Prosecutors demand jurors pull the trigger in shooting trial
Monday saw the opening of a trial against ex-yakuza boss, Takashi Kajiwara, who was accused of attempted murder in the March 2009 shooting of an acquaintance. The defence asserted during the hearing that…
English Conversation (Eikaiwa) a con game? Engrish lessons from Yakuza 3
The critically acclaimed game, Yakuza 3 (龍が如く３) had a lot cut out of the American version. One of the more interesting scenarios scrubbed was the lead character, ex-yakuza boss, Kiryu’s…
How to speak dramatic death and destruction: yakuza lingo
Film buffs and Japanophiles delight: The Japan Times ran a great article by film reviewer Mark Schilling about lines in various yakuza flicks, using some solid classics like the Jingi…
Sumo Wrestlers Fixed Matches, But Who Gave The Orders?
Japanese police sources are saying that there is evidence sumo wrestlers contacted each other via cell-phone to fix sumo matches in advance. AFP has an excellent piece on the recent…
In Tokyo, Komatsu-gumi head arrested for extortion; Yamaguchi Kodo-kai Nearing Decimation
Police arrested the head of the Yamaguchi-gumi Kodo-kai-affiliated Komatsu-gumi on January 29 under suspicion of attempted blackmail after he reportedly tried to extort money out of a company executive. Police…
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…
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…
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…
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…
TMPD arrests former Goto-gumi member for murder of real estate consultant in 2006
If you’ve read Tokyo Vice, you’ll know that members of the Yamaguchi-gumi Goto-gumi were long suspected of killing a real estate consultant, Kazuoki Nozaki, in a dispute over a building…