Japan Subculture Research Center

An article in the July 22 issue of Shukan Bunshun (武蔵川と中井洽疑惑の参院選で「料理停密会」page 146) reports on a suspicious meeting between the chairman of the Japan Sumo Association, Musashigawa, and National Public Safety…

It was announced that a kindergarten teacher has been arrested in Higashi-Murayama city for indecent assault and creating child pornography. The 28-year-old male teacher reportedly molested a fourth-year student in…

Amongst much controversy, the Grand Sumo Nagoya Tournament has gone on (mostly) as planned, despite NHK’s refusal to broadcast the event and a boycott by a number of sponsors (but…

Voice actor for the popular anime One Piece, Norio Imamura, was arrested July 12 for displaying photos of the lower half of his body on his blog. According to police,…

A traditional tattoo artist, or horishi, was arrested July 10 for accepting money for tattoos without the proper medical license under violation of the medical practitioner’s law. The 36-year-old Hyogo-based…

Officers in an unmarked police car ran into unexpected trouble June 8 when they were approached and harassed by three members of the Kyoto-based Aizukotetsu-kai, who believed the car belonged…

An Asaka city man was arrested after groping a female university student in the stairwell of her apartment building just after midnight on June 5. The 37-year-old man suddenly grabbed…

July 5 saw the first session of a new committee of specialists set up by police with the aim of establishing new anti-organized crime laws. Authorities plan to hold another…

Just popping in for a second to post this article by Richard Smart (or @tokyorich as we know him) on Polaris Project’s hand in busting a child pornographer who had…

Purposely vague, shadowy and difficult to understand, the Japanese underworld is a puzzling and ever-changing realm of secrecy, even for those who study it. There’s no quick-and-dirty tutorial or handbook…