Voici un extrait d’un article de Jake Adelstein, Yakuza Goes Hollywood, The Daily Beast 23/9/2011
There are many reasons the connections between Japanese show business and organized crime have not been reported or dealt with, but the chief reasons are two: a complaint and cowardly media, and political protection. For the Osaka Police Department, the close ties between Shimada and the current governor posed a problem. Shimada has purchased real estate at very cheap prices in the Osaka area—the police believe that the yakuza helped him in doing this and an investigation is ongoing. After Shimada announced his retirement, Toru Hashimoto, governor of Osaka since 2008 and a close friend of the star, commented at his August 24 regular press briefing, “If it hadn’t been for Shinsuke-san’s television program there’s no way I would have been elected Governor. I’m where I am now thanks to Shinsuke-san. (The whole thing) is very regrettable and painful.”
A retired Osaka PD officer states, “When the head of the government is close friends with the target of an investigation everyone gets hesitant to pursue a case. It’s only natural. I’m not saying he applied political pressure to squelch our investigation, but there are always bureaucrats at the top who don’t want to piss off the person who ultimately decides our funding.”
