TOKYO (TR) – Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested a member of a yakuza criminal syndicate who established an office in Nakano Ward that is too close to a school than what is allowed by law, reports the Asahi Shimbun (Feb. 13).
In November of last year, Shigeru Matsushima, a 40-year-old member of the Sumiyoshi-kai, worked with other gang members in covertly establishing the office on the premises of a former okonomiyaki pancake shop located about 60 meters from a middle school in the Yayoicho area.
As mandated by a Tokyo Metropolitan Government ordinance, it is prohibited for a boryokudan (criminal syndicate) to have an office within 200 meters of a nursery or elementary school.
According to police, the office is located on the first floor of three-floor residence. In making the conversion, the gang removed the hot plate, carried out other remodeling work and purchased furniture at a total cost of about 700,000 yen.
Matsushima has declined to comment on the allegations, police said.
Matsushima is a former adult video (AV) director who worked under the name Matsushima Cross. He is also a former upper-lever member of bosozoku biker gang Kanto Rengo.
The arrest is at least the third for Matsushima. In January, police also arrested him over the alleged extortion of a male AV star in 2016. Two months later, police accused him of extorting the president of a talent agency.
Last year, police arrested several gang members for establishing offices too close to schools in Nakano Ward and the Kabukicho red-light district of Shinjuku Ward.
