TOKYO (TR) – Investigative sources with the Tokyo Metropolitan Police on Sunday revealed the arrest of several members of an organized crime group over the establishment of an office in a prohibited area in Shinjuku Ward, reports the Sankei Shimbun (Jan. 22).
In December of 2016, a 65-year-old upper-level member of the Kyokuto-kai allegedly established an office inside a residence in the Okubo area that is approximately 100 meters from an elementary school.
As specified under the Tokyo Metropolitan Ordinance for Elimination of Organized Crime Groups, such an office cannot be located within 200 meters of a school or nursery.
Seven other persons, including the chairman of the gang, 64, have also been arrested in the case.
According to police, the office is used by a subordinate gang of the Kyokuto-tai. During an investigation into the operations of the gang, the presence of the office surfaced. It has also been confirmed that several gang members have entered and existed the premises.
The upper-level member is considered the person who was behind the establishment of the office. Prior to moving in, the gang told a representative of a real estate company that the space was to be used as a residence, police said, according to TV Asahi (Jan. 22).
Police have searched another office of the Kyokuto-kai and other locations related to the gang in search of evidence in the case.
