Gifu, Japan — Gifu Prefectural Police have arrested Masahiro Nouchi, a 58-year-old resident of the City of Gifu and a senior member of the Yamaguchi-gumi crime syndicate’s Kodokai faction, on suspicion of fraud. Nouchi allegedly severed his own finger during a yubitsume ritual, claiming it was an accident to improperly obtain national health insurance benefits.
Yubitsume, a traditional act typically associated with organized crime, involves cutting off a finger at the joint, often as a means of apology or atonement for serious errors. This incident is believed to be the first case in Japan where such a ritual was linked to fraudulent health insurance claims.
Nouchi, who holds the position of wakagashira (leader of henchmen) within the Kodokai, was arrested alongside two other senior members of the syndicate. Authorities have not disclosed whether the suspects have admitted to the allegations.
The arrest stems from an incident on February 23 of the previous year when Nouchi purportedly reported the self-inflicted injury as an accidental incident to medical personnel in Tokyo. This false claim would have allowed him to access benefits under the national health insurance system, which does not cover intentional injuries. By doing so, Nouchi aimed to evade a payment of approximately ¥40,000 and was also accused of avoiding about ¥5,000 in treatment costs by visiting a medical facility in Gifu Prefecture on March 9.
Nouchi was initially arrested on September 18 for allegedly using another person’s electronic toll collection card to fraudulently secure discounts on highway tolls, constituting a violation of computer fraud laws.
