crime

NHK president pledges crackdown on artists with yakuza ties for 'Kohaku Uta Gassen'

28 Comments

NHK President Masayuki Matsumoto has publicly announced his intention to ensure that performers with connections to organized crime gangs will be prevented from taking part in this year's "Kohaku Uta Gassen" (Red and White Song Contest) on New Year's Eve.

"Kohaku Uta Gassen," held every Dec 31, divides the most popular music artists of the year into competing teams of red and white. The red team is composed of all female artists (or groups with female vocals), while the white team is all male. The gala has long been a popular fixture among families throughout Japan and has strict rules banning artists with connections to organized crime gangs.

Matsumoto, formerly the vice chairman of Central Japan Railway Co, became president of NHK last January. In a recent interview with Sankei Shimbun, he signaled a strict stance against any performers with potential gang ties. "It has always been a rule of the show to be careful during the selection process. It goes without saying that we try to prevent the appearance of artists with ties to organized crime," he said.

He went on to say that this year, the rules would be applied more strictly than usual, adding that "investigations" would be carried out into artists' backgrounds to ensure that no such links existed. The announcement came after a series of figures in the entertainment and sporting worlds, including high profile TV personality Shinsuke Shimada, were involved in scandals when their gang ties were revealed.

"We reserve the right to revoke invitations to perform should any connection to criminal gangs be found," Matsumoto told Sankei.

"Kohaku Uta Gassen" will be broadcast on NHK on Dec 31 from 7:15 p.m. to 11:45 p.m.

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28 Comments
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He went on to say that this year, the rules would be applied more strictly that usual, adding that “investigations” would be carried out into artists’ backgrounds to ensure that no such links existed.

wish it is not true, otherwise we'll miss this year's Kohaku Uta Gassen altogether.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Editors,

groups with female vocals

Probably better written as "groups with female vocalists." Unless you mean the group uses pre-recorded but invisible female singers in their live performances. Or countertenors.

(source link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Countertenor)

0 ( +1 / -1 )

WOW, what a waste of time and energy. I remember the DJ Ozma incident but that wasn't even a wardrobe malfunction.

This guy is the head of the biggest television network in Japan. He should be investigating TEPCO and J-GovT and the countless number of people they are killing.

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

This is just lip service. If the person were TRULY interested in a crack down there would be no artists to step on stage, plain and simple.

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

I imagine most of the Enka singers won't be on the stage.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

As long as there are no Korean singers (K- POP), it doesn't bother me at all.

-1 ( +7 / -8 )

An NHK president taking a public stance against boryokudan (organized crime) in Japan would have been unheard of twenty or so years ago. At that time, there would have been serious repercussions to in terms of his safety and his career.

This just goes to show that Japan really has come a long way in removing organized crime from the mainstream. Kudos NHK, kudos President Matsumoto.

7 ( +9 / -2 )

Hasn't this guy got more important things to do?

And what exactly are ties and links anyway? Does this mean that if one artist's father has a yak buddy, that artist is out?

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

I pay a fee to a yakuza group every month. Much like "protection money" I don't need nor want the service nor did I ask for it. It was forced on me with threats. The service and the name of the yakuza group are both known as NHK. I can only hope that Matsumoto will ban himself and his whole damned crooked organization.

1 ( +6 / -6 )

.....organized crime of the 893 is definitely pervasive..... as noted in http://factsanddetails.com/japan.php?itemid=632&catid=18

0 ( +0 / -0 )

haha I bet the yakuza have plenty of connections with NHK itself, so I thinks its best to just cancel this fiasco!

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

That'll be cannibalism. Read Tachibana Takashi about certain former "Don" of NHK to know it.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

So will they publish the findings of their "investigations"? That would certainly make interesting news...

0 ( +0 / -0 )

CrazyJoe: "As long as there are no Korean singers (K- POP), it doesn't bother me at all."

I know because god forbid the singers actually have talent and can actually dance!

1 ( +3 / -2 )

So true magic8ball!! I stopped paying when tv's went digital. They recently sent me a letter asking if I got a tuner yet!

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Ha. They wouldn't have the guts to cut Kitajima Saburo from the card...

0 ( +0 / -0 )

there goes half the field

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I betcha if we were allowed to investigate the former head of JR Central Japan we could find we could find some "connections" to organized crime. This is bullsh!t.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Creation:17th century Yakuza 893 (ヤクザ or やくざ ), also known as gokudō (極道), are members of traditional organized crime syndicates in Japan. The Japanese police, and media by request of the police, call them bōryokudan (暴力団), literally "violence group", while the yakuza call themselves "ninkyō dantai" (任侠団体 or 仁侠団体), "chivalrous organizations". The yakuza 893 are notoriously known for their strict codes of conduct and very organized nature. They are very prevalent in the Japanese media and operate internationally with an estimated 102,400 members.

Principal clans: Yamaguchi-gumi, Sumiyoshi-kai, (Tokyo) and Inagawa-kai

Yakuza 893 often take part in local festivals such as Sanja Matsuri where they often carry the shrine through the streets proudly showing off their elaborate tattoos.

refs: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yakuza

2 ( +2 / -0 )

This is very good news. Let's hope it is put into practice.

If NHK continue like this I might think about starting to pay my license fee

1 ( +2 / -1 )

This is actually quite big, and I think is a result of the new law (Tokyo Boryokudan haiji jorei) that came into effect on October 1 in Tokyo. This new law makes it illegal for companies to pay money to Yakuza, use Yakuza to settle business, have connections with Yakuza, and sets up systems for people in debt to Yakuza, helps people leave Yakuza, and several other measures. This law is very new in that it targets legitimate business, and hence instead of catching the fish, attempts to drain the ocean, so to speak. (You can see the full law, and a nice manga explanation on the Tokyo Metropolitan police website: http://www.keishicho.metro.tokyo.jp/sotai/haijo_seitei.htm)

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Sorry, that is "Tokyo to boryokudan haijo jorei" 東京都暴力団排除条例

0 ( +0 / -0 )

long overdue measure necessary to sever the notion that organized crime sociopaths have anything to due with culture, and association that they are desperate to cultivate in the minds of unsuspecting citizens.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Yakuza are just scum! Parasites! Pimps drug dealers loan sharks etc...big bullies feeding off the fear of weaker Japanese! Same mafia tactics all over the world just a fancy Japanese name for the mafia.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

I hope the Yakuza doesn't pledge a crackdown on NHK executive who pledge a crackdown on entertainers with Yakuza ties. That would be quite a bit messier!

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

They WOULD NOT possible be be able to cut Wada Akko either... and her daddy was a highly ranked yak back in the day. Everyone in the industry has some connection I'd guess. NHK's only way out would be to have 'Kohaku, the Anime Version' (笑)

0 ( +0 / -0 )

That was perfect Magic8Ball. Thumbs up

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

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