Yakuza boss acquitted in 2013 fatal shooting of ‘Gyoza King’ president

KYOTO (TR) – The Kyoto District Court has handed down a not-guilty verdict to a 59-year-old senior yakuza member accused of gunning down the president of the popular “Gyoza no Ohsho” (Gyoza King) restaurant chain more than a decade ago, reports Nippon News Network (Oct. 16).

Yukio Tanaka, an executive of an affiliate of the notorious Kudo-kai crime syndicate, had been charged with the brazen assassination of Takayuki Ohigashi. On December 19, 2013, the president was blasted four times in the chest and stomach with a handgun outside the company’s Kyoto City headquarters.

The acquittal sparked immediate outrage in the courtroom. Following the judge’s decision, a woman believed to be a family member of the victim screamed at the defendant, “What do you mean not guilty? You killed our precious father!”

Yukio Tanaka of the Kudo-kai (X)

Circumstantial evidence

Prosecutors had sought life in prison for the mobster, relying heavily on circumstantial evidence due to a lack of eyewitnesses or security footage capturing the actual shooting.

Key evidence presented by the prosecution included a cigarette butt found near the crime scene and security footage of a person wearing a helmet near the victim’s home.

However, the presiding judge ruled that the prosecution failed to prove Tanaka was the triggerman beyond a reasonable doubt. While the court acknowledged that the cigarette butt belonged to Tanaka, it noted it could not rule out the possibility that a third party had planted it there. Furthermore, the judge dismissed claims that the helmeted figure in the security video could be conclusively identified as the defendant.

Maintained innocence

Throughout the trial, Tanaka vehemently maintained his innocence.

“I am absolutely not the culprit,” Tanaka stated during the proceedings. “As a man who aspires to the yakuza code (ninkyo-do), I can accept a false accusation or two, but I absolutely cannot accept this.”

In June, he further pleaded with the judge, stating that if allowed, he would walk around the courtroom telling every single person present that he was not the killer.

“Extremely disheartened”

Following the verdict, Tanaka—who is currently serving time in prison for a separate shooting incident—released a statement criticizing the prosecution.

“My life changed the moment I was treated as a suspect, and what I lost will never return,” Tanaka said. “Prosecutors are human and make mistakes. I hope they correct this error and pursue the real killer.”

The victim’s bereaved family expressed deep frustration over the ruling.

“We are extremely disheartened by this unexpected verdict,” the family said in a statement. “We have strongly urged the prosecutor’s office to file an appeal.”

Published in Crime , News and Yakuza

The editorial team at The Tokyo Reporter brings the site's readership the latest news from the under side of Japan.

Gunma man living with skeletonized corpse of mother claims she was ‘alive until today’ Gunma man living with skeletonized corpse of mother claims she was ‘alive until today’

Ex-Kabukicho host arrested for coercing ‘girlfriend’ into sex work to settle club debts Ex-Kabukicho host arrested for coercing ‘girlfriend’ into sex work to settle club debts

Two Turkish men accused of sexually assaulting, choking woman in Chiba shed Two Turkish men accused of sexually assaulting, choking woman in Chiba shed

YouTuber ‘Shinjuku 109 Kenzo’ arrested for defaming Kyoto executive who later died in suicide YouTuber ‘Shinjuku 109 Kenzo’ arrested for defaming Kyoto executive who later died in suicide

京都（TR）——据日本新闻网（10月16日）报道，京都地方法院对一名59岁的黑道高级成员作出无罪判决，该成员被控十多年前枪杀了人气连锁餐厅“饺子王”的社长。

臭名昭著的工藤会旗下某犯罪集团的高管田中幸雄被控犯有谋杀大东隆之的罪行。2013年12月19日，大东隆之在公司位于京都市的总部外遭手枪射击，胸部和腹部中弹四次。

无罪判决立即在法庭上引发众怒。法官宣判后，一名据信是受害者家属的女子对着被告大喊：“你说什么？无罪？你杀了我们亲爱的父亲！”

工藤会的田中幸雄（X）

旁证

由于缺乏目击证人或拍摄到实际枪击事件的监控录像，检察官主要依靠间接证据，寻求对这名黑帮分子判处终身监禁。

检方提供的关键证据包括在犯罪现场附近发现的烟头和监控录像中一名戴着头盔的人出现在受害者家附近。

然而，主审法官裁定，检方未能排除合理怀疑地证明田中是枪手。虽然法院承认烟头属于田中，但指出不能排除第三方栽赃的可能性。此外，法官驳回了关于监控录像中戴头盔的人可以确凿地被认定为被告的说法。

坚称自己无罪

在整个审判过程中，田中始终坚称自己无罪。

田中在庭审中表示：“我绝对不是罪犯。作为一个以黑道为准则的人，我可以接受一两次冤案，但我绝对不能接受这样的冤案。”

6 月，他再次恳求法官，表示如果允许，他会在法庭上走来走去，告诉在场的每一个人，他不是凶手。

“极其沮丧”

判决后，目前因另一起枪击事件正在服刑的田中发表声明，批评检方。

“自从我被当作嫌疑人对待的那一刻起，我的人生就彻底改变了，我失去的一切再也回不来了，”田中说道。“检察官也是人，也会犯错。我希望他们能纠正这个错误，并将真正的凶手绳之以法。”

受害者家属对判决结果表示深切失望。

“我们对这一出乎意料的判决感到极其失望，”家属在一份声明中表示。“我们已强烈敦促检方提起上诉。”

发表于犯罪、新闻和黑帮版块

《东京记者报》的编辑团队为网站读者带来来自日本阴暗面的最新消息。

群马县男子与母亲的白骨尸体同住，声称母亲“直到今天还活着”

前歌舞伎町男招待因胁迫“女友”卖淫偿还俱乐部债务被捕

两名土耳其男子被控在千叶县一处棚屋内性侵并掐住一名女子的脖子

YouTuber“新宿109 Kenzo”因诽谤京都高管被捕，该高管后自杀身亡