TOKYO, Feb 23 — Simon Jakops, the executive producer and creative force behind globally successful girl group XG, was arrested early today on suspicion of violating Japan’s Narcotics Control Law, dealing a potential blow to the rising “X-POP” act amid its world tour .
Yomiuri Shimbun Online reported the 39-year-old producer, also known as Simon and whose real name is Junho Sakai, was taken into custody around 1am along with three other individuals at a hotel in Nagoya.
It is understodd that one of the others arrested is singer-songwriter and producer Chancellor, real name Kim Jung-seung.
According to investigators, police entered the room following a tip-off and discovered multiple bags of cocaine and dried cannabis.
The arrest occurred just hours after XG had performed a concert in Nagoya as part of their second world tour, which Jakops had attended to oversee .
Authorities from the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department’s Drug and Firearms Division transported Jakops to Tokyo station around 8am for further questioning.
Jakops, a Korean-Japanese former member of K-pop group DMTN, founded XGALX in 2017 and launched XG in 2022.
He has been widely credited as the “soul” of the seven-member group, crafting their unique sound that helped them become the first Japanese act to top a Billboard chart .
The scandal casts immediate uncertainty over the group’s future activities and international promotions . As of this afternoon, no official statement had been issued by the record label .
