Yakuza - the Japanese Mafia

Yakuza is what Americans know as the Japanese mafia. The meaning of Yakuza derived from a game called, Oicho-kabu which is similar to the American blackjack game. In Japanese, Ya is the number 8 in the English language, ku in English is 7, and za means 3; in the American game of blackjack, the best hand equals to 21 but in the game of Oicho-kabu, the best hand is 19. The difference between the two are no matter though because either way the total of the digits 8, 7, and 3 equal twenty which is not a winning hand in either game and are of no worth. Just as those who are members of the Japanese Mafia called the Yakuza are considered to society to be; of no worth. However, this is not how this organized crime group originally began.

In the 17^th century, there were people called hatamoto-yakko. They hatamoto-yakko were protectors of the communities and villages who were considered to be the policeman of today. When the Tokugawa Era began, through a treaty Japan began a peace agreement which meant that the hatamoto-yakkos services were no longer needed; leaving them unemployed and angry. This drove the hatamoto-yakko to create their own crimes and mayhem in the villages and communities of Japan.

The group was then named kabuki-mono (which means "crazy ones"),would rebel from societies norms which could be seen through their odd looking outfits that consisted of large kimonos with long swords tucked in their belts and hairstyles that were considered weird among those in Japanese society. In addition, they adopted their own speaking style which was a slang derivative of the Japanese language.

Yakuza members are much like a band of bandits who work certain areas. Street-peddlers (tekiya) could be found trying to swindle people at the fairs and markets. Gamblers (bakuto) would "work" the towns and highways ripping people off at every chance they got. Other members of Yakuza include hoodlums (guertai) who use extortion and threats rather than coercion to achieve their goals. The members harass and terrorize everyone except those who are in their families, who we dub as gangs.Organizational Structure of the Yakuza

Supreme Bosskermicho

Senior Advisorsaiko kormon

Headquarter Chief so-honbuncho

Number Two Manwakagashira

Regional Bossshateigashira

Number Two Man Assistant

Asst. Regional Bossshateigas-hosa

Younger Brothersshatei

Junior Leaderswakashu

The organizational structure of the Yakuza which is a very complex structure with many people and many levels. The top level is the boss (kermicho), followed by the senior advisor (saiko kormon), the headquarters chief (so-honbuncho) the number two man (wakagashira), the number two mans assistant, the regional boss (shateigashira) and his assistant (shateigas-hosa), and dozens of younger brothers (shatei) and junior leaders (wakashu).

The guiding principal of the yakuza is the relationship between the father (oyabun) and child (kobun). The relationship between the boss and member is symbolic of a father and child relationship. The oyabunwill lead, protect, and counsel the kobun and in return the kobun will promise to obey, follow and must be willing to sacrifice everything, including their life, to the yakuza. If a member disappoints the oyabun than much like the father and child relationship, there must be punishment to ensure that they learn their lesson.

Yubitsume is a punishment that is self-inflicted. The oyabun will hand the kobun a string and sword and no further explanation is needed; the kobun is expected to cut off his pinkie finger at the first joint. Second offenses result in cutting the pinkie finger to the second joint. Any other violations result in moving to the next smallest finger and beginning at the first joint and so-on. The oyabun believes that this type of punishment results in the person becoming more dependent upon their master for protection on the belief that mutilating the smaller fingers it takes away their ability to properly hold a sword .Initiation into the Yakuza consists if pricking the index finger and taking the blood from the small wound and it is smeared onto a "picture of a saint" (.¶ 4). The picture is then lit on fire while in the hand of the person being initiated. It remains in the persons hand until it turns to ash; proving his loyalty of the yakuza. After this ritual, the person who is being initiated will sit face to face with the oyabun and make a toast with rice wine which symbolizes blood.

While this is taking place, another member of the group prepares what is called sake which consists of salt-fish scales. The oyabun and person being initiated both receive cups. The oyabun's cup is filled to the top while the other person's is barely half-full which symbolizes the oyabun's status compared to that of the other person. They both drink from the cups, exchange, and drink from each others cup. Once this is done, there is a permanent connection with the family as they are essentially sealed to that person and the yakuza become their main priority, above all else; even his real family.

