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Police on Wednesday afternoon arrested a 40-year-old man for shooting the 66-year-old former head of a crime syndicate to death in Sue, Fukuoka Prefecture. Akira Ono, 40, was arrested for allegedly shooting Kazuo Shinozaki, who formerly headed the Kudo-kai gangster group. The shooting took place at 4:50 p.m. in front of the victim's house.
Ono was caught by the victim's friends, who roughed him up before handing him over to police. Shinozaki was taken to hospital but died about one hour later, police said.
According to police investigations, Ono appeared on a motorbike and shot the victim when he was getting into his car with his friends. Ono fled on his motorbike but was chased and caught by Shinozaki's friends who forced him off the road with their car.
According to the Asahi newspaper, neighbors witnessed the victims' friends beating the suspect before police arrived.
The victim retired from the gang in 2006, according to police.
© Japan Today
22 Comments
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thepro
No big loss
dany505
How does one retire from the Yakuza?? Are there benefits? ie medical/dental plan?
GW
I always laugh the way the media always says ex yakuza, i wonder if the FRIENDS were arrested for dangerous driving or similar at least, are perhaps they are in reality the defacto police of this town, this yakuza stuff is often pretty bizarre
Statistician
One of my neighbours is allegedly 'retired' Yakuza if you believe the gossip. He can't stop hosing down the street and sweeping the area. A lifetime's training in removing evidence I suppose.
USNinJapan2
A yakuza boss regularly gets his purple Cadillac washed at the same service station where I get my car washed and over time we've gotten used to engaging in small talk about the weather, current events, etc. Both being avid golfers we always end up talking about golf. One of these days I'm going to have to ask him how he grips his clubs, seeing as he's missing several fingers on either hand including his pinkies... : )
Altria
Tragic, just like 2Pac.
Chessnutroastin
Yeah! 2 less scumbags on the streets.
romulus3
why cant a guy on a bike escape guys in a car? must have been a bad rider or on a scooter
roobus1
USNinJapan2 - I'm going to have to ask him how he grips his clubs, seeing as he's missing several fingers on either hand - I have just stopped laughing.. that is great !! My other half is from Fukuoka, the gangster district there is great, being a Gaijin there all these dudes just stop and stare at you for no reason other than "that chick is not one of ours, why are they here".. I always excpect one of them to hustle up and give me the "nan shio-to??" cracks me up everytime !!!
USNinJapan2
roobus1
Yeah, that's one of the few things I've always disliked about Fukuoka, the thugs and yaks. Other than that I love the place. Great food, shopping, plenty to do...
Youdontknow
I thought this was a news channel...oh, wait...this is good news!
nisegaijin
Haven't you seen pulp fiction? they quit and walk the earth:-D
Did police arrest the other guys for dangerous driving and violent conduct?
DeepAir65
How did they know? Was it on his tax return?
Ddi not think gangsters could techncially retire - sorry officer you can't arrest me for that murder 5 years ago I was in a gang but now I am retired?!?!?
Guess he really is retired now!
Beelzebub
This turf war's been going on for two or three years now. What is it with these hoods in Kyushu? And what's down there that's worth killing each other over?
nimbus
May be Ono was the retirement plan for Shinozaki.
bushlover
How does one retire from the Yakuza??
They get shot. It's in the contract.
FairandBalanced
Always seems to be ex gangster, are they all retired?
westurn
"Yeah, that's one of the few things I've always disliked about Fukuoka, the thugs and yaks."
Is this the same Fukuoka that recently took "Best World City" award from some Euro rag a few weeks ago ??? I coulda sworn, at the time, I said bollocks... "too many yaks with guns" ! Well, here ya go... just what I was talkin' about !
Crimsonsil
Some of you guys are really heartless.
helloklitty
You expect forgiveness for this scumbag?
Crimsonsil
not really, but seeing comments like "it's good he's dead" or "no loss" it really feels wrong. I really don't know much about the guy. Never even heard of him before reading this article. He probably did some pretty bad stuff in his lifetime. He might have grown up with those kind of things happening around him all of his life. Still, I don't think it's right to brush off someone's life, even if you didn't known or care about them.
bushlover
crimsonsil, it's ok in my books to brush off this guys life. He was a gangsta and desereved everything he got. you don't get into this trouble unless you cheat otehrs. He's scum that desrerves to everythnig he got.