U.S. puts yakuza figures, companies on sanctions blacklist

Given the Trump family's connections to organized crime in the US and throughout the world, 

What you suggest is insulting for organized crime.

Trump's admin is doing this because Abe asked for it, and thus keeps his hands clean.

Goodlucktoyou, in Japan it is against the law to do business with the yakuza. In the case of Fukushima clearup, actually in other cases, too, there are yakuza-run subcontractors doing the work. If they sign a document for the contractor above them saying they are not yakuza, the contractor is legally covered.

"But the said they were not yakuza."

It would seem that President Trump does more for the decent, honest, hardworking taxpayers of Japan, than Japans own government does.

Private citizens, unrelated to government policy are now getting "sanctioned", this is getting hilarious.

The policy these private citizens are running afoul of is the policy against criminal activity.

The yakuza were closely connected to Abe's grandpa, but they also had (still have?) close ties with the CIA and FBI. I wonder whether the Trump admin is applying pressure on the yakuza to influence Japanese government policy, or perhaps decrease the yakuza's influence in China or North Korea.

I don't know why the Trump admin is doing this, but I doubt very much it's because of a concern for sexual exploitation, weapons smuggling, and extortion.

Nothing like this will ever happen in Japan, because the yakuza are too ingrained into Japanese society. In fact, some "retired" yakuza leaders have even gone on to hold the highest posts in the Japanese government.

When the Japanese government finally gets around to outlawing membership to Yakuza.

Haven't you heard? The biggest yakuza are in Kasumigaseki.

On the one hand, you might think that the reason the government doesn't just shut these yakuza groups down is that they must have lots of very comprimizing information on politicians and bureaucrats. At the same time, you need a place to send unruly youths where they will be subject to severe discipline, and that is the yakuza groups.

Get em, and please report their nationality.

I have a feeling that they will have roots from other countries

Private citizens, unrelated to government policy are now getting "sanctioned", this is getting hilarious.

Who is not sanctioned these days?

Israelis, who are heavily involved in "sexual exploitation, weapons smuggling, and extortion". I guess the yakuza was competing against the Israelis, who have a stranglehold on US policy.

does this mean no more liver transplants in USA for known yakuza members? http://hcrenewal.blogspot.com/2009/11/did-yakuza-boss-pay-million-dollars-for.html

USA should sanction Japan for proven annual abduction of kids with foreign fathers

Japan how about doing the same....

And mess with the countries culture, me thinks not!

I wish the article hinted at some assets seized stateside or elsewhere to gauge if this is effective or just a warning for these yaks to not venture out of Japan!

The US has a whole government industry of putting sanctions on all sorts of people/companies/organisations/countries.  And they actually change very little.

Why is the US doing this? Why doesn't the Japanese Government do this?

@kobe. Maybe because there is a connection between ldp and yaks? Ever wondered who is trying to clean up Fukushima? ¥8000 a day?

Given the Trump family's connections to organized crime in the US and throughout the world

Fake news

Given the Trump family's connections to organized crime in the US and throughout the world, it could be Mueller's uncovered Trump's links in Japan, too. Casinos?

It’s good to see someone standing up to these ingrates. Come to think of it, it has been a few years since the Japanese cops have done a token raid on the Yamaguchi Gumi HQ. We must about due for another one soon.

Frozen assets aren't enough, but it is a start. Now we just need to catch them in a country willing to extridite them to the USA for trials and if found guilty, seize those assets like they do with any other criminal.

Sadly, the seizures are usually kept by the department doing the work, instead of going towards other public services.

The Treasury Departmemt levelling sanctions is a fairly good indication that something should be done domestically. Treasury doesn't bother with two-bit criminals.

Someone has too Japan's government obviously can not.

When the Japanese government finally gets around to outlawing membership to Yakuza organizations things MIGHT change. But since they are not illegal groups, and the government having little interest in pushing this issue, things wont change.

All the government wants, as it seems to me, is for the Yakuza to stay under the radar, and not have any of their activities spill over into the public eye, when they would have to take "official" action!

Japan how about doing the same....