Latest news with #Kojima
10 hours ago
Key Luffy Crime Group Member Gets 20 Yrs in Prison
News from Japan Society Jul 23, 2025 21:06 (JST) Tokyo, July 23 (Jiji Press)--Tokyo District Court on Wednesday sentenced Tomonobu Kojima, a senior member of a Philippines-based Japanese crime group, to 20 years in prison for his involvement in a series of robbery and fraud cases across Japan. This is the first court ruling for any of the four senior members of the group indicted over the high-profile robberies. The ringleaders went by names including "Luffy." Presiding Judge Masamichi Itatsu said that the robbery scheme was a "new type of serious crime," handing down the severe punishment "from the perspective of deterrence." Kojima, 47, was indicted on charges of recruiting individuals involved in robbery cases from October to December 2022, including those in the city of Inagi, Tokyo, the capital's Nakano Ward and the western city of Iwakuni, Yamaguchi Prefecture. He also allegedly swindled a total of about 54 million yen in 2019. During his trial, Kojima admitted to the charges. Public prosecutors sought a 23-year sentence. [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.] Jiji Press
Japan Today
18 hours ago
- Japan Today
Senior 'Luffy' crime group member gets 20 years over robberies
A Tokyo court on Wednesday sentenced a senior figure in a crime ring that orchestrated robberies across Japan from the Philippines to 20 years in prison, marking the first conviction of a leading member. Tomonobu Kojima, 47, was convicted of assisting in a robbery and other crimes remotely directed by the group, whose members used monikers such as "Luffy," the name of a popular manga character, and recruited perpetrators via social media. The trial at the Tokyo District Court focused on Kojima's role in the group. Although he admitted to the charges at the first hearing in early July, he said his role was merely that of a "handyman." Presiding Judge Masamichi Itatsu ruled that Kojima had a very important role in enabling the crimes, citing that he introduced applicants for lucrative but shady "part-time jobs" multiple times to other senior members, including Yuki Watanabe, 41, at their request to recruit people to carry out the robberies. Itatsu said strict punishment was necessary due to his involvement in "a new type of crime" that not only endangers public safety but also kept producing many perpetrators by discarding them after use. Prosecutors had sought a 23-year sentence, while Kojima's defense counsel had sought 11 years on the basis that his involvement was limited. According to the ruling, Kojima introduced people recruited to carry out robberies to Toshiya Fujita, 41, another senior group member, in cases between October and December of 2022. Kojima in 2019 also conspired with Kiyoto Imamura, 41, who is believed to have used the "Luffy" pseudonym, to pose as a Financial Services Agency official to steal bank cards to illicitly withdraw a total of 15 million yen ($102,000), as well as stealing some 38 million yen in cash, the ruling said. The three other senior group members have been indicted for allegedly giving instructions to their subordinates in eight main robbery cases. Trial dates for the three have yet to be decided. The crime ring is suspected of being involved in more than 50 cases of robbery, theft and other crimes across 14 prefectures. The robberies shocked Japan, where violent crime is rare. All four men were deported from the Philippines in February 2023. They are suspected of issuing instructions for the eight robberies on the encrypted messaging app Telegram while being held at a Manila immigration facility before their deportation. © KYODO
a day ago
Senior Member of Luffy Crime Ring Gets 20 Yrs in Prison
News from Japan Society Jul 23, 2025 17:14 (JST) Tokyo, July 23 (Jiji Press)--Tokyo District Court on Wednesday sentenced a senior member of a Philippines-based Japanese crime ring to 20 years in prison for his involvement in a nationwide robbery scheme. Tomonobu Kojima, 47, was the first of the four indicted members of the group, whose members called themselves by nicknames such as "Luffy," to receive a court ruling. Kojima was indicted on charges of recruiting individuals involved in robbery cases from October to December 2022, including those in the city of Inagi, Tokyo, the capital's Nakano Ward and the western city of Iwakuni, Yamaguchi Prefecture. He also allegedly swindled a total of about 54 million yen in 2019. During his trial, Kojima admitted to the charges, and public prosecutors sought a 23-year sentence. The prosecutors argued that Kojima recruited perpetrators through X, formerly Twitter, and agencies for illegal part-time jobs, and concluded that he played a significant role in executing robberies. [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.] Jiji Press
The Mainichi
a day ago
- The Mainichi
Key 'Luffy' crime group member gets 20 yrs over robberies
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- A Tokyo court on Wednesday handed down a 20-year prison sentence to a key member of a crime ring that orchestrated robberies across Japan from the Philippines. Tomonobu Kojima, 47, was on trial on suspicion of assisting in robberies causing injury and other crimes remotely directed by the group whose members used monikers such as "Luffy," the name of a popular manga character, and recruited individuals to conduct the crimes on social media. The trial at the Tokyo District Court had centered on what role Kojima played. In its first hearing in early July, he admitted to the charges but denied being a senior member of the group, instead describing himself as a "handyman." Prosecutors had sought a 23-year sentence, arguing the defendant had "clearly played an important role in realizing the robberies." His defense counsel had sought 11 years in prison, arguing his involvement in the group's crimes was limited. Aside from Kojima, three other senior members of the group have been indicted for allegedly giving instructions to their subordinates in eight main robbery cases. The crime ring was suspected of being involved in more than 50 cases of robbery, theft and other crimes across 14 prefectures. All four men were deported from the Philippines in February 2023. They are suspected of issuing instructions for the eight robberies on the encrypted messaging app Telegram while being held at a Manila immigration facility before their deportation.
