Yakuza (Disambiguation)

Yakuza
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to navigationJump to search
For other uses, see Yakuza (disambiguation).
show
This article may be expanded with text translated from the corresponding
article in French. (October 2020) Click [show] for important translation instructions.
Yakuza
Founded 17th century
(presumed to have originated from the Kabukimono)
Ethnicity Primarily Japanese burakumin.
Occasionally Koreans and other non-Japanese.
Membership 28,200 members[1]
Activities Varied, including illegitimate businesses, an array of
criminal and non-criminal activities.
Notable Principal clans:
members
1. Yamaguchi-gumi
2. Sumiyoshi-kai
3. Inagawa-kai
Yakuza (Japanese: ヤクザ, IPA: [jaꜜkɯza]), also known as gokudō (極道, "the extreme

path", IPA: [gokɯꜜdoː]), are members of transnational organized
crime syndicates originating in Japan. The Japanese police, and media by request of
the police, call them bōryokudan (暴力団, "violent groups", IPA: [boːɾʲokɯꜜdaɴ]), while
the yakuza call themselves ninkyō dantai (任侠団体/仁侠団体, "chivalrous
organizations", IPA: [ɲiŋkʲoː dantai]). The English equivalent for the
term yakuza is gangster, meaning an individual involved in a Mafia-like criminal
organization.[2] The yakuza are known for their strict codes of conduct, their
organized fiefdom nature, and several unconventional ritual practices such
as yubitsume, or amputation of the left little finger.[3] Members are often described as
males, wearing "sharp suits" with heavily tattooed bodies and slicked hair. [4] This group
is still regarded as being among "the most sophisticated and wealthiest criminal
organizations".[5]
At their height, the yakuza maintained a large presence in the Japanese media and
operated internationally. At their peak in the early 1960s, police estimated that
the yakuza had a membership of more than 200,000. [6] However, this number has
drastically dropped, a decline attributed to changing market opportunities and several
legal and social developments in Japan which discourage the growth
of yakuza membership.[7] The yakuza still regularly engage in an array of criminal
activities, and many Japanese citizens remain fearful of the threat these individuals
pose to their safety.[8] However, there remains no strict prohibition
on yakuza membership in Japan today, although much legislation has been passed by
the Japanese government aimed at impeding revenue and increasing liability for
criminal activities.[8]
Contents
 1Etymology
 2Origins
o 2.1Kyushu
 3Organization and activities
o 3.1Structure
 3.1.1Rituals
 4Syndicates
o 4.1Three largest syndicates
o 4.2Designated bōryokudan
 5Current activities
o 5.1Japan
 5.1.1Yakuza's aid in Tōhoku catastrophe
o 5.2United States
o 5.3East Asia outside Japan
 6Constituent members
o 6.1Burakumin
o 6.2Ethnic Koreans
 7Indirect enforcement
 8Legacy
o 8.1Yakuza in society
o 8.2Film
o 8.3Television
o 8.4Video games
o 8.5Manga, anime and drama
 9See also
 10References
 11Bibliography
 12External links
Etymology[edit]
The word yakuza in katakana (ヤクザ)
The name yakuza originates from the traditional Japanese card game Oicho-Kabu, a

game in which the goal is to draw three cards adding up to a score of 9. If the sum of
the cards exceeds 10, its second digit is used as the score instead, and if the sum is
exactly 10, the score is 0. If the three cards drawn are 8-9-3 (pronounced ya-ku-sa in
Japanese), the sum is 20 and therefore the score is zero, making it the worst possible
hand that can be drawn.[9] In Japanese the word yakuza is commonly written
in katakana (ヤクザ).
Origins[edit]
A yakuza with a dragon tattoo is running to help his comrade, who is fighting against the police.
Yakuza boss Shimizu Jirocho (Chogoro Yamamoto)

