Society

Ex-Kanto Rengo member among 3 accused in attempted extortion of porn actor

Jan 21 (tokyoreporter.com) - Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested three persons, including a former member of a bosozoku group, over the alleged extortion of a male adult video (AV) star, reports Nikkan Sports

On five occasions in February, 2016, Shigeru Matsushima, a 39-year-old former upper-lever member of Kanto Rengo, Kazuhiko Matsumoto, the 49-year-old manager of a strip club, and one other person allegedly attempted to extort a total of 2 million yen from the male star.

Matsumoto denies the allegations, saying that his intention was not to make a threat. Matsushima and the other suspect have declined to comment on the charges.

Matsushima is also a former AV director under worked under the name Matsushima Cross.

In carrying out the crime, the suspects falsely claimed to the actor that his fraternization with an AV actress was in violation of an industry rule and that he must pay the amount, according to an anti-organized crime division of the police.

In 2013, the National Police Agency began classifying bosozoku gangs as â€œpseudo-yakuzaâ€ groups to better reflect the true state of their activities. The arrests are a part of the intensification of the ongoing crackdown on the gangs, police said.

Do Bears Prefer Acorns or Berries?

Bear sightings across Japan have already climbed to nearly twice the level recorded during the same period last year, prompting entry bans in mountain areas behind Kyoto’s Ninna-ji Temple and the cancellation of hiking events in Kansai, while new research suggests that the key to reducing encounters may lie in understanding what bears eat in each region.

Copper Thieves Target Japanese Shrines

Copper roofing panels were stolen from several shrines in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, including a city-designated cultural property, in the latest case amid a nationwide surge in copper thefts targeting shrines and temples across Japan, where soaring metal prices have fueled crimes that leave historic religious buildings damaged, exposed to the elements, and facing repair costs of millions of yen.

1200-Year-Old Temple on Miyajima Reduced to Ashes

Flames broke out on the morning of May 20th on Miyajima Island in Hiroshima Prefecture, home to one of Japan's World Heritage sites, destroying Reikado Hall near the summit of Mount Misen.

From Bento Boxes to Garbage Bags, Rising Costs Hitting Daily Life Across Japan

Uncertainty surrounding the situation in the Middle East is beginning to affect daily life in Japan, as concerns over crude oil supplies spread to restaurants, cleaning services and even household garbage disposal systems across the Kansai region.

Tochigi Robbery-Murder Suspect’s Wife Posted Dance Videos on Social Media

A 25-year-old woman arrested as a suspected ringleader in a robbery-murder case in Tochigi Prefecture once posted cheerful dance videos on social media and was remembered by those who knew her as an energetic and outgoing young woman.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Society NEWS

Garbage Burnoff Spreads to 3 Buildings in Okayama

A fire that broke out in Kagamino, Okayama Prefecture, shortly after noon on May 20th destroyed three buildings, including a home, after flames from open burning spread to dead leaves and then to nearby structures.

Gang Members Arrested After Opening Office Near Nursery

Six people, including a senior member of a group affiliated with the Sumiyoshi-kai crime syndicate's Kohei-ikka faction, have been arrested on suspicion of opening a gang office in a prohibited area near a nursery school in Tokyo's Itabashi Ward.

Six Police Officers Injured After Man Sprays Liquid at Station

A man who visited a police station in Hiratsuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, in the early hours of May 21st allegedly sprayed a transparent liquid inside the building, causing six police officers to complain of eye and throat pain and be taken to hospital with minor injuries.