Although some practices such as cutting the finger at the joints is no longer a common practice, there is still severe punishment from those who betray the yakuza. This and the fact that most of the current members are considered "street punks that ride around on motorcycles"(.¶ 2) have people believing that the group is becoming extinct. However, that is far from the truth. Currently there are 110,000 active members which are divided into approximately 5,200 gangs.

Today, they can be recognized by their still eccentric attire which mocks the gangsters of the prohibition era such as Al Capone. They wear black suits, with white shirts, and pointy-toed black shoes. Their hairstyle also mocks the 1920 gangster with cropped hair and they accent the attire with black sunglasses. While this style does not seem off the wall; the style is in fact, out of style. The higher ups can usually found tucked away in the dark corner of a tavern or bar ready to do business.

In addition to recognizing a member through their attire, they also have very distinct very distinctive insignias that consist of almost-full body tattoos. The tattoos are body murals that "cover the entire torso, front and back, as well as the arms to below the elbow and the legs to mid-calf". The mural itself symbolizes the group; the choosing of what will be on the mural is the member's decision. Some "wear dragons, flours, mountains, turbulent seas, and abstract designs". It can take up to 100 hours to have a tattoo done and this is considered a test upon the members skill and proof to the Yakuza that they have serious intentions and will not follow the laws of society; only theirs ( ¶ 2).

The only requirement of becoming a member is that the person must be a social outcast. They are not blood-relatives and in fact many come from youth who have been abandoned by their parents, who have been abused or pressured by society, refugees, and trouble-makers. In exchange they are adopted into the Yakuza where they are loved, needed, and wanted. It offers the members companionship, employment, status, and authority. While this may sound like it is a good thing for these troubled teens, they will never be able to shed this status because it is a lifetime commitment.

apanese authorities call the yakuza, boryokudan, which in the English language means violent one. While they do not like to be called by this name, they live up to this reputation through performing violent crimes. The Yakuza are involved in drug trafficking, prostitution, gambling, smuggling weapons, or anything that defies societies law; and do it in the most violent ways possible.

"Sex-related enterprises are the yakuza's bread and butter, they cater to the wild side of Japan's overworked, button-downed, salary men" ( ¶ 2). The Yakuza controls prostitution rings and smuggling pornography. Many of American's have heard rumors of the Japanese culture limiting the amount of females in Japan; it is not a rumor, it is the truth. Japanese law states that there is to be only one child per couple and the government preference is a male. The Yakuza benefits from this law through buying unwanted female children for less than 5,000 a piece. The females are trained and sent to work in the Yakuza owned bars and clubs.

Another favorite past-time of the Yakuza is weapon dealing. Since most guns are against the laws of Japan, again the Yakuza prospers, often times trading guns and weapons for drugs. In addition to sex-related crimes and weapons, the yakuza also extort corporations by buying small amounts of shares so they can be a part of shareholder meetings. Then through knowing about the underworld, they will find information on the companies leaders and often times bribing them into giving the yakuza what they want from them.

While the Yakuza is a criminal organization that is easy to initiate into, and to which there are very few rules which are easily understood. If the member breaks any of the rules, they are removed from the group; permanently.

Rule 1: Never violate the wife or children of another member

Rule 2: No drug use

Rule 3: No withholding money

Rule 4: Obey the superior

Rule 5: Don't go to the police.

The yakuza is considered to be one of the world's largest criminal organizations. "In 1988, they grossed almost 10 billion dollars in revenue, one-third from crystal methamphetamine, and 90 percent of the ice flow into Hawaii" ( ¶ 1). The yakuza have been found in Hawaii, California, New York, and especially Nevada and are affiliated with members of the American Mafia, and American gang organization.

Japan has always been known to produce technology before the Americans and because of the way their society runs it is expected that a person act with the utmost respect to nature (which includes human). Anything that you would expect out of a human, through the Yakuza you can expect the opposite and because of the large membership of the Japanese mafia, the Yakuza has become a serious threat. As their influence is beginning to bleed into the American society, authorities need to recognize the issue and put it to rest as soon as the problem begins to exist; before it can continue to corrupt their society and American's society, as well.