Two members of the Sumiyoshi-kai yakuza gang have been arrested for ramming a 2-ton truck into sumo's Oshima Stable in Tokyo's Sumida-ku in November last year, police said Tuesday.
Arrested for willful destruction of property were Sumiyoshi-kai yakuza pair Yoshifumi Okawa, 46, of Abiko, Chiba Prefecture, and Shigenori Kitabatake, 30, of Omitama, Ibaraki Prefecture.
A warrant has been taken out for the arrest of a third member of the Sumiyoshi-kai who is accused of involvement in the attack, which police believe took place because of money troubles between the yakuza gang and former Komusubi Kyokushuzan, who belonged to the Oshima Stable.
Both the suspects have admitted to the allegations against them, police said.
Kyokushuzan retired from sumo soon after the November 2006 alleged attack on his stable, later saying that he would have continued to grapple had it not been for the troubles he was having with the yakuza. In July, three high-ranking members of the Sumiyoshi-kai were arrested for trying to blackmail Kyokushuzan in connection with money problems, but they were later released without being charged.
A tear gas attack two days before the truck was rammed into the stable is also being investigated, with Kitabatake and Okawa among the suspects.
Police said Kitabatake and Okawa stole a 2-ton truck from Ageo, Saitama Prefecture, and rammed it into the front of the Oshima Stable early on the morning of Nov. 11, 2006, smashing a concrete pillar and destroying a bicycle. Police said the pair left the truck where they crashed it and fled the scene.
--- Vocabulary ---
ram : 衝突する（自）、激しくぶつかる（他）
stable : 相撲部屋、安定した（形）
willful : 意図的な
destruction : 破壊
property : 財産、不動産
warrant : 令状、証明書
accuse : 責任を問う、非難する
involvement : 関与、関係
suspect : 容疑者
admit : 認める、承認する
allegation : 申し立て、主張
soon after : -の直後に
grapple : 取り組む、組み合う
blackmail : 脅す、脅迫する
in connection with : -に関連して
without being charged : 告発されることなしに
tear gas : 催涙ガス
smash : 打ち砕く
concrete : コンクリート、具体的な、明確な
pillar : 柱
scene : 現場
Arrested for willful destruction of property were Sumiyoshi-kai yakuza pair Yoshifumi Okawa, 46, of Abiko, Chiba Prefecture, and Shigenori Kitabatake, 30, of Omitama, Ibaraki Prefecture.
A warrant has been taken out for the arrest of a third member of the Sumiyoshi-kai who is accused of involvement in the attack, which police believe took place because of money troubles between the yakuza gang and former Komusubi Kyokushuzan, who belonged to the Oshima Stable.
Both the suspects have admitted to the allegations against them, police said.
Kyokushuzan retired from sumo soon after the November 2006 alleged attack on his stable, later saying that he would have continued to grapple had it not been for the troubles he was having with the yakuza. In July, three high-ranking members of the Sumiyoshi-kai were arrested for trying to blackmail Kyokushuzan in connection with money problems, but they were later released without being charged.
A tear gas attack two days before the truck was rammed into the stable is also being investigated, with Kitabatake and Okawa among the suspects.
Police said Kitabatake and Okawa stole a 2-ton truck from Ageo, Saitama Prefecture, and rammed it into the front of the Oshima Stable early on the morning of Nov. 11, 2006, smashing a concrete pillar and destroying a bicycle. Police said the pair left the truck where they crashed it and fled the scene.
--- Vocabulary ---
ram : 衝突する（自）、激しくぶつかる（他）
stable : 相撲部屋、安定した（形）
willful : 意図的な
destruction : 破壊
property : 財産、不動産
warrant : 令状、証明書
accuse : 責任を問う、非難する
involvement : 関与、関係
suspect : 容疑者
admit : 認める、承認する
allegation : 申し立て、主張
soon after : -の直後に
grapple : 取り組む、組み合う
blackmail : 脅す、脅迫する
in connection with : -に関連して
without being charged : 告発されることなしに
tear gas : 催涙ガス
smash : 打ち砕く
concrete : コンクリート、具体的な、明確な
pillar : 柱
scene : 現場