On Dec. 12, a 38-year-old man and a 21-year-old woman were arrested in Shiga Prefecture for allegedly kidnapping a female high school student who was later found dead, due to a drug overdose, at the man's apartment.
The two suspects told police that they became acquainted with the student through social media channels for people interested in taking excessive amounts of medication in an effort to reduce mental suffering.
In recent years, the problem of young people abusing over-the-counter drugs, such as cough and cold medicines, has become more serious.