Authorities in Nagoya, Japan, detained two men, one of them identified as a yakuza leader, on suspicion of involvement in pit bull attacks. The dog reportedly injured a woman and a child, and the breed is recognized for its strength in fights and is often associated with incidents of aggression.
The detained individuals were identified as Kenji Mori, who holds the presidency of a secondary organization linked to the Yamaguchi-gumi, and a second unnamed suspect. The arrests took place after the animal, described by the owners as “tame” and which “would never bite”, seriously attacked a woman and a two-year-old boy.
In April, the suspects allegedly failed to report a specific incident to public health authorities. On that occasion, his pitbull attacked the face of a two-year-old boy on a public road located in the Naka neighborhood, in the city of Nagoya.
A month later, in May, the same animal allegedly carried out another attack, seriously injuring the face of a 23-year-old woman in a park, also in the Naka neighborhood, in Nagoya. Given the facts, the duo is being investigated for severe negligence that resulted in bodily injuries.
The victims had different outcomes in the incidents. The boy suffered minor injuries to his face, while the woman suffered considerable injuries to her nose and mouth, with an estimated recovery time of one month.
Police authorities have not confirmed whether those involved confessed to the charges brought against them. Preliminary statements indicate that the dog’s owners reiterated the animal’s tameness, ensuring that it “would not bite under any circumstances”, and allowed third parties to interact with the pitbull, contradicting the public perception of breeds such as the pitbull which, in some contexts, are the target of stricter laws due to their potential for strength and aggression.