MANILA, Philippines — Japanese authorities have issued a warrant of arrest for famous television personality Minako Komukai, who is believed to be hiding somewhere in Malate, amid reports that she is being coddled by some Yakuza members who are operating in the Philippines.

Investigative sources indicate that some of these Yakuza reportedly fled Japan due to crimes they are facing there.

The arrest warrant for the 25-year-old Japanese television actress was issued last February 9.

Komukai specifically stands accused of purchasing illegal substances from a group of Iranians in the summer of 2010 in Tokyo.

Her name was on a customer list confiscated from arrested Iranian drug dealers.

This is her second drug violation.

Komukai was first arrested last January 22, 2009 on drug charges stemming back to an incident in 2008.

On February 26th of that year, she received a two-year suspended sentence, and proclaimed that she wanted to live a normal life from then on like other girls her age.

In February 2009, the 25-year-old was sentenced to 18 months in prison, suspended for three years, for drug use.

Earlier, the Bureau of Immigration confirmed that Komukai is indeed in the Philippines having arrived here last January 21 from Tokyo and that she actually applied for an extension of her stay here last February 8.

Her extended visa is valid until March 21 and may be extended every two months for a total of 16 months unless cancelled upon a proper request from the Japanese government.

But the Philippine immigration bureau and the police said they have yet to receive any official request from Japanese authorities about Komukai.