Jeremy O. Harris Released After Japan Drug Detention

American playwright and actor Jeremy O. Harris was released from custody in Japan on December 8 after spending three weeks detained on suspicion of attempting to smuggle a small amount of the illegal drug MDMA into the country. The 36-year-old, best known for his Tony-nominated play Slave Play, was arrested upon arrival at Naha Airport in Okinawa on November 16.

Harris had flown from London's Heathrow Airport with a layover in Taiwan's Taoyuan International Airport, intending to visit the southern Japanese island for sightseeing. Okinawa, located about 1,500 kilometers southwest of Tokyo, draws tourists with its beaches and mild climate year-round. Customs officers at Naha Airport discovered 0.78 grams of a crystalline substance containing MDMA, also known as ecstasy, inside a container in his tote bag, according to a spokesperson for Okinawa Regional Customs. No other drugs were found in his luggage, and authorities believe the amount was intended for personal use.

Harris was immediately taken into custody by Tomishiro police, who filed a criminal complaint with the Naha District Prosecutors Office on November 30 for further investigation. A spokesperson for the Tomishiro...