The case involving Japanese actress and DJ Hamasaki Mao, who was allegedly drugged at a nightclub in Hong Kong, has attracted widespread attention across Asia over the past 24 hours. On the morning of November 4, Yahoo News reported that Hong Kong police had arrested a 61-year-old man on suspicion of drugging Hamasaki. The suspect was the manager of a nightclub in Wan Chai, where Hamasaki performed on the evening of October 31. He was also the person who invited her to another club in Tsim Sha Tsui, where the incident allegedly took place.
Police are also searching for two other individuals suspected of being involved in the case. Authorities are actively investigating the incident, but the identity and detailed background of the arrested man have not yet been publicly disclosed.
The incident involving Hamasaki occurred in the early hours of November 1. After finishing her DJ performance at a nightclub in Wan Chai on the evening of October 31, she went to another club in Tsim Sha Tsui to continue the night. Before taking the stage, Hamasaki drank two orange-flavored beverages. She initially noticed some cloudy residue at the bottom of her glass, but assumed it was orange pulp and did not suspect that anything was wrong with the drinks.
About an hour after drinking them, although she was still in a cheerful mood on stage, Hamasaki began feeling disoriented, while her eyes suddenly became unusually dry and irritated. She then picked up the orange drink again and continued drinking without suspecting anything. Almost immediately afterward, her body became rigid, and she was unable to move her arms or legs before suddenly losing consciousness. According to her manager, who accompanied her, Hamasaki collapsed, began experiencing hallucinations and suffered full-body convulsions. Frightened by what was happening, he rushed to alert the police and call an ambulance. He also demanded that the event organizers take responsibility, but they allegedly began shifting the blame among themselves.
The actress was rushed to hospital for emergency treatment and was reportedly placed in the intensive care unit (ICU) at one point. Test results showed that Hamasaki had tested positive for four types of drugs, including cocaine and ecstasy.
The star regained consciousness on the morning of November 1. Exactly one day later, she published a lengthy post on X recounting the terrifying experience. Expressing her distress, she wrote: “I was really too careless! I don’t know why it was so painful. I could only keep screaming because of how uncomfortable I felt. This was the first time in my life that I had directly encountered drugs and personally experienced just how terrifying they are.”
Hong Kong police are currently investigating the case as a criminal offense involving the administration of a poisonous substance with the intent to cause bodily harm.
In a recent interview with HK01, Hamasaki’s manager revealed that shortly after she finished her performance in Wan Chai, someone invited her to DJ at a private party held at a nightclub in Tsim Sha Tsui.
The manager usually turned down jobs at private venues of this kind. However, the other party repeatedly tried to persuade him and promised that dedicated staff would be available to provide assistance. He eventually agreed to let Hamasaki attend the private event, on the condition that he could accompany her. It was at this venue that the actress was allegedly drugged.
A former police officer also offered his assessment of the case: “In Japan, drugging incidents are often intended to facilitate sexual assault or incapacitate victims so they can be robbed. Overseas, however, the motives can be much more varied. It could be a malicious prank to see how a victim behaves after being drugged in front of a crowd, an attempt to harass someone, or an effort to sabotage an event. We cannot rule out the possibility that someone used illegal substances irresponsibly to liven up the atmosphere. Another possibility is that someone intended to take Hamasaki somewhere else after drugging her. At this stage, it is impossible to narrow down the exact motive.”
Hamasaki Mao was born in 1993 and spent many years actively working in Japan’s entertainment industry. She attracted considerable attention after appearing in the 2018 South Korean film High Society. After retiring from acting in 2024, she transitioned to DJing and continued performing at events around the world. In recent years, she has chosen to settle in Hong Kong.
Sources: kenh14