Playwright, 'Emily in Paris' actor Jeremy O. Harris released after drug arrest in Japan

TOKYO – American actor and playwright Jeremy O. Harris was released from custody in Japan on Monday, Dec. 8, nearly a month after first being detained for alleged drug smuggling.

Harris, 36, was arrested in November on suspicion of attempting to smuggle drugs into the country, a police spokesperson told Reuters. He was detained on Nov. 16 at Okinawa's Naha airport when a customs officer found 0.78 grams of crystal containing the synthetic narcotic MDMA in his bag. Local prosecutors declined to confirm whether Harris had been charged with a crime.

Japan maintains strict drug laws with severe penalties for possession and smuggling offenses. The country has some of the toughest narcotics regulations among developed nations, with even small amounts of illegal substances resulting in criminal prosecution. Punishments, however, are not as harsh as in other Asian countries such as China and Singapore, where drug offenders can face the death penalty.

Harris, both an actor and playwright, is known for the Tony-nominated "Slave Play" and his role in "Emily in Paris." Following his arrest, Harris' representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment, and it was unclear whether he has retained legal representation in Japan.

Harris had arrived in Okinawa for sightseeing purposes, traveling from Britain via Taiwan, where he had a flight layover, the customs spokesperson said. Okinawa is a popular resort destination around 930 miles southwest of Tokyo, known for its beaches and American military bases.

Foreigners arrested in recent years in Japan for suspected drug offenses include former Australian rugby league player Blake Ferguson in December 2021. In 1980, former Beatle Paul McCartney was arrested after arriving in Tokyo with a bag of marijuana and was banned from entering Japan for years.