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, ...
Historic justification for Japan's tattoo ban is no longer relevant
With the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games a little more than a year away, it's time for Japan to turn the page on tattoos. It's hard to argue with a straight face in this day and age that tattoos are exclusively used by ...
Under Japan's revised anti-gangster law, yakuza boss told to pay damages for money transfer scam
A court on Thursday ordered the head of the Sumiyoshi-kai crime syndicate to pay damages over money transfer scams committed by a fraud group formed by an affiliated gang member. The Mito District Court ordered Isao Seki, head of Japan's second largest crime syndicate, and ...
Japan's gang members are running out of places to hide
Membership in organized crime syndicates has been decreasing about 10 percent each year since 2011, according to National Police Agency statistics. The reasons for the decline in membership are complex but we should give credit to the police for using every means at their disposal ...
Yukio Mishima’s attempt at personal branding comes to light in the rediscovered 'Star'
In "Star," Yukio Mishima confronts issues of celebrity, youth and aging in hypercharged and manically subjective first-person prose.
Police can use wiretapping devices to decrypt and record at prefectural HQs across Japan from June
The National Police Agency revised wiretapping regulations Thursday, enabling investigators from June 1 to listen in on phone conversations while at headquarters of prefectural police departments without the presence of officials from telecommunications carriers. Under previous rules, investigators had been conducting such operations at telecom ...
'Falling From the Floating World' review: A fast-paced underworld thriller with a twist or two
Readers who like their yakuza with a dash of morality, lead characters out of their depths and their cops dumb and bent will find much to enjoy in Nick Hurst's thriller, "Falling From the Floating World."
15 Japanese arrested in Thailand raid accused of scamming more than ¥225 million
A group of 15 suspected Japanese scammers arrested last week in Thailand acquired more than ¥225 million ($2 million) in illegal proceeds in February and March alone, Thai police and other sources said Tuesday. Records seized in a March 30 police raid on a rented ...