Despite uncertainty about the single origin of yakuza organizations, most
modern yakuza derive from two social classifications which emerged in the mid-Edo
period (1603–1868): tekiya, those who primarily peddled illicit, stolen, or shoddy goods;
and bakuto, those who were involved in or participated in gambling. [10]
Tekiya (peddlers) ranked as one of the lowest social groups during the Edo period. As
they began to form organizations of their own, they took over some administrative duties
relating to commerce, such as stall allocation and protection of their commercial
activities.[11] During Shinto festivals, these peddlers opened stalls and some members
were hired to act as security. Each peddler paid rent in exchange for a stall assignment
and protection during the fair.
The tekiya were a highly structured and hierarchical group with the oyabun (boss) at the
top and kobun (gang members) at the bottom.[12] This hierarchy resembles a structure
similar to the family – in traditional Japanese culture the oyabun was often regarded as
a surrogate father, and the kobun as surrogate children.[12] During the Edo period, the
government formally recognized the tekiya. At this time, within the tekiya
the oyabun were appointed as supervisors and granted near-samurai status, meaning
they were allowed the dignity of a surname and two swords. [13]
Bakuto (gamblers) had a much lower social standing even than traders, as gambling
was illegal. Many small gambling houses cropped up in abandoned temples or shrines
at the edges of towns and villages all over Japan. Most of these gambling houses ran
loan-sharking businesses for clients, and they usually maintained their own security
personnel. Society at large regarded the gambling houses themselves, as well as
the bakuto, with disdain. Much of the undesirable image of the Yakuza originates
from bakuto; this includes the name Yakuza itself.
Because of the economic situation during the mid-Edo period and the predominance of
the merchant class, developing Yakuza groups were composed of misfits and
delinquents who had joined or formed Yakuza groups to extort customers in local
markets by selling fake or shoddy goods.[clarification needed]
Shimizu Jirocho (1820–1893) is Japan's most famous yakuza and folk hero. [14] Shimizu's
real name was Chogoro Yamamoto.[15] His life and exploits were featured in sixteen films
between 1911 and 1940.
The roots of the Yakuza survive today in initiation ceremonies, which incorporate tekiya
or bakuto rituals. Although the modern Yakuza has diversified, some gangs still identify
with one group or the other; for example, a gang whose primary source of income is
illegal gambling may refer to themselves as bakuto.
Kyushu[edit]
Kyushu island, the largest source of yakuza members.
Throughout history, especially since the modern era, Kyushu island has been the
largest source of yakuza members, including many renowned bosses in the Yamaguchi-
gumi. Isokichi Yoshida (1867–1936) from the Kitakyushu area was considered[by whom?] the
first renowned modern yakuza. Recently Shinobu Tsukasa and Kunio Inoue, the bosses
of the two most powerful clans in the Yamaguchi-gumi, originate from Kyushu. Fukuoka,
the northernmost part of the island, has the largest number of designated
syndicates among all of the prefectures.
Organization and activities[edit]

Structure[edit]
Yakuza hierarchy
During the formation of the Yakuza, they adopted the traditional Japanese hierarchical
structure of oyabun-kobun where kobun (子分; lit. foster child) owe their allegiance to
the oyabun (親分, lit. foster parent). In a much later period, the code of jingi (仁義,
justice and duty) was developed where loyalty and respect are a way of life.
The oyabun-kobun relationship is formalized by ceremonial sharing of sake from a
single cup. This ritual is not exclusive to the Yakuza—it is also commonly performed in
traditional Japanese Shinto weddings, and may have been a part of sworn brotherhood
relationships.[16]
During the World War II period in Japan, the more traditional tekiya/bakuto form of
organization declined as the entire population was mobilised to participate in the war
effort and society came under the control of the strict military government. However,
after the war, the Yakuza adapted again.
Prospective Yakuza come from all walks of life. The most romantic tales tell how
Yakuza accept sons who have been abandoned or exiled by their parents. Many
Yakuza start out in junior high school or high school as common street thugs or
members of bōsōzoku gangs. Perhaps because of its lower socio-economic status,
numerous Yakuza members come from Burakumin and ethnic Korean backgrounds.
Yakuza groups are headed by an oyabun or kumichō (組長, family head) who gives
orders to his subordinates, the kobun. In this respect, the organization is a variation of
the traditional Japanese senpai-kōhai (senior-junior) model. Members of Yakuza gangs
cut their family ties and transfer their loyalty to the gang boss. They refer to each other
as family members - fathers and elder and younger brothers. The Yakuza is populated
almost entirely by men and the very few women who are acknowledged are the wives of
bosses, who are referred to by the title ane-san (姐さん, older sister). When the
3rd Yamaguchi-gumi boss (Kazuo Taoka) died in the early 1980s, his wife (Fumiko)
took over as boss of Yamaguchi-gumi, albeit for a short time.

Yakuza (Disambiguation)

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Yakuza (Disambiguation)

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Yakuza (Disambiguation)

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Yakuza

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Founded 17th century

(presumed to have originated from the Kabukimono)

Occasionally Koreans and other non-Japanese.

Membership 28,200 members[1]

Activities Varied, including illegitimate businesses, an array of

criminal and non-criminal activities.

Notable Principal clans:

Yakuza (Japanese: ヤクザ, IPA: [jaꜜkɯza]), also known as gokudō (極道, "the extreme

The name yakuza originates from the traditional Japanese card game Oicho-Kabu, a

Yakuza boss Shimizu Jirocho (Chogoro Yamamoto)

Organization and activities[edit]

You might also like