Oyakata acquire tickets for crime syndicate

[Kintamayama 45,530]

2 Oyakatas, one 40 years old and the other 64, are being accused of acquiring special ring-side tickets for more than 50 people belonging to the Yamaguchi Group criminal organization during last year's Nagoya basho. "We didn't know the tickets were for them..", said both of them. The police are looking into the matter, and the Kyokai will convene on the 27th (regular meeting) when they intend to summon them and discuss the situation, and decide if and what kind of punishment they will deal out to these Oyakata.

Now, who could they be..

The police have a theory that the tickets were purchased so that the boss, who is serving time, could see his boys in their prime seats on TV and maybe receive some hidden messages, or be encouraged just by seeing them.

Edited May 29, 2010 by Kintamayama

[Itachiyama 119]

Now, who could they be..

The only one who's 64 is Kiyomigata (Mihogaseki)

40 years old are 5 Oyakata if I'm correct in my investigations:

- Wakamatsu (Asanowaka)

- Onoe (Hamanoshima)

- Kise (Higonoumi)

- Edagawa (Aogiyama)

- Miyagino (Kanechika)

Edited May 25, 2010 by Itachiyama

[Kuroyama 715]

The police have a theory that the tickets were purchased so that the boss, who is serving time, could see his boys in their prime seats on TV and maybe receive some hidden messages, or be encouraged just by seeing them.

"Receive some hidden messages"? Are Japanese police typically so dense?

[yorikiried by fate 2,029]

Kotomitsuki and the bookies. Now this. Is Asashoryu still around?

[Kintamayama 45,530]

The police have a theory that the tickets were purchased so that the boss, who is serving time, could see his boys in their prime seats on TV and maybe receive some hidden messages, or be encouraged just by seeing them.

"Receive some hidden messages"? Are Japanese police typically so dense?

No. They mean to say that, for example, if the boss sees X, who was rumored to be ill or worse, in good health and laughing jovially, it could be a morale booster. They don't mean some complicated sign language stuff or whatever.

[Kintamayama 45,530]

The correct answers- Kiyomigata Oyakata from Mihogaseki and Kise Oyakata himself. Itachiyama wins a large colorful tattoo on his back. "About 4-5 years ago, I was asked by another Oyakata to acquire the tickets and have no knowledge who received them in the end,", said Kiyomigata, of whom I have never heard of before till today.. Moreover, the police are saying that this past January basho, Sumiyoshikai members, another yakuza syndicate, were seen watching the bouts from special seats, and were removed from their seats and seated elsewhere. Another fact- the incarcerated boss of the Yamaguchi clan is allowed to watch NHK coverage of two live events-the news and Sumo, hence, the police giving this a lot of attention. They are keen on finding out how the bad boys got their hands on these tickets.

Edited May 25, 2010 by Kintamayama

[Jonosuke 28]

I personally believe these oyakata that they simply did not know who the tickets went to.

The fact of the matter is that rikishi and oyakata get to asked for tickets all the time. Some are from pretty highly influential supporters of heya or their seniors or even family members.

How do you think Asashoryu or Hakuho's family members get choice Masu seats even with a few days notice?

A personal case in point. My sister-in-law worked in the same office as a Makuuchi rikishi's brother. She has been working together with him for some time and they knew each other well. She happened to mention that her brother-in-law (namely me) living outside Japan and a big sumo fan to boot and wanted to watch Ozumo during his visit. So the guy asked his brother the rikishi and this rikishi in turn asked a Chaya that his heya does his business with and voila, I get the front Masu seat just prior to the basho (of course in my case I pay for the tickets). But the rikishi himself had no idea whom he was getting the tickets for except what his brother was telling him.

I am not saying 100% that it happened like this in this case but it could have happened like that so easily so I feel sorry for them.

It's unlikely that they get charged unless someone witnessed giving the tickets to the mob guys personally or they have been known to frequent to the Yamaguchi gumi officers or they are in their Christmas card list.

Remember more outlandish people are being proven innocent under more suspicious circumstance. Japanese PM Hatoyama received around 180 Million Yen for five years from his mother but he maintained he did not know anything about the donation. His cohort Ozawa had 400 Million yen cash in his office to buy a land for his supporters club and his four secretaries all got charged for making false political contribution claims but Ozawa himself, one of the top honchos of Democrats is still maintaining his innocence as the prosecutors have no solid evidence of he himself doing anything.

These oyakata are small fish compared to these guys. Those with closer ti4es to mobs will make no such mistakes and they are well hidden. Even Kotomitsuki was basically no more than a betting customer and in fact he is a victim of extortion. It isn't so much that he gambled but it was more of him getting threatened to pay a large sum of money so that his name will be kept off media.

