Japan's once-feared corporate racketeers nearly vanish from shareholder meetings

In Japan, corporate racketeers, known as "sokaiya," are nearly disappearing from shareholder meetings. Once feared for their extortion tactics during the nation's economic growth, these racketeers have largely vanished from shareholder meetings. In 2026, police reported only one sokaiya at the annual shareholder meetings, the lowest number on record.

The 64-year-old former member of a sokaiya group exposed scandals involving executives, demanding their removal during meetings. The crackdown on these criminals intensified in 1997, with the revised Commercial Code making the demand for illicit benefits a criminal offense. By 2025, only about 130 sokaiya remained in Japan, down from approximately 1,700 in 1983. While traditional racketeers have faded, a new form of disruption has emerged.