Swords give you +1 reach, longer weapons give you +2. Trolls already have +1 natural reach so a troll with a spear or staff gets a +3 reach. He can pretty much hit you from across the room...
As a white guy in the Yakuza, he's facing an uphill battle for respect and position.
Given that 2 out of three characters are Japanese and yours is Yak muscle, I think I know where this particular thread will likely go.