[Umigame 82]

Moreover, the police are saying that this past January basho, Sumiyoshikai members, another yakuza syndicate, were seen watching the bouts from special seats, and were removed from their seats and seated elsewhere.

Yes, this made the news back in January:

Yakuza boss removed from tamariseki on Day 9

[Kintamayama 45,530]

In English:

[Asashosakari 19,667]

So, what are the odds that nearly-intai-anyway Kiyomigata ends up offered as a pawn to be sacrificed and Kise gets the customary two-year, one-rank demotion? (Helps with the Kaiho/Kobo/Shikishima/Zaonishiki kabu crunch, too...)

[Kintamayama 45,530]

So, what are the odds that nearly-intai-anyway Kiyomigata ends up offered as a pawn to be sacrificed and Kise gets the customary two-year, one-rank demotion? (Helps with the Kaiho/Kobo/Shikishima/Zaonishiki kabu crunch, too...)

I was just going to speculate on that-it's definitely going to happen, I'm pretty sure kind of.

[Kintamayama 45,530]

The papers are saying Kise will be demoted and Kiyomigata will "be dealt with", but since his part in this seems to be less serious, his punishment will be less severe.

[Sashohitowa 6]

What I don't understand is how freely it is demonstrated that certain people belong to a criminal group and, at the same time, they are not in jail. If there are evidences that somebody belongs to yakudza - then convict him and put him to jail. Until it is not done - why it is considered normal to remove them from seats, backbite in the press and even punish people that are selling them tickets to sport events.

For me this is a discrimination and against human rights. Or maybe "another Japanese thing" -- but not a good one.

[Kintamayama 45,530]

Kise Oyakata has been demoted by two ranks. His heya has been "put under the authority" of Dewanoumi Ichimon, effectively closing it down. According to the rijicho, the heya will be under Dewanoumi's supervision for Nagoya, but the intention is to close it down and disperse the rikishi among the various Ichimon heyas. "I am deeply sorry we have caused bother for the many sumo fans out there," apologized the rijicho. "The facts are not correct, but a punishment has been decided so there's nothing I can do about it. It's not about me-the rikishi have to have a quiet environment to train in, so wherever they go will be good," said Kise Oyakata. Kiyomigata was reprimanded, as his part was acquiring the tickets for Kise, who asked for a favor 5-6 years ago and in any case, he was not involved these last few years in any of this.

Both defendants:

Edited May 27, 2010 by Kintamayama

[Kintamayama 45,530]

Mihogaseki Oyakata, former shisho of Kise Oyakata and boss of Kiyomigata, has said that he knew of their connections with the underworld, sending even higher shockwaves to the world. "These last few years, it was rumored that they have ties with the gang organizations," he said. This was vehemently denied by Kise, but may have sealed his fate,as his ex-Oyakata's words do carry a lot of weight.

[Kintamayama 45,530]

In case you don't believe me..

[Asashosakari 19,667]

Kiyomigata was reprimanded, as his part was acquiring the tickets for Kise, who asked for a favor 5-6 years ago and in any case, he was not involved these last few years in any of this.

A Yomiuri article goes into more detail: According to the police, 6 tickets were procured by gang affiliates for the Nagoya tournaments, two of them via the implicated oyakatas. Kise had originally asked Kiyomigata to be the go-between, but as of about three years ago he took over the ticket purchase himself. Ostensibly meant for a Nagoya-based management consultant, the tickets were eventually passed on to the Yamaguchi group.

The remaining four tickets were bought by an employee of a Nagoya entertainment company; not a paid-up Kyokai supporter, he was apparently well-known enough at the chaya (not sure if the article insinuates a personal connection to Kise) to be allowed the opportunity to purchase these normally-not-for-sale front row seats. If I'm understanding things correctly this latter part was a more recent arrangement, so there weren't always half a dozen tickets in yakuza hands, just for last year's tournament.

Edited May 27, 2010 by Asashosakari

[Kintamayama 45,530]

About the rumors of his connections with gangsters-"No, no, no, ! Hey, can't a person get another chance? I'd like to start all over..", said Kise. "I accept the punishment..", said Kiyomigata Oyakata. The Kise beya people themselves were in a state of shock upon hearing the news. "Really? Is that true?' they asked the journalists, who were pressing them for answers, and receiving none from the few deshi that ventured outside for supplies. Kitanoumi-beya's ex-Ganyuu (Yamahibiki Oyakata) was seen talking with the heya people outside the heya. Dewanoumi Ichimon knows that a rikishi "under authority" cannot participate in a honbasho, so the intention is to finalize the Kise rikishi's moving to other heyas by the Nagoya basho Banzuke announcement day which is June 28th. A case where a heya was dissolved due to the Oyakata's misconduct occurred back in 1985 when Hanakago Oyakata (ex-Wajima) was involved in the "kabu as collateral for debt scandal"- Wajima quit the Kyokai on his own and his rikishi and other heya people were moved to Hanaregoma beya.

