Former gang member shot dead in Denny's restaurant in Chiba

OssanAmerica,

Drive by shooting, gang killings, drug dealer turf wars,

Public shootings in this country are very rare.....

Gee, I guess he wasn't as "former" as he'd thought...

Imagine your last meal being at Denny's? Jail food is better.

Being shot is bad, but being shot in a Denny's makes it just a little bit worse.

I think he unfriended him in Facebook!

Good. One less undeserving scumbag on the pension roll.

Wurth

All beach houses are family affairs and have been for many many years. That is why no one new ever opens up a place.

Little did he know, he had his last Moon Over My Hammy(R) that morning...

Alladin san;

I believe that the government knows each one of the key members, actually this is obvious, as in Japan is easy to find these kind of people. But it seems that here in Japan the things take always long time to happen, government thinks a billion times before any real good action. They should start by arresting the new members, that annoying guys and their noisy bikes.

This is why I always ask for the no-shooting section.

Again it shows that the biggest danger in this country does not come from strangers but from people with whom you have some relationship. The guy had thought the relationship was over, but the other apparently didn't think so.

Alphaape wrote: Oh wait, the law abiding citizens are not armed, but those who will break the laws are.

Do you imagine that every single person who breaks the law is armed with a gun?

Shootings are rare in Japan and the few times they happen, they are mostly related to the yakuza. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8345953.stm Further they rarely involve John Q Public. Which is about as good as its ever going to get.

Whenever there is any kind of shooting its big news in Japan. Yet, I never heard of a drive-by shooting or a school shooting here. And I don't want to. So why advocate fixing what is not broken?

What a terrible sight for innocent bystanders to witness... especially kids.

@Disillusioned: You're joking... right?

alladin wrote: They should once and for all get rid of all Yakuza groups and or individuals in Japan.

How? I can't think of one example in history where that worked. I can think of some where the situation was made worse though.

If yakuza stick to killing yakuza, its less than ideal, but better than it could be. I would expect a genuine war on yakuza to be about as successful as the war on drugs!

What a way to end breakfast.

I knew Japan is aging, but sheesh--this and the other recent construction boss shootings in Kitakyushu all involve victims in retirement age. The shooter was trying to cut costs for the gang by not having to pay his gang retirement pension for the next 20+ years?

@DARBYTAN--Plenty of Dennys in Japan, but this one may be the only one that has artistic "ketchup" patterns on the walls!

Good... one less and another about to get life.

japan is in danger.

Excuse me, Miyamoto-san, but I think you wrote your comment on the wrong article. You want the ones about Tepco.

Nobody really leaves the yakuza.

A leader of a yakuza gang eating at Denny's?

I've felt disappointed when at a Denny's in Japan that the food is not as good as at Denny's in the US of A, but not that bad to start a shoot-out!

Yup. Too bad they don't have the typical Grand Slam breakfast, cheese fries, fried buffalo wings, fried chicken strips, fried mozzarella sticks, fried onion rings, country fried steak, and Golden fried shrimp. I even remembered once they had grits in one Denny's I've been too. All I get at Denny's in Japan is hot soba, pasta dishes, spinach salads, tofu served with grated ginger and bonito flakes, hamburger steak dishes, grilled salmon dishes with side orders of miso soup, etc.

There's a photo of the suspect about and he's quite the spry young gent, ain't he. http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/nn20120215a1.html

And this piece provides reassurance of the resolve of Japanese law enforcement "National Public Safety Commission Chairman Jin Matsubara said this type of crime, which could easily victimize ordinary citizens, should be strongly condemned." I care not how you condemn it, just catch the bl**dy b@st@rd.

more violence that we have to read about. Not even restaurants are safe!

Getting more and more like America every day?

Wow...turf war?

Straight up Carlito's way. Just when you thought you were out, BANG!

Yaks in Chiba, who knew?

I'm not totally sure... but everytime I went to the beaches in Chiba it seemed I saw a lot of Yakuza type figures. You know the beach restraunts and places that rent parasols and boogie boards.... I heard that each year they have to pay the local Yakuza in order to get a location to do business there.. and they pay more for the more choice locations. So it never surprises me when I hear of Yakuza related incidents in Chiba.

Wurthington, I heard the same thing which is why I avoid Chiba beaches.

Surf and turf war.

The Japanese government should wake up already!! They should once and for all get rid of all Yakuza groups and or individuals in Japan. If they find any Yakuza, they should jail them for at least 100 years.

nukeprotest has common sense and reasonable posts.

So refreshing.

I heard that each year they have to pay the local Yakuza in order to get a location to do business there.. and they pay more for the more choice locations. So it never surprises me when I hear of Yakuza related incidents in Chiba

There was an article here on JT regarding the Yak's and people doing business with them, in the future these people are going to have to watch out.

I gather, he was shot in the chest at point blank range? Damn!, Somebody was pissed, huh?

