Police in Tokyo have started patrolling Ueno, Shinjuku, Roppongi and other red light districts to warn businesses, such as restaurants, bars and clubs, not to respond to gangs' demands for money. The "bonenkai" (year-end party) season often draws gangs to the areas, seeking extortion money from small business owners, Fuji TV reported.
Around 60 police officers are making the rounds, warning owners of bars and clubs to ignore gangsters' request to pay “rent” to operate in their district. Police are also questioning touts on the street.
According to the police, the number of reported cases of attempted extortion has declined in recent years due to tighter laws against what police call "anti-social forces."
© Japan Today
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sensei258
I hope everyone has a good, but safe, time. I can't go to my school's (Night High School) bonenkai. It doesn't start 'till 10PM, and I'd have a 2 hour commute afterward. Plus, I have to get up at 6 AM the next day.
SenseNotSoCommon
So you're going to the red light district instead? Is that the link to the article?
A.N. Other
Useless coppers. How about harassing af few of the chimps doing the extorting instead?
Disillusioned
So, does this mean that extortion is only illegal around the bonenkai season?
TigersTokyoDome
A red light district means an area for prostitution. This news story is relating to club and bar districts. I doubt there would be anything the police could do to stop gangsters from filtering cash from a prostitution business so this story should obviously read entertainment districts. And if the police think they can stop the flow of cash from Roppongi clubs to the local mob then they are delusional.
Alistair Carnell
Police patrol red light districts to chase out gangs ahead of year-end
Er, chase out gangs from the red light district, you mean, the gang controlled red light district?
Citizen2012
Wrong title ! The police is visiting bars and restaurants there to warn owners according to the article, they do not chase gangs.
Aly Rustom
exactly! arrest the muppets. don't just warn the businesses! PFFT
weisse
How about arresting those punks! It is meaningless advice, just like government "urging" things rather than doing them. J-Cops are like the PCSO(community support officers) or as we call them plastic officers that do nothing.
bones
chase out the gangs ? That's laughable,and why this late in the year?
kurisupisu
What a joke! Japan allows organized crime-it's an open fact.......
Kobe White Bar Owner
Window dressing as ever, what a waste of time and money.
smithinjapan
Just arrest all the gang members and give them suspended sentences! Then go out to the leaders' parties. No point warning businesses to risk their lives when you're unwilling, despite being law-holders, to enforce the laws yourselves.
Goodlucktoyou
The yaks keep peace in such places, but the touts. How many times I have problems from them? Without racism, if I walk in Roppongi at night, and I see a foreigner, I cross the street about 20 times.
TigersTokyoDome
Agree with Goodluck. Not only do the touts stop you every few yards but you get sarcastic remarks when you walk on. The police have a crackdown on the touts every now and then but as everyone knows it all returns to normal once the show is over. The only time people get arrested or a club raided is when someone wants to take over the club and they get the authorities to do it for them.
fuzzylogic
"Police patrol red light districts to chase out gangs ahead of year-end"
Boy j-gangs got it made in Japan, any other country they would be out of luck, .ah but in j-land it tends to their restive gangs ; ah the benefits of a nationalist preponderance
goldorak
"According to the police, the number of reported cases of attempted extortion has declined in recent years due to tighter laws against what police call “anti-social forces.”
Could also be that a/ small biz owners are even more frightened/intimidated by mafias b/ they know J police won't do much about it so no longer bother reporting incidents.
sensei258
@ sense - the first paragraph of the article mentions bonenkai and so did my comment seems to me that's the link right there or maybe you didn't read the article. But if you give me your email address I'll be sure to check with you before I post every time
qwertyjapan
qwertyjapan thinks writers should look up the meaning of a red light district.
TakahiroDomingo
funny, the bonenkai-police hands out WARNINGS to the victims, instead of kicking the shite out of the gangsters
Thunderbird2
I didn't realise Ueno was a red light district O.O
Citizen2012
On in Japan police will harass the potential victims instead of going after the criminals and pretend doing their job, of course, it is a lot simpler !!!
HollisBrown
"Don't pay them"! What kind of policing is this? Jeez.
OK Mr. Policeman, how about if they come back with baseball bats, should the owner pay them then or not? If an owner who refuses to pay gets beat up (or worse) after locking up at 3am, will the police pay compensation?
Just arrest and prosecute the gangs. Most of their identities are known.