Fallen idol returns as voice of new era

Noriko Sakai comes back following 3-year hiatus after suspended jail sentence in 2009

Former pop idol Noriko Sakai, who fell spectacularly from grace after being arrested on drugs charges, is a rare breed in Japan: a female celebrity who has suffered public humiliation and survived.

The swift demise of mixed-race sweetheart Becky over an alleged affair with a married man recently highlighted Japan's harsh treatment of women in the entertainment business, but Sakai insisted that redemption is possible - for those with thick skin.