'I did not drink, use drugs or flee': Chanmina addresses Tokyo traffic accident

Chanmina (28), a Japanese rapper with a Korean mother, was involved in a traffic accident in Tokyo's Shibuya district after her vehicle struck an electric scooter and then a truck in quick succession.

According to Japanese outlets Sports Hochi and FNN, Chanmina was driving near an intersection in Tomigaya, Shibuya-ku, on Monday when her vehicle hit an electric scooter on the far left side of the road at around 2:40 p.m. She then passed through the intersection and, while attempting to stop, struck a truck parked about 50 meters ahead.

According to investigators, neither the man riding the electric scooter nor the man in the truck was injured. Chanmina told investigators she had misjudged the vehicle's spacing.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department is investigating the exact cause of the accident. A representative from her agency told Sports Hochi that the accident on Monday was confirmed and that details were still being verified.

After news of the accident broke, Chanmina posted an apology on her X account, formerly Twitter. She said she was sorry for causing concern and added that she wanted to set the record straight amid what she described as widespread speculation.

"I did not drive drunk, use drugs, flee the scene or engage in distracted driving such as looking at my phone — none of it," she said.

Born to a Korean mother and a Japanese father, Chanmina grew up between Korea and Japan. She built a following in Japan as a rapper and singer-songwriter, and last year made her debut appearance on NHK's year-end music program Kohaku Uta Gassen.

In July 2024, Chanmina announced her marriage to Korean rapper Ash Island alongside news of her pregnancy. She gave birth to their first daughter in November of that year, and last November shared footage of their wedding ceremony.