TOKYO, July 17 (UPI) -- A former restaurant owner sued Japan's largest crime group, alleging that when she refused to pay for protection she was told her restaurant would be torched.
In the lawsuit filed with Nagoya District Court Tuesday, the woman said she paid between $300 and $1,000 a month from 1998 to 2010 to an affiliate of the Yamaguchi-gumi but was threatened when she tried to stop, The Mainchi reported Wednesday.
In the suit, the woman said she was told, "If you say such a thing, [your property] will be set on fire."
The Yamaguchi-gumi affiliate extorted about $110,000 from the woman, who is seeking $175,000 from the chief organization.
The Yamaguchi-gumi head, born Kenichi Shinoda, did not commit the crime, but a revised 2008 law allows a syndicate head to be held liable of his subordinates' actions, The Mainchi said.
The woman's lawyers said in a statement they believe including the overall syndicate leader in the lawsuit "will help salvage the woman, as well as deter similar damage from being done in the future."
