Tetsuya Shiroo

{{Short description|Former leader of Suishin-Kai (1947–2020)}} {{Infobox criminal | name = Tetsuya Shiroo | birth_date = 1947 | image = Tetsuya Shiroo.jpg | image_size = 160 | organization = Suishin-kai | death_date = {{Death date and age|2020|1|22|1947}} | death_place = Osaka Medical Prison, Osaka, Japan | conviction_penalty = Death; commuted to life imprisonment }} {{nihongo|'''Tetsuya Shiroo'''|城尾哲弥|Shiroo Tetsuya|1947 – 22 January 2020}}<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.sankei.com/affairs/news/200123/afr2001230009-n1.html|title=長崎市長射殺の確定囚死去 |newspaper=Sankei Shimbun|date=2020-01-23|access-date=2020-01-23}}</ref> was the former leader of the Suishin-kai, a Nagasaki-based ''yakuza'' group affiliated with the Yamaguchi-gumi, the largest ''yakuza'' organization in Japan.

==Murder of Iccho Itoh== On April 17, 2007, Shiroo shot Iccho Itoh, the mayor of Nagasaki, who died early the next morning.

Shiroo's apparent motive for the assassination was a grudge over an insurance claim. City officials had refused to compensate him for a Yamaguchi-gumi vehicle that was damaged at a public works construction site in 2003.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.canada.com/topics/news/world/story.html?id=631f37cb-9eb0-4563-a7fb-e4f61b159001&k=4562|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070510224351/http://www.canada.com/topics/news/world/story.html?id=631f37cb-9eb0-4563-a7fb-e4f61b159001&k=4562|url-status=dead|title=canada.com | Article|archive-date=May 10, 2007}}</ref> It was reported in the Japanese press that prior to the shooting, Shiroo had mailed a letter to TV Asahi outlining his grudges against the mayor and the city government.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.japantoday.com/jp/news/404322|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071015172714/http://www.japantoday.com/jp/news/404322|url-status=dead|title=Japan Today - News - Police believe grudge over car damage may be behind Nagasaki mayor's murder|archive-date=October 15, 2007}}</ref> In addition to the insurance claim, Shiroo was also reportedly angry that a construction company linked to his gang had been denied a contract by the city government. He later told police that he had been planning the assassination since February.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20070510a7.html|title=Suspect: Ito hit decided in February|access-date=2008-01-06 |author= |date=2007-05-10 |publisher=The Japan Times}}</ref> Shiroo approached Itoh at 7:50 pm outside his campaign office near Nagasaki Station, shooting him twice in the back with an American-made revolver. Local police quickly subdued and arrested Shiroo, who reportedly later told police that he had planned to commit suicide after killing the mayor.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.asahi.com/ajw/|title=The Asahi Shimbun|website=The Asahi Shimbun}}</ref> Shiroo was indicted by the Nagasaki District Public Prosecutor's office for murder, gun possession and obstruction of election campaigning. Two of Shiroo's associates, Hiromi Ogawa and Masaki Yamashita, were arrested for helping Shiroo plan the killing, but charges were later dropped due to insufficient evidence.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20070520a2.html|title=Two men freed over mayor's murder|access-date=2008-01-06 |author= |date=2007-05-20 |publisher=The Japan Times}}</ref> Shiroo denied that he had told anyone of his plans to assassinate Itoh. Police sources stated that the killing was a result of this personal grudge, and was not authorized by the Yamaguchi-gumi leadership. After the mayor's death, Shiroo's gang, the Suishin-kai, announced that it would voluntarily disband.{{cn|date=November 2020}}

==Legal proceedings and conviction== His trial began on January 22, 2008.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/gangster-sorry-for-killing-mayor/2008/01/22/1200764245348.html | work=The Sydney Morning Herald | title=Gangster sorry for killing mayor | date=2008-01-22}}</ref> Prosecutors sought capital punishment for him<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601101&sid=a_3v5AVOzUGs&refer=japan|title=Japan Seeks Death Penalty for Slain Nagasaki Mayor, Kyodo Says|work=Bloomberg.com|author=Stuart Biggs|date=2008-03-19|access-date=2008-03-19}}</ref> and he was sentenced to death on May 26, 2008.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/05/26/news/Japan-Mayor-Shooting.php|title=Alleged gangster convicted in mayor shooting|publisher=International Herald Tribune|date=2008-05-26|access-date=2008-05-26}}</ref> However, the Fukuoka High Court revoked the death sentence and sentenced him to life imprisonment on September 29, 2009.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/Asia/Story/STIStory_435899.html|title=Gangster escapes gallows|publisher=Straits Times|date=2009-09-29|access-date=2009-10-20|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091002195419/http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking+News/Asia/Story/STIStory_435899.html|archive-date=2009-10-02}}</ref> Shiroo died at Osaka Medical prison in 2020.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Staff |first=Tokyo Reporter |date=2020-01-24 |title=Ex-yakuza on death row over fatal shooting of Nagasaki mayor dies in prison |url=https://www.tokyoreporter.com/crime/ex-yakuza-on-death-row-over-fatal-shooting-of-nagasaki-mayor-dies-in-prison/ |access-date=2023-01-07 |website=TokyoReporter |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.sankei.com/article/20200123-FM6E25O7PNLYXEC7EJCQLHSFQM/|title=長崎市長射殺の確定囚死去|newspaper= 産経新聞|date=2020-01-23|accessdate=2020-01-23}}</ref>

==See also== *Capital punishment in Japan

==References==  <references/> {{DEFAULTSORT:Shiroo, Tetsuya}} Category:Yakuza members Category:Yamaguchi-gumi Category:Japanese assassins Category:1947 births Category:2020 deaths Category:Japanese prisoners sentenced to death Category:Prisoners sentenced to death by Japan Category:People convicted of murder by Japan Category:Japanese people convicted of murder

{{japan-crime-stub}} Category:Japanese people who died in prison custody Category:Prisoners who died in Japanese detention