Japan's football chiefs have vowed to shun the country's infamous "yakuza" mobsters, as the sport world-wide tries to protect itself against the long tentacles of organised crime and illegal gambling. J-League clubs, players and referees issued a joint declaration in Tokyo on Tuesday that they would keep away from "anti-social forces", a euphemism for Japan's underworld gangs.
There have been no major mob crimes involving the 20-year-old professional league so far, J-League chairman Kazumi Ohigashi said at a meeting where the declaration was signed. "But our J-League has already become a target of online betting abroad," he said.
Betting is outlawed in Japan except on horse racing and some other races. An organised lottery on J-League matches began in 2001. But police probes in recent years have implicated sumo wrestlers and organised crime brokers in illegal betting on baseball games. "There has been a spate of football match-fixing cases in Europe, Africa, Asia and other regions since last year," the declaration said.
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