Shimada Shinsuke, the Jay Leno of Japan retires after yakuza ties exposed.

Police sources say, ” In our eyes, we have more respect for Hashimoto (the yakuza boss) than Shimada. At least Hashimoto doesn’t beat up women.”

Japanese TV Star Shimada Shinsuke retires before yakuza ties exposed

Popular comedian Shimada Shinsuke had extensive dealings with an organized crime boss and retired hastily before the details were written up in a weekly magazine.

The US Declares War On The Yakuza

President Obama cancels his yakuza fanzine subscription

Tokyo Court Upholds Ban on Use of Yamaguchi-gumi Kodo-kai front company office

The Tokyo District Court on the 21st of July (2011) rejected the legal pleas of the head of the Yamaguchi-gumi Kodokai （山口組弘道会）Komatsu-gumi and upheld a preliminary injunction against him which forbade use of the group’s office in Tokyo Taito ward. It was a small victory for citizens in the area who do not want to [...]

Police close in on former mob boss Goto Tadamasa; Inagawa-kai splits

Tokyo Metropolitan Police tightening up investigation of Goto Tadamasa, former yakuza boss, on suspicion of murder; shots fired into his building The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department is tightening up their investigation of former mob boss Goto Tadasmasa on charges of murder. Goto Tadamasa was the head of the Yamaguchi-gumi Goto-gumi (山口組後藤組）until October 14th 2008, when [...]

Ex-Goto-gumi member wanted for murder killed in Thailand. Dead men have no mouths. 死人に口なし

According to several sources, on April 27th,  a Thai tour guide was arrested after he confessed to shooting to death one Japanese tourist and wounding another while they were trekking in northern Thailand. The two “tourists” are believed to be former yakuza members. Apichart Inphisak, the 41-year-old guide, was arrested Tuesday at a friend’s house [...]

Kobe neighbours once again regret living near those pesky Yamaguchi's

There goes the neighbourhood.. again. Kobe authorities led a raid on the Yamaguchi-gumi headquarters April 22, bringing a mass of 100 officers as backup for a quick in-and-out of the premises. The 30-minute search was ordered in connection with the April 11 arrest of second-level gang boss Noriaki Imura. Imura was picked up for attempted [...]

Yakuza members in Japan lowest since 1992 anti-organized laws went in to effect; National Police Agency announces 2010 figures

At end of 2010, the number of yakuza members in Japan, including full-members and associate members was an estimated 78,600 members, 2300 less than the year before, the lowest number since the anti-organized crime laws went into effect. The National Police Agency, which is an administrative body overseeing all 47 Police Department in Japan, announces [...]

The Return of The King: Yamaguchi-gumi boss leaves prison today

Today April 9th, around 6am, the head of Japan’s largest organized crime group, the Yamaguchi-gumi (山口組), Shinobu Tsukasa-kumicho (司忍組長), will leave Fuchu Prison after serving his time for violations of Japanese Firearms and Swords Laws. He is now 69 years old. He officially became the 6th generation leader of the Yamaguchi-gumi on August 27th, 2005 [...]

The worst of times can bring out the best in everyone, even the yakuza.

I wrote this piece for the Daily Beast and supplied them with confidential materials to vet the article as well. I’d like to say that I’m not an advocate of the yakuza; I don’t consider them generally a force for social good or social welfare.There will certainly be yakuza who take advantage of the crisis [...]