A 74-year-old yakuza mafia boss has been sentenced to death by a Japanese court over allegations that he had ordered the murder of three people. The yakuza boss was the head of the "Kudo-kai" group, a well-known organized crime syndicate operating in southwest Japan.
The Fukuoka District Court issued the death sentence against Satoru Nomura on Tuesday. He was accused of being the mastermind behind the attack and killing of three Japanese citizens on three separate occasions.
According to Japanese media, Nomura was found guilty despite a lack of evidence directly linking him to the murders. Nomura maintained his innocence and denied all of the accusations that were made against him.
"I asked for a fair decision ... You will regret this for the rest of your life," Nomura, reportedly, told the judge after his sentencing.
Yakuza boss sentenced to death by Fukuoka court, tells judge 'You'll regret this' https://t.co/XeGm8lRphG — The Mainichi (Japan Daily News) (@themainichi) August 25, 2021
Nomura was found guilty of ordering the fatal shooting of an ex-boss of a fisheries cooperative in 1998. He was also found guilty of ordering the murder of a relative of the cooperative boss. Court documents said the victim held considerable influence over major port construction projects in his area.
Nomura was also found guilty of ordering the killing of a nurse at a clinic where he was seeking treatment in 2013. The court also found him guilty of conspiracy to commit murder related to the shooting of a former police officer who had been investigating his group. The officer had survived the incident but sustained severe injuries to his lower body.
Prosecutors accused Nomura of organizing the four hits against the victims. They said he personally approved the acts through his group's chain-of-command structure. Nomura's deputy, Fumio Tanoue, was also implicated in the crimes but was given a lesser sentence of life in prison. Tanoue also denied all of the allegations.
Apart from the prison and death sentences, the court also sought a fine of 20 million yen ($182,000) from both Nomura and Tanoue.
For decades, the Japanese government has been lenient on some organized crime groups, describing them as a necessary evil to ensure peace and order. Officials have tolerated Yakuzas as they are able to get things done more quickly, despite their dubious means.
In recent years, the government has been tightening its anti-gang regulations. Coupled with declining social tolerance and a weaker economy, Yakuza membership has been gradually declining.