Edited May 27, 2010 by Kintamayama

[Kuroyama 715]

What I don't understand is how freely it is demonstrated that certain people belong to a criminal group and, at the same time, they are not in jail. If there are evidences that somebody belongs to yakudza - then convict him and put him to jail. Until it is not done - why it is considered normal to remove them from seats, backbite in the press and even punish people that are selling them tickets to sport events.

For me this is a discrimination and against human rights. Or maybe "another Japanese thing" -- but not a good one.

Yes, it's a "Japanese thing". It's difficult to say of any one organization in particular, but yakuza in general date back to the Edo period. They certainly have a continuity of tradition going back that far, and are as characteristic a part of Japanese society as sumo. Nor are they entirely malevolent: The Yamaguchi organization, for instance, was instrumental in getting relief aid to the victims of the Kobe earthquake at a time the government was ineffectual.

Although legal action is only taken against yakuza members when caught in actual criminal activity, no one is blind to what they do and for all their essential "Japanese-ness" they're outside normal acceptable society. They are themselves, in many ways, a refuge for those who would otherwise be outcasts; and so serve an essential role in a culture where belonging to some group is so crucial element of one's identity.

[Asashosakari 19,667]

Although legal action is only taken against yakuza members when caught in actual criminal activity, no one is blind to what they do and for all their essential "Japanese-ness" they're outside normal acceptable society. They are themselves, in many ways, a refuge for those who would otherwise be outcasts; and so serve an essential role in a culture where belonging to some group is so crucial element of one's identity.

Incidentally, the German Wikipedia article on the yakuza insinuates something about them that they happen to have in common with Ozumo: Recruiting problems because today's pampered youth has little interest in their rough'n'tumble lifestyle. (The anti-gang legislation of the last 20 years probably isn't helping, in that it has drastically reduced the "coolness" factor of belonging to a gang.)

[Andreas 0]

Cases where people are known to be members of a criminal organization but cant be put into jail because lack of proof arent confined to Japan.

For example, in Germany, the "Hells Angels" and "Bandidos", two motorcycle clubs, have been discussed in the media recently. Its known theyre into organized crime, and most of their members are known, but you cant put them into jail just for membership.

Still, its easily understandable why the sumo kyokai wouldnt want any dealings with those kind of organizations.

[Kintamayama 45,530]

There was initially talk of dismissing Kise Oyakata from the Kyokai altogether, but it was deemed "too strict". Then, there was a suggestion that the heya be taken over by Mihogaseki Oyakata, Kise's shisho, an offer Kise stubbornly refused. In the end, "under the authority of Dewanoumi Ichimon" was the decision. The two candidate heyas likely to absorb Kise beya in the end are Kitanoumi or Onoe.

Let's not forget they have three Juryo rikishi -Kiyoseumi, Tokushinhou and Gagamaru-, the latter, a sure promotion to Makuuchi. 6 in Makushita (including Aoki, Fukao and Kamei), 9 in Sandanme (Inoue) , 8 in Jonidan (Shibahara) and one in Jonokuchi- a very large heya indeed with some promising rikishi. One gyoji, one yobidashi, one tokoyama.

[Washuyama 641]

The two candidate heyas likely to absorb Kise beya in the end are Kitanoumi or Onoe.

I guess it's a good thing Onoe Beya is moving into their new facility soon. It would be kinda cramped in that garage they live in now...

Edited May 27, 2010 by Washuyama

[Asashosakari 19,667]

I was wondering whether Kitanoumi-beya even has any more space, but it turns out they're back at about the same number of deshi as they had before taking over Hatachiyama-beya four years ago (from ~20 to 30, now back down to 20). Say, Kitanoumi doesn't really do much recruiting, does he. Of course that's pretty much true for Mihogaseki, too...

I hope it's Onoe, assuming he can handle the sheer numbers, since he actually seems to care.

[Raishu 208]

It's plausible that Kitanoumi and Onoe might take Kise's deshi since all derived from Mihogaseki beya, but 27 Rikishi is a whole lot.

I wouldn't be surprised if other stables get small groups of deshi as well. Assuming they don't intend to tranfer the group of Rikishi as a whole.

Any information/speculations on which heya Kise is going to join?

Edited May 27, 2010 by Raishu