Daily Maverick
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Maverick
Hideo Kojima's Death Stranding 2: A bold exploration of grief and redemption awaits
Hideo Kojima's Death Stranding 2: On the Beach successfully captures the magic promised by the original game, and it'll go down in history as one of the definitive games of the PS5 era. Death Stranding was an unusual proposition when it first launched. A post-apocalyptic courier sim was a hard sell in 2019, and its divisive structure — long cinematics punctuated by laborious treks — meant it didn't land for everyone. But there was an undeniable charm to it, a unique magic that helped it stand apart from the sea of third-person shooters and live-service games of its time, cementing its legacy as a flawed classic. Six years later, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach continues Sam Porter Bridges's story, this time across a new continent. Like most sequels, it expands on the original's ideas, but it's also bolder, more refined and proudly wears its sincere heart on its sleeve. It's not just one of legendary developer Hideo Kojima's best games; it's a love letter to life, connection, and meaning from a developer who has grown into one of the great elder statesmen of the games industry. That sentimentality is woven into every pixel, whether through sly glances at the camera or offhand lines loaded with deeper meaning. It's also a faster-paced experience, ditching the slow burn of the original's prologue. If you never played the original, the gist of it is that our weary protagonist has shut himself off from the world after the loss of a loved one, and he eventually embarks on a journey across the Australian continent to heal. Naturally, things get more complicated — this is a Kojima game, after all — and Sam's journey is fraught with peril and ghosts from the past. On that front, Death Stranding 2 is a major leap forward, building on the 2021 Death Stranding Director's Cut and layering in even more gameplay depth. At its core, this is still a hiking simulator mixed with puzzle elements, where plotting your path from Point A to B while carrying precious cargo takes planning, patience, and a good pair of boots. That extends to combat and stealth as well, as these two facets of the game have been significantly improved. While they felt like an afterthought in the original game, the action-packed side of Death Stranding 2 plays like a spiritual successor to Kojima's Metal Gear Solid series, resulting in snappier throwdowns with brigands from the land Down Under, or tense moments when you're holding your breath and sneaking into position so that you can take out BTs with a well-aimed blood-grenade. Yet the game's finest moments are often its quietest: scenes of Sam alone with the world, pushing forward one determined step at a time. These stretches of solitude, set to a hauntingly beautiful soundtrack by Ludvig Forssell and Woodkid, reinforce the game's themes with subtle power. If the first Death Stranding was about connection, this sequel deepens that message while exploring grief, isolation, and healing. These themes are thoroughly explored through an emotional storyline anchored by stellar performances from Kojima's cast of celebrity buddies. Norman Reedus is once again the world-weary Sam, and while he's as laconic as ever, the returning Fragile — played by the amazing Lea Seydoux — is a ray of sunshine and a perfect counterpart to him. The cast has also expanded, with even more characters brought to life through a combination of famous faces and voice actors helping to propel the story along by rattling off some of the most absurd yet delightful lines you've ever heard. Special mention has to go to Troy Baker as the villainous Higgs. As Sam's nemesis, he's a scene-stealing force of nature looking to bring about the downfall of humanity once and for all. Rocking a new Crow-inspired look — and a battle-axe guitar — Baker steals the show with a gleefully over-the-top performance and gripping moments of nuanced pain. Visually, Death Stranding 2 is staggering. There are moments so surreal and breathtaking that you'll instinctively pause just to absorb them. It's a triumph of design and artistic ambition: brilliantly weird, deeply earnest, and utterly unforgettable. This is a game that urges you to go outside and touch some grass, then dares you to dream about what might lie beyond it. DM
