The Yakuza are a very different breed of criminal than your typical western mobsters. Their business, which is frequently based on gambling and entertainment, isn't necessarily a "quiet" business.

Its like they just kept adding them when the old ones stopped working...

Seems like quite a lot of streetlights, most probably inoperable. No wonder they went bankrupt!

Its unfortunate, but this story is just further proof that the Economist is no longer the premiere publication it once was.