TOKYO, Oct 14 — A senior member of one of Japan’s most notorious yakuza groups, Yamaguchi-gumi, has been arrested on suspicion of trying to defraud the country’s national health insurance system.

According to The Japan Times, Masahiro Nouchi, a 58-year-old criminal heavyweight in the crime syndicate’s Kodokai faction, allegedly cut off his own finger in a yubitsume ritual — a rather extreme way to say "sorry” — and then claimed he lost it in an industrial accident.

Nouchi was nabbed on October 10 by Gifu Prefectural Police, following an investigation into his curious claim.

Police sources told the Japanese national daily that on February 23 last year, he intentionally amputated his left little finger but reported it as an accidental injury when he sought medical attention in Tokyo.

The deception allowed him to receive coverage for the initial treatment, which cost ¥40,000 (RM1,150), and follow-up procedures in Gifu, adding another ¥5,000 to the bill — all conveniently covered by national health insurance.

This incident marks the first time a gang member has been arrested for trying to cover the costs associated with self-harm.

While the media hasn’t revealed how his crafty plan was discovered, it’s clear that Nouchi’s attempt to dodge the system wasn’t exactly foolproof.

In the yakuza world, yubitsume, meaning "finger shortening,” is a ritual where a member amputates part of their pinky to apologise for a significant mistake.

The tradition dates back to Japan’s warring clans, where a defeated warrior would lose their little finger to diminish their sword grip, rendering them less effective in battle.

Nouchi wasn’t alone in this caper; two other gang members, Tatsuo Ozawa, 53, and 34-year-old Seiya Uno, have also been arrested in connection with the attempted fraud.

None of the three men have admitted to the charges, and police are still investigating the transgression that supposedly warranted Nouchi’s self-inflicted punishment.