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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…