A senior member of yakuza was recently arrested near Tokyo for allegedly stealing Pokemon cards, shedding light on the challenges faced by Japanese organized crime groups amidst declining membership. This incident is emblematic of a larger trend where unorganized and loosely connected groups, known as 'tokuryu,' are increasingly involved in criminal activities once dominated by yakuza.
These 'tokuryu' groups, comprised of anonymous gangsters and tech-savvy young individuals, are believed to collaborate with yakuza, blurring the lines between them and complicating police investigations. The Tokyo metropolitan police are currently probing a case involving six suspects in their 20s and 30s, who are suspected of being hired through social media to commit a heinous crime.
