she stated. She added that she had been cooperating fully with the authorities and believed her involvement in the investigation had reached a temporary conclusion.

The Tokyo District Prosecutors Office is expected to carefully review the evidence before deciding whether to formally indict the actress.

A Career at Stake
Born in 1975, Ryoko Yonekura is a household name in Japan, best known for her role as the freelance surgeon Michiko Daimon in the hit medical drama series "Doctor-X." Her career spans over two decades with starring roles in popular dramas such as Love Revolution (2001), Black Leather Notebook (2004), and Beast's Path (2006).