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Ex-Kanto Rengo leader arrested in robbery in Roppongi

Police arrested Tsuyoshi Kawana for robbing a taxi driver in front of the Grand Hyatt Tokyo
Police arrested Tsuyoshi Kawana for robbing a taxi driver in front of the Grand Hyatt Tokyo
TOKYO (TR) – Tokyo Metropolitan Police on Saturday arrested a former leader of a bosozoku motorcycle group for robbing and hitting a 64-year-old taxi driver in the Roppongi entertainment area, reports the Sankei Shimbun (Aug. 15).

After exiting a taxi in front of the Grand Hyatt Tokyo hotel at around 5:30 p.m., Tsuyoshi Kawana, 44, is alleged to have pulled 35,000 yen in cash from a front pocket of the driver before hitting him in the face several times.

Kawana was drunk at the time of the incident. The suspect admits to hitting the driver but not to stealing from him.

According to police, Kawana struck the driver after he tried to take the money back from the suspect.

Another taxi driver who witnessed the incident telephoned police.

This is not Kawana’s first brush with the law. In 2011, Tokyo police arrested Kawana for the assault of a male acquaintance inside a nightclub in Roppongi. The year before, the suspect was present when sumo wrestler Asashoryu went on the drunken rampage that lead to the arrest of the former grand champion.

About 15 years ago, Kawana was the leader of the 3,000-member Kanto Rengo biker gang.