A 70-year-old publisher was arrested August 4 for allegedly attempting to extort cash from Dai-Ichi Kangyo Bank after it canceled all subscriptions to magazines and other publications -- common sources of income for "sokaiya" corporate extortionists, police said.
DKB, three long-term credit banks and nine other major city banks caught in a recent sokaiya scandal submitted to the Metropolitan Police Department last month letters promising to cut off ties with sokaiya and other underworld organizations. The banks have announced the cancellation of subscriptions to publications that may be related to crime organizations, and the MDP has begun to act against retaliation by these groups.
According to police, Toraichi Anraku, president of Jiji Hyoronsha Co., visited a DKB branch in mid-July and used threats in an attempt to sell the deputy branch manager 20 movie tickets. "Do you want me to get rid of all your clients from the branch?" Anraku allegedly told the deputy manager. The branch had for several years subscribed to two magazines published by Anraku's company at an annual price of 270,000 yen.