Many fans celebrate on January 16 International Beatles Day presumably on that day in 1957 Cave ClubAlthough the quartet wouldn’t perform at the iconic venue for the first time until 1961. However, January 16 also appears in everyone’s memories because on that date, in 1980, Paul McCartney He was arrested for marijuana possession in Japan and his bones were found in a prison cell. Kosuge prison I’m waiting for a trial that never happened.
McCartney landed at Tokyo’s Narita airport with his wife on January 16, 1980. Linda McCartneyand their four children. Just five days later, a nationwide tour was scheduled to begin with eleven performances by his band. wings. They were going to play with celebrities in Tokyo Nippon Budokanwhat was it It aroused suspicion in the most conservative parts of the country because it was designed to be a celebration of martial arts, not music.
ex-Beatle It took years to enter the Asian country Because he had not been given a visa since 1975. criminal record“Won” when arrested in Scotland in 1973 plant marijuana on your farm. Later, he experienced several incidents related to the possession and consumption of the same drug. Now, a few years later, he was finally presented with the opportunity to play in Japan. More than 100,000 tickets had been sold, but everything… the suitcases would be wasted in the blink of an eye.
McCartney had already been warned about the Japanese’s strict character and that he should be very careful not to carry any banned substances with him, but the former Beatle decided to turn a deaf ear. When they arrived at the airport in Japan’s capital from New York, customs officials began examining his luggage and at first glance they found something inside. Plastic bag containing approximately 250 grams of marijuana.
Although he was quick to make sure it was for his own consumption, Japanese police arrested him and transported the British musician to the Tokyo Police Narcotics Control Center. While his wife Linda and the rest of the gang stayed at the luxurious Okura Hotel, Paul had to settle for spending his first night as a prisoner in a small room with a simple mop on the floor. Interestingly, the Okura Hotel was where John Lennon and Yoko Ono stayed during their visit to the Japanese capital. Over the years There was a strange idea floating around that the search at the airport was initiated by Yoko. By calling the customs department.
From police station to prison
McCartney spent that night leaning against the wall without falling asleep. Linda visited him the next day. Also from lawyer Tasuko Matsuo. Japanese authorities were considering holding a hearing before a lawsuit could be filed. criminal offense drug traffic. This meant the former Beatle had to remain in custody for many more days. He was eventually transferred to Kosuge prison. The tour had to be cancelled. Following the tour organizers’ instructions, the Wings members picked up Villadiego and returned home, leaving the most famous musician on the planet to his fate. Authorities in the country also ordered radio stations to stop playing the British band’s music, and posters announcing the tour began disappearing from the streets.
The famous musician occupied a small cell with a small toilet in Kosuge prison. It was number 22. McCartney became known for this among his fellow prisoners. “prisoner 22”. There he could only explain himself to a young Marxist who spoke broken English. Paul wanted a guitar. They denied this. The prison regime was very strict.. Reveille was at six in the morning and then they had to start cleaning the cell. The meal consisted of seaweed soup. Legend has it that when the rest of the prisoners finally realized who this strange newcomer was, They asked him to sing one of their songs, so he decided to sing a cappella – what a choice – Yesterday. Despite initial concerns, the former Beatle was now in quite a good mood considering his circumstances.
Meanwhile, some fans demonstrated for their freedom on the streets of Tokyo. They did this in California too. US Senator Edward KennedyJFK’s brother was one of the most active people pushing for his release. Meanwhile, the British vice-consul visited his compatriot in prison and very tactfully announced to him that he could be imprisoned for up to seven years. This did little to help the musician stay awake at night. On the sixth day, he received another visit from Linda, who brought him clean clothes and a few science fiction books, his favorite genre.
International pressure, along with the prominence of his figure, finally resulted in his release on January 25.After sleeping behind bars for 9 nights. There was no trial; A financial loss of millions of dollars just due to the cancellation of the tour and a disappointment that would damage the Wings group project.
Before leaving Kosuge prison, McCartney signed several autographs and agreed to bathe in a sauna with other inmates. He was later reunited with Linda and their children and they boarded a Japan Airlines flight to Amsterdam. come back home, Paul put the project with Wings aside and focused on recording his second solo album McCartney II. Years later he would remember: “The material in my suitcase was too high quality to be flushed down the toilet.” Failure to do so put him in a dramatic situation.
Vowing never to set foot on Japanese soil again, Paul and Linda returned to the Asian country in 1990, this time without fear or mystery.