Paul McCartney Busted in Japan [January '1980] Rare japanese news footage PART1

On 16 January 1980, Wings went to Tokyo for 11 concerts in Japan. As McCartney was going through customs, officials found 7.7 ounces (218.3 g) of cannabis in his luggage. He was arrested and taken to a Tokyo prison while the Japanese government decided what to do. McCartney had been previously denied a visa to Japan (in 1975) because he had been convicted twice in Europe for possession of cannabis.Public figures called for McCartney to be put on trial for drug-smuggling. Had he been convicted, he would have faced up to seven years in prison. The members of Wings cancelled the tour and left Japan. After ten days in jail, McCartney was released and deported. He was told that he would not be welcome in Japan again, although a decade later he played a concert in Tokyo.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• paul
• mccartney
• wings
• beatles
• japan
• tokio
• 1980
• john
• lennon
• yoko
• ono
• busted
• tour
• concert

[thefugitive1965]

he is lucky he only got 10 days. if it was someone else they would still be in jail in Japan.

[vytautas70]

oh thanks for this amazing footage. those japanese. why they are so serious about some pot? this isn't a crime or what.

anyway. amazing footage :)

[EddieLandsberg]

If it was an ordinary citizen he would have gotten a heavy jail sentence. Ono is also from a very wealthy family... These "Beatles" aren't your ordinary "working class artists" -- Rich & powerful businessmen who are treated w/different rules. Had they locked him up for 2 years, it may have started a well funded pot law decriminalization movement... だからthey should have!!!

[Masajager]

That was HUGE matter in 1980. Paul did not concert at this time.

All Japanese fans cried and almost crazy situation. Paul did not hate Japan

and Japanese people. In fact, he came in 1990 and many time came to Japan.

In 1980 (Dec) John was killed so that Paul spent terrible year at this time.

However Paul recovered and keep playing even now. When I was 15 years old

I remember HUGE SHOCKED AND CRIED WITH ALL FANS.

Still I listen Pail and the Beatles. Japanese fans loved Linda especially.

[August8th1969]

@Burco1 Yes, John's murder was very sad. I remember going to bed early that night (around 10:00 p.m.) and being woken up around 2:00 a.m. by my older sister who told me John had been murdered. I got up and listened to the various radio stations until it was time to go to school (I was a senior in high school at the time [my SN is the date the Abbey Road crossing picture was taken]). Anyhow, watching this video is a bit painful as well. I don't like seeing Paul in handcuffs.

[Burco1]

@August8th1969 I remember this time period so well. I used to deliver newspapers in NY as a teenager and McCartneys arrest was big news for a week. And of course John's murder later that year was even bigger news and very sad.

[August8th1969]

I just watched a video of Paul from 1980 in which he said the Japanese guards treated him well.

[August8th1969]

@Burco1 I read (and naturally I don't believe everything I read) that John laughed when he heard the guards were making Paul sing "Yesterday" in his jail cell. I thought I remember reading some quote from John where he said all Paul had to do was make a call to Yoko and she could have him out in a second, but that Paul was too proud. Whether any of that is true I have no idea.

[irvan36mm]

Damn, Macca!

What were you thinking: 2 bigass baggies? In your luggage?? "Personal Use"???

Next time,stuff the dimebags in the Hofner! They'll never look there? LOL

[demondan1974]

Hero.