Press "Enter" to skip to content

Yakuza gang ordered to pay fine for not vacating HQ

in Awaji City
The former headquarters of the Kobe Yamaguchi-gumi in Awaji City is still being used by multiple members (NHK)
HYOGO (TR) – A yakuza group with its headquarters on Awaji Island is required to pay a fee to use the facility after it failed to vacate in spite of a court injunction, a local court has ordered, reports NHK (July 4).

On July 4, lawyers representing a citizens group revealed that the Kobe District court has ordered the Kobe Yamaguchi-gumi to pay 1 million yen per day if members continue to occupy the office in Awaji City.

In October of last year, the court awarded a prefectural organization that seeks for the elimination of gangs an injunction that required the gang to halt its use of the facility. A document dated October 25 was then sent to related groups of the Kobe Yamaguchi-gumi to announce the closing of the office.

The Kobe Yamaguchi-gumi formed following the dissolution of the Yamaguchi-gumi in 2015. The gang then setup operations inside the office, which originally belonged to the Kyoyu-kai, a key affiliate gang.

Following the award of the injunction, it was speculated that the gang would move to the office of another key affiliate, the Yamaken-gumi, whose main office is located in Kobe’s Chuo Ward. However, Hyogo Prefectural Police have revealed that multiple gang members reside in the Awaji facility, with one moving in after the award of the injunction.

The issuing of such an order is a nationwide first involving a criminal syndicate and the usage of its headquarters. Based on the Civil Execution Act, the order seeks to pressure the gang into fulfilling its court-ordered obligation.

Prior to filing of the original request, local residents became concerned since the office is in a residential area.