TOKYO (REUTERS) - Japanese actress Erika Sawajiri, famous for her role in 2005 drama 1 Litre Of Tears, has been arrested on suspicion of possessing drugs, NHK reported on Saturday (Nov 16) citing unnamed sources.

The 33-year-old actress, who this year starred in a TV adaption of Toyoko Yamasaki's hit novel Shiroi Kyoto, was arrested in Tokyo on suspicion of possessing ecstasy, although few other details are known, NHK said.

Tear-jerker 1 Litre Of Tears made Sawajiri famous not only in Japan but across Asia with the drama's depiction of its heroine's physical deterioration from a rare disease.

Drug arrests are treated seriously in Japan with celebrities who are caught frequently edited out of movies and TV shows.

The Tokyo police did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Sawajiri's talent agency was not immediately reachable for comment.