[Article] articles about the police raid on avex June 2009

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Hamasaki crowd spillover spurs raid

Police searched the offices of Avex Entertainment and other companies Wednesday in connection with an alleged traffic violation in Shibuya Ward, Tokyo, that occurred at a publicity event for pop singer Ayumi Hamasaki in April.

The companies held the event on the afternoon of April 7 in the open space in front of fashion emporium Shibuya 109 to celebrate a new book by Hamasaki. When Hamasaki turned up at the event, the audience was allowed to spill into the street even though the companies hadn't gotten permission to use the road.

The offices of Avex Entertainment Inc., Hamasaki's agent, are in the ritzy Minamiaoyama district in neighboring Minato Ward. As police entered the office with media crews looking on, pedestrians wondered what was going on.

"Why is everybody making a big fuss? Hamasaki didn't do anything wrong," said a 55-year-old woman who was walking by. "Avex staff should have reported the event to police."

Letting crowds block a street is a violation of the Road Traffic Law.

From The Japan Times, 11 June 2009