Crimes inside and outside the game.
Actor and comedian Hiroyuki Miyasako, who plays a supporting character in Yakuza 6: The Song of Life, has been suspended by his talent agency due to an alleged link to organized crime.
As reported by The Japan Times (via VG247) Miyasako, who plays Tsuyoshi Nagumo in Yakuza 6: The Song of Life, reportedly attended a party five years ago, along with other comedians, that was hosted by an organized crime group. The comedians provided entertainment for party guests and were paid for their efforts. It is that payment that has caused Miyasako and 10 other actors to be suspended by the Yoshimoto Kogyo Co. agency.
“Although (the comedians) were not aware it was a gathering hosted by an antisocial group, we still consider it a very serious matter that they accepted money from such a group,” the agency said.
Japanese Yakuza Judgement
As is Japan’s traditional course of action when celebrities are linked to criminal activity, broadcasters have begun to cut out scenes featuring the suspended comedians, or put their shows on hiatus. We saw a similar thing occur in gaming with another game in the Yakuza universe, when Judgement’s Pierre Taki was replaced with a different actor after he was found to be involved in drug use.
With the Judgement case in recent memory, it raises the question as to if something similar will happen with Yakuza 6. We have reached out to Sega to determine if Miyasako’s role will be cut or changed because of this allegation.
If you’re looking for organized crime of the strictly fictional variety, check out our Judgement review, which gives all the details on an extremely good PS4 game and addition to the Yakuza series. Judgement’s US release date was June 25, 2019.
Matt Purslow is IGN’s UK News and Entertainment Writer. You can follow him on Twitter.
