HYOGO (TR) – Hyogo Prefectural Police have arrested three male and female suspects for allegedly sheltering a gang member suspected in the fatal stabbing of a rival yakuza nearly two decades ago, reports Mainichi Broadcasting System (Dec. 2).
Police have accused Shigemi Kai, 69, and two others for making false statements when signing a lease for a residence in Kobe City.
In carrying out the ruse, the suspects said that Kai would be living in the residence when in fact it was used by Noboro Sei, a 77-year-old member of the Kobe Yamaguchi-gumi.
On Monday, the three suspects and Sei were accused of fraud. Police did not reveal whether the suspects admit to the allegations.
On May 31, 2007, Sei allegedly worked with accomplices in the fatal stabbing of 65-year-old Kazuo Goto of the Yamaguchi-gumi on a street in Kobe City’s Chuo Ward.
This incident is seen as a precursor to the Yamaguchi-gumi’s split that began in 2015. The split resulted in the formation of the Kobe Yamaguchi-gumi.
After the incident, Tokyo Metropolitan Police put Sei on a nationwide wanted list.
At around 6 p.m. on October 26, investigators called out to Sei on a street in Kobe’s Higashinada Ward as he emerged from a building.
