Kusanagi Tsuyoshi (34) is ready to get his career back on track barely a month after his arrest, according to a statement yesterday from Johnny’s Jimusho (profile). He will join the other members of SMAP on May 28 to record their weekly variety show “SMAPxSMAP,” which will be aired on June 1. On May 29 he will make his first live appearance, in his regular slot on the afternoon show “Waratte Iitomo,” and record the narration for the music show “Bokura no Ongaku.” Filming of the new “Jinkyo Helper” drama series in which he stars will begin as scheduled in June and the show will aired as planned from July. All the shows are on the same Fuji TV network. Johnny’s said that they are cooperating with Fuji and that Kusanagi is likely to give a press conference before his return to work. Although he was let off with a suspended indictment after his April 23 arrest for public indecency, the speed of his return is about money more than an admission of the limited impact of a rare drunken outburst on public morals. If he had received the standard punishment of several months probation, the losses from his TV, radio, movie and commercial contracts would have been in the billions of yen. There was also the outpouring of support from fans, many of whom thought that police had been unnecessarily harsh on someone who, at least when sober, is rather shy and one of the country’s most unassuming celebrities.
Earlier stories:
Butt Naked SMAP Star Arrested For Indecency (Apr 23, 2009)
Kusanagi’s Arrest to Cost Billions (Apr 24, 2009)
Kusanagi Tsuyoshi Gives Press Conference (Apr 25, 2009)