Have you heard of the Japanese mafia yakuza? Do you know how they are organized? What are their codes of conduct? How do the Japanese view the yakuza? In this article, we will explore everything about the Yakuza.
Yakuza [ヤクザ] is the name of the largest criminal faction in Japan and the world. It is also known as Gokudō [極道]. There are over 100,000 members worldwide belonging to the crime syndicate Yakuza.
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Definition – What is Yakuza?
For the Japanese police and press, this criminal organization is called Bōryokudan [暴力団], which means “Violent Group,” but members often refer to themselves as Ninkyō dantai [任侠団体], meaning “Chivalrous Organization.”
The yakuza have a code of conduct and are very organized like the ancient samurai. Their members follow a code of rules based on loyalty and fidelity, and they have obligations such as not hiding money from the group, not seeking the police, and never disobeying a superior’s orders.
According to the members themselves, they do not commit crimes and conduct activities legally. Although some commit offenses, many invest and provide protection for certain establishments.
Origin – How did the Yakuza Mafia arise?
It is believed that the yakuza emerged in the mid Edo Period (1603 – 1868). They were divided into 2 groups:
- Tekiya [的屋] – Hawkers or merchants who sold illegal, stolen, or low-quality goods;
- Bakuto [博徒] – Gamblers who engaged in or participated in games of chance involving cards and dice;
The name Yakuza derives from the combination of Ya [八] Ku [九] Za [三], which is a numerical sequence 893 [八九三]. This numerical sequence is considered the worst type of hand in a Japanese card game like hanafuda [花札].
Notice that everything is related to games; even the tattoos that yakuza gang members wear became popular because of the Bakuto, who tattooed their entire bodies and displayed them during gambling.
The Tekiya also influenced the activities carried out by Yakuza members. During Shinto festivals, the hawkers set up stalls and hired some members as security. Generally, the gang generates its income through protection for merchants.
Crimes and activities of the yakuza
Members of the Yakuza do not usually commit murders and robberies excessively like drug traffickers in Rio de Janeiro. They are organized men who might fit into the category of politicians and religious leaders.
This is because many yakuza members live discreetly within society and have a social life like anyone else. They are not pursued by the police and do not usually go on the run.
Many yakuza families have their homes in prominent places, mansions full of security, and some own or control businesses. Even weapons are not common among yakuza members.
The Japanese mafia is involved in crimes such as extortion, fraud, prostitution, gambling, money laundering, arms and drug trafficking, and more sophisticated white-collar crimes.
Many merchants and companies maintain relationships with Japanese mafia groups. According to a report from the National Police, in 2014, over 22,000 people linked to yakuza groups were arrested in Japan.
There are no official data on the amounts moved by the Japanese mafia, but estimates suggest that the Japanese mafia moves “billions of dollars” illegally each year in Japan.
Generally, yakuza members run bars, hostess clubs, and massage parlors in red-light districts like kabukicho. They are quite discreet, so there is usually not much to comment on regarding their activities.
The Yakuza is not that evil
Of course, some groups are involved in drug trafficking, human trafficking, prostitution, and many others. But it is not that scary; it is considered a semi-legitimate organization and has helped many.
For example, after the Kobe Earthquake, Yamaguchi mobilized to provide relief services (including the use of a helicopter) that arrived before the government aid itself. This was widely reported and commented on.
The yakuza repeated its assistance after the earthquake and tsunami in Tohoku in 2011, with groups opening their offices for refugees and sending dozens of trucks with supplies to affected areas.
Many unions, like the Yamaguchi-gumi, officially prohibit their members from engaging in drug trafficking. They make large investments in well-known and legitimate companies and also have ties to real estate and banks.
They often participate in local festivals, such as the Sanja Matsuri, where they carry a shrine through the streets displaying their elaborate tattoos. Sometimes they throw parties for children or participate in festivals by setting up their own stalls.
As a matter of principle, theft is not recognized as a legitimate activity of the yakuza. This aligns with the idea that their activities are semi-open; theft, by definition, would be a cowardly activity.
Core activities, such as merchandising, loan sharking, or managing betting houses, are typically managed by members outside the yakuza, who pay protection fees for their activities.
Even so, you should be careful not to irritate a member of the yakuza. Generally, they are grumpy and do not like to communicate with strangers. Don’t even think about picking a fight with one; otherwise, you could literally die.
I had a friend of a friend who hit an expensive car belonging to a yakuza member. The guy, who was Brazilian, simply fled the city to avoid having to pay. Can you believe the yakuza member tracked him down?
Family and structure of the yakuza
The yakuza crime syndicate is a family like the old mafias. Members live for and honor the group, which adopts a traditional Japanese hierarchical structure known as oyabun-kobun.
Kobun [子分] literally means adopted child, referring to members who owe their loyalty to the oyabun [親分], who is the adoptive father of the family. The system follows a moral code of justice and duty called jingi [仁義].
Members of yakuza gangs cut their family ties and transfer their loyalty to the gang leader, who is also called kumicho [組長], meaning chief.
Saiko-komon (最高顧問): is a kind of senior advisor, and so-honbucho is a head of headquarters who is below the kumicho. The shingiiin [審議委員] takes care of legal matters, while the kaikei [会計] is literally the accountant.
The waka-gashira [若頭] and fuku-honbucho [副本部長] are responsible for overseeing a number of groups in a region. Each group is led by a shatei-gashira [舎弟頭].
Group members also use a general hierarchical title of brothers as if it were in a religion. They use kyoudai [兄弟] for older brothers and shatei [射程] for younger members (brothers) of the group.
The largest yakuza families
There are many families spread throughout Japan. The main ones are listed below:
Yamaguchi-gumi [六代目山口組] – Founded in 1915, it is the largest Yakuza family, with over 40,000 members divided into 750 clans. Its Oyabun (leader) is Kenichi Shinoda.
Sumiyoshi-rengo [住吉会] or Sumiyoshi-kai [住吉会] – It is the second-largest family with over ten thousand members divided into 177 clans. Its current Oyabun is Shigeo Nishiguchi, Osomuya Tanaka. It is a deadly enemy of the Yamaguchi-gumi.
Inagawa-kaï [稲川会] – It is the third-largest family with over 7,000 members and is divided into 177 clans. Its current Oyabun is Kakuji Inagawa. It was the first to operate both inside and outside Japan.
Towa Yuai Jigyo Kumiai [東亜友愛事業組合] or [東亜会] – It is the fourth-largest family with over a thousand members and is divided into 6 clans. Its current Oyabun is Satoru Nomura. It was the first to be created in Korea.
The Rituals and customs of the Yakuza
When a yakuza commits an offense or wants to show remorse, he amputates his own finger in a ritual called “yubitsume.”
Many yakuza have their bodies covered in tattoos. These tattoos, known as irezumi, are often still done by hand, meaning the ink is inserted beneath the skin using non-electric hand tools with bamboo or steel needles. The procedure is expensive, painful, and can take years to complete.
When members play Oicho-Kabu cards with each other, they usually take off their shirts or open them and tie them around their waists. This allows them to display their tattoos to others.
This is one of the only times when yakuza members display their tattoos to others. They usually keep them hidden in public with long-sleeved shirts and high collars.
Due to the association with the Yakuza, the Japanese have developed a prejudice against tattoos, but this does not prevent them from being seen as great works of art around the world.
Of course, there are still many other curiosities and facts about the Japanese mafia. I also recommend playing games like Yakuza, watching dramas like My Boss My Hero, and some movies to delve into the culture.
To conclude, I will leave a report from R7 talking about the Yakuza. Just a reminder that the media tends to generalize things.
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