In 10 years, Mr Tatsuya Shindo climbed to a deputy leadership role in his gang.
Mr Tatsuya Shindo is now a pastor, and all that remain from his past as a yakuza are his tattoos and a finger cut off at the joint.SAITAMA, Japan : A finger cut off at the joint and skin covered in tattoos are all that remain from Mr Tatsuya Shindo's past as a yakuza.
“I became a convert after reading Ezekiel Chapter 33: 'I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways, for why will ye die.’,” he said.Despite his change in heart and mindset, life was hard after his release - his gang abandoned him because of his drug addiction and he had to hide his past. Even when he was able to secure odd jobs, he was not able to hold them down.“On a hot summer day, I was sweating.
They cannot sign contracts, get a credit card, rent a place, apply for car loans or open a bank account for five years after their release from prison, he noted. Many places in Japan like public baths and swimming pools still ban those with tattoos, given that yakuza are heavily tattooed.From more than 90,000 members three decades ago, their numbers plummeted to about 22,000 as of the end of 2022, according to the National Police Agency.
Mr Matsumura said: “I was a little bit scared ... But when I went to his church for the first time and met him, he right away told me, 'Hey, Pastor Matsumura, I am so happy to see you. I have been waiting for this chance.' So my heart melted like ice cream.While Mr Shindo might have found a way back into society, more needs to be done to help ex-convicts, said University of Oxford criminologist Martina Baradel.
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