TOKYO (TR) – Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested a member of a yakuza criminal syndicate for allegedly using an office in Taito Ward that is too close to a school than what is allowed by law, Fuji News Network (June 12).
Between February and May of last year, Masaki Fukuda, a 55-year-old executive in the Kanto Sekine-gumi, and acquaintance Mitsuhiro Mitoma, 57, allegedly used a residence, located about 120 meters from a vocational school and nursery school in Arakawa Ward, as an office for the gang.
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.
Both suspects deny the allegations, police said.
The matter emerged after police first arrested Fukuda over a matter related to the collection of mikajimeryo, or “protection money.” During that investigation, police realized that the suspect was running the operation from the residence.
