They often cooperate with yakuza, obscuring the boundary between them and making police investigations more difficult, experts and authorities say.

That episode occurred decades after the infamous “Black Mist Scandal,” when from 1969 to 1971 several Japanese players were punished for accepting money from organized crime figures known as yakuza to throw games.

Tattoos have long been taboo in Japan, where they are associated with yakuza organised crime gangs.

"Itami was a very tongue-in-cheek filmmaker and he did a movie about the yakuza," Wu said.

In lieu of payment, the yakuza becomes his apprentice, incidentally forming a friendship with the master’s son, a talented rakugoka who only wants to design clothes.