Japan's largest organised crime syndicate, the Yamaguchi-gumi, is reported to have appointed a new head.

Sixty-three-year-old Kenichi Shinoda was named as the new leader during a ceremony in the western town of Kobe, the Kyodo news agency said.

The change is believed to be the first shift in the group for 16 years. Police could not confirm the report.

The Yamaguchi-gumi is thought to have some 40,000 members, almost half of Japan's total number of gangsters.

Gang members reportedly exchanged cups of sake during the handover to symbolise the creation of family bonds.

Kyodo reports that Mr Shinoda, who spent 13 years in jail for murdering a rival gang boss with a sword, will lead one of the most prominent crime syndicates in the country.

Although police have tried to crack down on the underworld gangs, Japan's yakuza - or mafia - remain among the world's richest.

i wonder why its so hard to arrest these gangs :?

i wonder why its so hard to arrest these gangs :?

Probably because there are more Yakuzas than the police.

^ i dont think its because the yakuza overpowered the nation, that would be impossible :D

im asking if yakuzas play a role of any sort in the economy etc :?

Probably because there are more Yakuzas than the police.

True. The Japanese police simply cant catch all those overflooding Yakuzas! I remeber watching a CNN news on the Japanese biker gangs and Yakuzas being a big problem for the whole nation because they are everywhere, in unthinkable places (a policeman investigating a Yakuza was a Yakuza!). Also, it seems like, their pop grows in a fast rate every year. :runaway:

^ i dont think its because the yakuza overpowered the nation, that would be impossible :D

im asking if yakuzas play a role of any sort in the economy etc :?

Duh! How do you think they are making moneys? Where do you think they get the money to buy themselves a Benz-Mercedes? :weirdo: