Fine for poaching glass eels to be raised to ¥30 million in 2023, Fisheries Agency says
The Fisheries Agency plans to raise the maximum fine for illegal fishing of baby Japanese eels, or glass eels, from ¥100,000 to ¥30 million starting in 2023, in a bid to stem a source of funding of organized crime syndicates, agency sources said Wednesday. The ...
New generation of quasi-gangsters fly under police radar
Mainstream media last month broke a long-standing silence they've had concerning the activities of Japan's organized crime groups, which are referred to in official circles as "boryokudan" (violent groups) or, colloquially, as "yakuza." The Mainichi Shimbun (Sept. 15) reported that Kobe's Municipal Board of Education ...
Olympic Village subcontractor had ties to yakuza gang, Tokyo police say
A construction company with suspected ties to a yakuza gang participated as a subcontractor in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic athletes village project.
'Ninkyo Gakuen': Yakuza comedy fails to make the grade
Hisashi Kimura's latest film sees a band of yakuza get involved with a local high school, serving justice and forming bonds along the way
Fish illegally caught by yakuza sold at Nagasaki sashimi eatery
A restaurant in the city of Nagasaki sold discount sashimi rice bowls using fish caught by an organized crime group's illegal poaching operation, local police said Tuesday. The eatery in front of Nagasaki Station, which recently shut down, was popular among tourists and workers for ...
Man linked to Yamaguchi-gumi shot in Kobe in apparent yakuza feud
A man affiliated with the Yamaguchi-gumi, Japan's largest crime syndicate, was shot Wednesday in Kobe, apparently in connection with a feud among factions of the group in the city and surrounding areas, police said. The man, believed to be around 50 years old, was seriously ...
Five things to know about the scandal enveloping top Japanese comedy agency Yoshimoto Kogyo
From one channel to the next, almost every comedy and variety show on Japanese TV features personalities from entertainment powerhouse Yoshimoto Kogyo Co. But recently the company has been rocked by a scandal involving high-profile comedians that is no laughing matter. What began last month ...
Top Japanese comedian to retire in wake of 'underground business' scandal
Thanks to his purported gig entertaining elements of Japan’s underworld in 2014, Hiroyuki Miyasako no longer has a contract with influential Yoshimoto Kogyo.
Japanese comedians turn to yakuza-linked 'underground performances' due to unstable income
Despite mounting criticism over recently revealed "underground performances" for organized crime by some comedians, quitting such work appears difficult, as they are important sources of income for the entertainers, many of whom are apparently not earning enough money from activities through their talent agencies, ...
As Japan prepares to open casinos, gangs won't be afraid to test security
Japan is currently creating a legal framework to operate casinos via a system of integrated resorts, but concerns persist that they'll be prime targets for organized crime once they're finally up and running by 2024. "The yakuza have changed over the years, but one thing ...
Guardian Angels Japan finding less to do in Kitakyushu, one-time city of yakuza 'endless conflict'
Up until five years ago, the city of Kitakyushu had for decades grappled with so many shootings and violent attacks by organized crime groups that it was known as a city of shura (never-ending conflict). But as Japan intensified its crackdown on organized crime, the ...
Talent agency suspends 11 comedians for accepting money from alleged organized crime group
A major talent agency on Monday suspended 11 of its comedians for conducting "underground business" and attending a party hosted by a purported organized crime group without consulting with the company. Yoshimoto Kogyo Co. said it has determined that the comedians, including Hiroyuki Miyasako, 49, ...
