Underreported Yakuza murders in Japan, FBI liver-transplant-for-info swap [2009]
npr.org
npr.org
This was an interesting story I heard a few months back, detailing how:
* Yakuza/organized crime figures carry business cards and operate in the open
* Companies and private citizens contract the Yakuza to settle disputes
* Most construction companies have some Yakuza tie-in
* Most yakuza murder victims do end up as cliches ... in building foundations ... and aren't reported as murder victims
* a Yakuza boss promised to inform on cronies for the FBI in return for entry/exit to/from US for liver transplants at UCLA (UCLA got a nice sum for expedited liver matching and transplant services too) ... and he brought along three friends for identical procedures.
* The Yakuza boss did not keep his end of the deal. (I guess the FBI just trusted he'd do his part.)
* The American crime reporter/author giving the interview blew the story, disgraced the Yakuza figure, and suffered some consequences.
Fascinating story overall. The Japanese official homicide rate doesn't reflect the truth.