Japanese festival prohibits jackets with gang names

The organizer of the Sanja Matsuri festival in the Asakusa district of Tokyo has decided to prohibit members of organised crime groups from wearing hanten jackets with their groups names at the event, it is learned.

Last year after the enforcement of a Tokyo metropolitan designated aimed at the ultimate elimination of crime syndicates, festival organizer Asakusa Jinja Hosan-kai hopes to improve the atmosphere of the annual event begins Friday.

During the 10 years to 2007, 33 members of organised crime groups were arrested on suspicion of violating various regulations during the festival, including the metropolitan designated on the prevention of public and private nuisance.

For example, gangsters often climbed on portable mikoshi shrines is performed during the festival. As a result of such incidents, was wearing the three Honsha Mikoshi portable shrines, the main event of the festival, canceled in 2008.

In the last few years, has no major trouble reported. However, some gang members wear jackets with their groups names hanten run portable shrines, while others showed tattoos on their upper body. This resulted in numerous complaints from spectators to Asakusa Jinja Hosan-kai.

The regulation that operated last year contains a provision on festivals that says, "organizers strive not to have members of organized criminal groups involved in the functioning of the events."

Asakusa Jinja Hosan-kai works since the end of the year to a healthy festival with Asakusa police station.

Have decided to prohibit the participants wearing hanten jackets with gang names, asked the Organizer district resident associations to inform of gangsters plan to participate in the festival of the change.

Asakusa Jinja Hosan-kai was also considering eliminating food and other stalls at the festival place because some sellers proceeds have ended up in the hands of crime syndicates.

However, it is difficult to tell what stalls are linked to such groups, so the Organizer decided to stall on the sanctuary grounds for two-thirds of what was usually granted.

Although the effects of the measures are still unknown, a senior officer at the police station said: "it is important that the festival be organised under the leadership of the local population. We will handle problems once it takes place. "