Yakuza among suspects in abduction of executive in Ginza

Nov 13, 2020 | News On Japan

Nov 13, 2020 (tokyoreporter.com) - Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested four men, including a member of a criminal syndicate, over the alleged abduction of a male executive in Chuo Ward earlier this year, reports Kyodo News (Nov. 11).

According to police, Hiroshi Hariyama, a 69-year-old member of the Sumiyoshi-kai, was the likely ringleader of the operation.

On the afternoon of August 18, three persons abducted the executive, a Chinese national aged 66, as he pedaled a bicycle in the posh Ginza district and shoved him into a white van.

After dousing the victim with pepper spray, they blindfolded him and bound his limbs with tape. They also demanded 30 million yen in cash.

About five hours later, at around 10:00 p.m., the abductors released the executive at a parking lot for a hotel in Katsuura City, Chiba Prefecture.

The victim was not hurt in the incident, police said previously.

Police did not reveal whether the suspects admit to the allegations.

The suspects became persons of interest in the crime after an examination of security camera footage.

Source: ANNnewsCH

Typhoon No. 30 Brings Violent Winds to Okinawa's Sakishima Islands

Typhoon No. 30 (Champa), a large and very powerful storm, was moving northwest south of Okinawa as of 9 p.m. on October 22, with the Sakishima Islands already experiencing violent winds ahead of the typhoon's expected closest approach from the afternoon of October 23 through the early hours of October 24, while an approaching autumn rain front threatens widespread heavy rainfall across western Japan.

PHP Security Flaw Forces Shutdowns Across Japan, Including Takaichi's Website

A critical security flaw discovered in PHP, a programming language used by an estimated 70% of the world's web systems, has triggered widespread disruptions across Japan since October 21, forcing banks, restaurant chains, government agencies and other businesses to suspend online services as a precaution against potential cyberattacks.

Cyberattacks Hit Japanese Police and Businesses

A growing wave of cyberattacks across Japan has raised concerns over the possible use of Chinese-developed artificial intelligence in hacking operations, with personal information belonging to tens of thousands of police employees potentially exposed and major companies forced to suspend online services, while cybersecurity experts warn that slow decision-making within Japanese organizations is allowing damage to spread.

H3 Rocket Successfully Launches Mars Moon Probe

Japan's H3 rocket successfully launched the Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) spacecraft from the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture on the morning of October 20th, placing the probe into its planned orbit in the first stage of a mission to collect samples from one of Mars' moons and return them to Earth.

Japan Introduces Personalized Motorcycle License Plates

Motorcycle owners across Japan can now choose their preferred license plate numbers under a new system introduced by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism on October 19th, with popular numbers allocated by lottery and applications costing between 2,500 and 3,000 yen.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Society NEWS

Copper Thefts Spreads Across Japan

A wave of copper thefts has struck public facilities across Japan, with thieves stripping metal from bridges, park shelters and shrines, including a park known as a popular anime pilgrimage site, while police in Nagano Prefecture have made arrests following a series of similar incidents.

Footage Released of New Year's Day Motorcycle Rampage in Kochi

Police in Kochi Prefecture have released footage of a group of teenagers riding motorcycles recklessly through Kochi City on January 1st, 2026, in a New Year's Day incident known as a "first sunrise motorcycle rampage," with 18 people aged between 15 and 19 arrested or referred to prosecutors for suspected violations of the Road Traffic Act.

Japan's Former Empress Turns 92 as Family Gathers to Celebrate

Empress Emerita Michiko celebrated her 92nd birthday on October 20th, receiving birthday greetings from Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako and other members of Japan's imperial family at her residence in Tokyo, as concerns grow over her declining physical strength and signs of fatigue.

Deputy Mayor Fatally Crushed by 3-Ton Festival Float

The deputy mayor of Saijo City in Ehime Prefecture died after being crushed beneath a festival float weighing approximately 3 tons while participating in a traditional autumn festival on October 17.

Princess Aiko Smiles at Detective Conan

Princess Aiko, the only daughter of Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako, arrived in Tottori Prefecture on October 19 for her first visit to the region, where she is scheduled to attend a national disaster prevention conference and a symposium on disaster preparedness.

Gunma Police Rearrest Man in Murder of Mother-in-Law

Police in Gunma Prefecture rearrested a 30-year-old man on October 18 on suspicion of murdering his former mother-in-law at her home in Ota City last month, following an attack that also left the woman's eldest son injured.

Woman Killed After Deer Strike on Shin-Tomei Expressway

A 22-year-old woman was killed late on October 17 after a truck rear-ended a car that had stopped following a collision with a deer on the Shin-Tomei Expressway in Shinshiro, Aichi Prefecture.

Former Priest Arrested Over Unauthorized Sale of Historic Kyoto Temple Property

Three people, including a former chief priest, have been arrested over the alleged takeover of a historic Buddhist temple in central Kyoto, with investigators suspecting they sold temple-owned land and buildings without authorization for approximately 226 million yen, leaving the 300-year-old institution with almost none of its property beyond its main hall and grounds.

< 2 3 4 5 >