Sakai Noriko's case gets sadder

The Noriko Sakai case continues. Within the past 24 hours several new details have come to light,a DNA match linking Sakai to the drugs and the revelation that Sakai and her husband, Yuichi Takaso, had been living separately…

Takaso revealed during questioning that he and Sakai were living separately. Sakai and her son had an apartment in Minami-Aoyama, where police uncovered a small amount of stimulants and a pipe. Takaso told them that the pipe was not his, and acknowledged that Sakai was also using drugs. Police confirmed that by testing some DNA found on the pipe, which matched with Sakai. She will now surely be charged with both possession and use of illegal stimulants.

The unusual relationship between Sakai and Takaso has gathered attention as well. There are some indications that the friend who was taking care of the son may actually be Takaso’s mistress. It is said that Sakai was aware of this, as she and the woman had long been friends. They continued their friendship after Takaso’s affair, and the son had even developed an attachment to the woman, making her a natural choice for Sakai to leave the son with.

Sakai’s activities before her disappearance have also been made public. On Monday after Takaso’s arrest, she quickly visited her home to retrieve some luggage. She withdrew several hundred thousand yen from an ATM and purchased a large number of clothes, underwear, and toiletries, indicating that she planned for a long trip. It is not clear whether her shopping was before or after leaving her son in the care of the friend. But Sakai seemed to have left her home in a panic, as police stated that the drugs and paraphernalia in her home were left in an easily discoverable location.

As the case continues, other details about the actress are coming out. It appears that she recently was showing up to work late, and had an unusual energy. Some who worked with her mentioned that she seemed to have lost weight. It was also mentioned that during a commercial shoot, a tattoo was discovered on Sakai’s left ankle, which had to be edited out of the footage. It is not known when she got the tattoo, though the media are highlighting it as further damage to her once “pure” image.

Meanwhile, her current commercials are of course being withdrawn. A 2-disc best album that was scheduled for September 16 has been shelved as well. Ironically, Sakai was also cast as the star of a promotional movie for the recently revived lay judge system in Japan. Naturally, the movie and its accompanying posters have been pulled back.
Source: Japantoday, channelnewsasia

This is a really sad case we wish for the best for Noriko and her family. I can't help but think maybe all this happened due to the pressure of having to maintain a "pure" image.
Whats your opinion on Sakai Norikos case?