Here is a repost I made of the article of her arrest, translated into English.
“28-Year-Old Gal Dancer Suspected of Ketamine Smuggling” — Arrest of Influencer Karen Kimijima, with Over 100,000 Followers, Who Once Confessed Her “Past Mistakes”: ‘I Wish I Had Been Busted for Weed Instead…’
Published: August 6 (Wed), 4:15 PM by News Post Seven
Karen Kimijima, arrested on suspicion of drug smuggling (from her personal social media)
“Girls are selfish, impatient, and a bit unstable. They make mistakes and sometimes can’t control themselves.”
— from Kimijima’s X (formerly Twitter) post on August 21, 2021
But this time, her “loss of control” led to far more serious consequences. On August 5, the Okinawa Prefectural Police announced that they had arrested freelance worker Karen Kimijima (28), from Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture, on suspicion of violating Japan’s Narcotics and Psychotropics Control Act. The arrest took place last month and was made on an emergency basis.
PHOTO — “Shoulder Reveal Shot” posted by the ‘28-Year-Old Gal Dancer’ Karen Kimijima on social media
Kimijima was allegedly caught during customs inspection after returning from an overseas trip on July 18. Authorities found her in possession of multiple illegal drugs. A journalist from a local news outlet explains:
“Kimijima called herself a freelance dancer and also performed as a rapper under the name ‘Queen B a.k.a. Karen Kimijima.’ As of August 5, she had over 100,000 followers across her social media platforms. She was a popular ‘gal influencer’ in certain scenes.”
According to investigators, Kimijima had flown to Okinawa via Thailand to attend an event. During a customs check, officers found approximately 0.35 grams of illegal drugs — including ketamine (a dissociative anesthetic) and MDMA (a synthetic party drug) — inside the pocket of a pair of shorts packed in her suitcase.
She was well-known as a “Go-Go Dancer” who performed at nightclubs and events to hype up the crowd. Alongside her dancing career, she also used her figure to model for gravure-style photo shoots. A journalist at a sports newspaper commented:
Confessions on YouTube
“On the subscription-based fan site Fantia, she offered four different membership tiers, sharing swimsuit videos and photos with fans. These ranged from free plans to an ultra-premium plan costing 30,000 yen (approx. $200/month), which included perks like monthly video calls and suggestive, borderline adult content.”
“Most go-go dancers are affiliated with large venues like Burlesque Tokyo, but Kimijima worked completely independently. She was even called the ‘first-ever solo go-go dancer.’”
Born in Kawasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture — considered a mecca for rappers — Kimijima now faces serious smuggling accusations. But she had previously spoken openly about past arrests in YouTube interviews.
“In a 2020 interview uploaded by ‘NEET Tokyo,’ she admitted she had once been arrested for cocaine use, saying, ‘I just happened to get busted for cocaine… I kind of wish it had been for weed instead.’”
Although the full truth remains unclear, Kimijima had effectively revealed her criminal history herself. A fan familiar with her also commented:
“Marijuana seemed to be a regular part of her life. She traveled a lot to places like Thailand and Okinawa for work. I once saw her live-streaming on TikTok while smoking a rolled joint in Thailand. So honestly, this doesn’t surprise me. Rather than ‘smuggling,’ it seemed like she just brought some back for her personal use…”
Authorities are still investigating how she obtained the drugs. It’s not yet known how Karen Kimijima will explain herself.