It must have taken him by surprise. Kenji Kobayashi, former member of the House of Representatives from the Democratic Party of Japan had just lost his seat a week previous.

Then on Sept. 18, his house was raided and he was busted for narcotics possession. To be more precise, he was busted for "kakuseizai," or stimulants.

Such a sensational case comes at a time when Japanese awareness about drug abuse is on the rise, as is public concern over the growing number of young people using "kakuseizai," or more specifically methamphetamines, or "shabu."