Maybe George Lucas can convince you that he shot first.

@alphaape I have some questions: Do you really think more guns in Japan is the answer? Who do you know that is frothing at the mouth because they can't get a gun quick enough? Isn't it obvious that criminals can get guns easier than others? Isn't it that way in any country in the world? Even in the US where they may as well sell them in vending machines? What were you really trying to say? What's the reason for the need of more guns in this society? What do we really have to defend ourselves against? I don't think we need guns to fight off fluorescent lighting.

"lighting" damn iphone

But... handguns are banned in Japan. That means there should be no crime.

Side note: Talk about heartburn.

Good one Nessie. The holster section with the shades down is far more comfortable and you still get to breathe after a couple of shots.

What a sad end for a "Gangster" - getting gunned down in a cheap-as-chips family restaurant. One minute he is ordering the 190yen Tiramisu dessert...the next, getting a few caps popped into him. Doesn't do much for his street-cred.

Poor guy. I mean his last meal was at a denny's :/

Years ago you could spot Yakuza easily... they dressed in quite garrish colors and really looked the role. I don't get out now as much as I used to but a few years back can remember seeing a slew of them around Shibuya and Shinjiku of course. If I were in the Yakuza I'd dress like a regular Salaryman so as not to attract attention.

I guess being killed makes you a "former" gang member, not your age or the extent of your gang activities. Once in, always in.

kakifry wrote: "I guess being killed makes you a "former" gang member, not your age or the extent of your gang activities. Once in, always in.' [That is clearly one way to become "former"]

Perhaps "former gang member" refers to someone who is not presently a criminal suspect or the subject of an arrest warrant (but was sometime in the past). It seems that mere association with a gang does not technically make you a "gang member" up until you become "wanted" in connection with a crime.

I wonder how editors at JAPANTIMES define "gang member" and "former gang member".

JAPANTODAY (not JAPANTIMES)...oops

One down, many to go....

I gather, he was shot in the chest at point blank range? Damn!, Somebody was pissed, huh?

It is hard type sarcasm! It just seems odd that with Japan's strict gun control there seems to be many gun relayed crimes within the syndicates, hence my previous post.

The government is the Yakuza at least the LDP is founded by the Yakuza.

I've felt disappointed when at a Denny's in Japan that the food is not as good as at Denny's in the US of A, but not that bad to start a shoot-out!

It made me remember 'The Godfather'

This is japanese quick way of doing business, which shocks them. I am not as far as it concerns yaks and that police is looking for this ba(l)d guy. Who knows the real reasons of this act?

gang war not likely looks more like an "old" grudge to me

It is said that most gangsters are hiding guns. They sometimes shoot members of other groups each other.

Looks like the 高齢社会 is hitting the Yakuza hard. Maybe they will have to accept young gaijin to beef up the ranks.

"...former gang member" is an interesting term. Does it mean that he was convicted of crimes and served some time and eventually returning to society as a productive citizen? Maybe it means that he was "semi-retired" or "inactive" from criminal "work" due to advanced age. Perhaps he was "restura" out of his group because of the bad economy.. [shirokuma2011 called this one right.]

Imagine your last meal being at Denny's?

Yeah, I dunno. Their hamburger steak cheese curry doria is pretty tasty.

This is close to how "The Sopranos" ended!

The Sopranos ends in Denny's parking lot? SPOILER ALERT, please!!

(^-^)

It sounds like things are getting tough for the gangs, recently there have been more crimes like this since JP started being tougher on gangs. Its getting harder and harder for gangs to get anything done. They may be getting desperate. like the drive by in Fukushima.

With this gang crackdown, violent crimes may get worse before they get better. but i hope not.

That had to be terribly shocking for the bystanders in the restaurant.

The man who died probably chose that place because it was public and he may have thought the other person wouldnt try anything in a public place.

Blood in blood out

@Yubaru

If this is actually a fact these families are going to be in huge trouble with the new laws in place regarding dealings with anyone involved with organized crime.

Start with TEPCO. The Yakuza themselves admitted their involvement with the NPP corporation.

Anyways, back to the topic: Although the article does mention organized crime syndicate involvement, hence the possesion of a gun (which should be illegal in the first place), it may be a settlement of a grudge, maybe an old grudge, or a new one ... who knows? Until the gunman is caught (which I highly doubt), we may never know the real reason.

sounds like South Central.

This is close to how "The Sopranos" ended!

I guess the really tight gun control laws in Japan are working. Oh wait, the law abiding citizens are not armed, but those who will break the laws are. Again I say, why is it that those who abide by the laws and want to own a gun over here legally have to go through so many obstacles just to get one, and yet criminals can seem to get them regardless of the regulations.

If guns are outlawed only the outlaws will have guns!

japan is in danger.

Oh Wow... Japan has a "Denny's!!!!

more violence that we have to read about. Not even restaurants are safe!