“What’s Wrong With Being Naked?”—The Idol Who Bared It All At A Public Park

A Japanese idol once bared it all—literally—in public.

On April 23, 2009 at around 3:00 AM, Tsuyoshi Kusanagi, a member of the legendary 90s boy group SMAP, was arrested due to public indecency.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Police confirmed that he was taken in for questioning immediately after displaying unruly behavior at a park in Minato, Tokyo. Neighbors had called them complaining of Kusanagi making a fuss while drunk, with all his clothes bundled up next to him. The scene that the police walked into matched this description: the idol was sitting on the grass, stark-naked and heavily intoxicated,

While resisting the arrest, Kusanagi famously exclaimed the words, “What’s wrong with being naked?” 

The then-34 year old singer immediately became the number one news item in Japan. Various outlets showcased footage of him being led to the police car—after being clothed—while swarmed by media and fans.

Kusanagi was detained overnight and released after the police questioned him and searched his apartment. The media later reported that he drank more than ten glasses of Japanese rice wine and beer before going to the park. He apparently had no idea recollection of why he had undressed himself.

Due to the incident, the SMAP member lost several endorsement deals including a prestigious position as a digital terrestrial TV broadcasting ambassador.