Top 10 Christmas gifts for the yakuza in your life

Christmas is almost here, but there’s still time to pick up a little something special for that gang member on your list. Here’s JSRC’s choices for ten top gifts for the yakuza: Personal sauna: He’s been booted out of more onsen and sento than he can count; now those stodgy old cooters can keep their community baths while he gets a little R&R in his own personal sauna. Playstation 3 + Yakuza series: These highly acclaimed, real-to-life games are great... Read More

Investigation of real estate consultant murder by Goto-gumi member heats up. TMPD raids Rachi-gumi offices.

Earlier this month, the Tokyo Metropolitan Police arrested a former member of the Yamaguchi-gumi Goto-gumi (Nobuyuki Yamamoto) for killing a real estate consultant,  Kazuoki Nozaki,  in a dispute over a building in Shibuya ward. The murder took place in 2006. A Goto-gumi front company was laying claim to the building and Nozaki-san was an obstacle in their plans. He was stabbed to death on the streets of Minato-ward. On December 17th, at 10:55 am the police raided the offices... Read More

The not-so-jolly holiday season starts for the Yamaguchi-gumi

It looks like this will be a sombre month for Japan’s biggest organised crime gang. Police announced December 11 that their yakuza crackdown efforts have, for the first time ever, forced the Yamaguchi-gumi to cancel their traditional end of the year meeting. With leader Kenichi Shinoda having been behind bars since 2005, and the recent arrests of Kiyoshi Takayama in November and Tadashi Irie earlier this month, the group reportedly found it difficult to hold their annual nokai,... Read More

2011 Revised adult entertainment laws: What changes?

On July 6 of this year, the Diet approved proposed revisions of Japanese law regarding “adult entertainment” establishments (風俗営業等の規制及び業務の適正化等に関する法律). The laws are periodically revised as police attempt to keep up with and keep control over the country’s ever-expanding adult entertainment venues. Information on the changes is slightly difficult to come upon, but this site reportedly has the low-down on what will be... Read More

Gold mine 'Lolita clubs' busted in Shibuya, Toyoshima

Police have cracked down on three “Lolita” clubs in Tokyo, arresting nine members of staff under violation of anti-prostitution laws. The “delivery health”-style clubs in Shibuya and Toyoshima wards featured women between the ages of 20 and 29 dressed as underage school girls, complete with ID cards, and had somewhere around 8,000 registered customers. According to reports, the manager of the businesses advertised “little girls” to attract... Read More

Fukuoka construction contract cancelled after breach of anti-yakuza clause

Fukuoka Prefecture announced they will annul their contract with local company Matsuo Construction on a major dam project after it was revealed a company executive had dealings with an organised crime boss. This will be the first time a deal has been cancelled in Fukuoka since the April 2008 movement to include anti-organised crime clauses in contracts. According to the prefectural government, 12 companies entered into a competitive bid for the Tanoura anti-erosion dam project... Read More

Men teamed up to hunt for victim to assault

Two men arrested on charges of attempted rape are believed to have met specifically to harass women and plotted their attack against a 20-year-old university student. The assailants, age 35 and 37, attacked the woman last October 2009 after sneaking into her home in Yokohama, threatening to kill her if she cried for help. Police believe the pair were looking for a victim, having met with the goal of conspiring to commit sexual assault. The crime came to light after one of the... Read More

'God Hand' doctor arrested under suspicion of molestation

A renowned doctor who has served as trainer for a number of prominent track and field athletes has been arrested on charges of attempted indecent assault after he reportedly molested a patient while giving medial treatment, it was revealed on Friday. Yutaka Tomatsuri was arrested November 26 for inappropriately touching a younger female patient through her clothes while giving treatment at his “Tomatsuri Orthopedic Clinic” in Chiba back in March. Tomatsuri in the... Read More

Local man killed after accidental 'run-in' with yakuza

An older Hyogo Prefecture man met his end at the hands of a yakuza early Monday morning, after he was hit by a gang member while riding his bicycle in Amagasaki City. According to police, the accident occurred on a four-lane road in an area with no pedestrian crossing. The 38-year-old driver, a kumi-cho in a Yamaguchi-gumi affiliated gang, was arrested at the scene for accidental infliction of injury with a motor vehicle, and police are looking to slap him with charges of vehicular... Read More

Yakuza bosses and soliders falling like dominos; cold cases heating up

Japanese police made their third big arrest in as many weeks today, snagging a 27-year-old ex-Goto-gumi member on possible murder charges. Nobuyuki Yamamoto is suspected of stabbing to death Kazuoki Nozaki, an executive from a real estate management company, in Minato Ward in March 2006. The company had reportedly run into trouble with the Goto-gumi involving a piece of Shibuya property where one of the gang’s front companies was housed, and Nozaki has in charge of the... Read More