Local Residents Don’t Want Yakuza Neighbors

Mainichi reports that more than 1,000 residents of Fukuoka Prefecture are filing a lawsuit aimed at forcing a Yakuza gang to move its head office out of their neighborhood:

“We hope to clearly show the group that it’s the consensus of local residents to not allow criminal gangs here,” said a representative of the residents.

More than 1,000 residents living within a radius of about 500 meters from the head office of the Dojinkai gang in Kurume have recently indicated their intention to join a suit against the crime group as plaintiffs, according to sources close to the neighborhood.

Residents decided to take legal action against the yakuza organization in May 2007 — a year after a shooting incident involving the Dojinkai headquarters in May 2006. They have since held explanatory meetings for local residents with the cooperation of the Kurume Municipal Government.

Expenses for the lawsuit will be covered by the city’s fund to promote the expulsion of gangs and donations from local residents.

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The Dojinkai headquarters office is located about 300 meters north of Kurume Station on the Nishi-Nippon Railroad and is in the central part of the city of Kurume. An entire six-story ferroconcrete building is believed to be used as the gang’s head office, which is surrounded by shops and residences.

The Dojinkai’s head office was relocated to the current place from another area in the city after the municipal government carried out a fund-raising drive and bought up the former headquarters.