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Ex-yakuza accused of attempting to extort YouTuber in Shibuya

TOKYO (TR) – Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested a former member of a criminal organization over the alleged attempt to extort a YouTuber in Shibuya Ward, reports TBS News (Sept. 9).

In June, Mototaka Sakurai, 48, a former member of the Yamaguchi-gumi, intentionally bumped into a tripod belonging to the YouTuber, a male high school student, as he filmed at Hachiko Square in front of JR Shibuya Station.

“Since I hit your tripod and got hurt, it’ll cost you 50,000 yen,” Sakurai reportedly said. “However, if I wind up in the hospital it might be 200,000 or 300,000 yen.”

Mototaka Sakurai (Twitter)

According to police, Sakurai was intoxicated at the time of the incident.

“I might have warned [him] loudly, but I did not ask for money,” Sakurai was quoted in denying the allegations. “I was the victim.”