Mafia is an international phenomenon. But in each country it has features that are not comparable and not comparable with other criminal groups.
The Asian mafia has always been very different from the European or, for example, from the American one, both with deep historical roots and strange traditions and customs.
Everyone probably heard the word “yakuza”, but few people know what this criminal organization really is, and how much influence it has in the Land of the Rising Sun.
Meanwhile, it is believed that the laws, customs and structure of the yakuza originated in the XVII century, and its gangs were two gangs: “tekiya” (which was engaged in petty theft, fraud and trade in low-quality goods) and “bakuto” (which had a “fat” ”From gambling).
The very term “yakuza” came from the bakuto gang players, and it means the most losing combination in the traditional Japanese card game oyotu-kabu (“me”, “ku”, “dza” - 8, 9, 3).
Bakuto were considered outcasts and losers, so the word “yakuza” at first meant “useless thing” or “useless person”, but later it spread to all Japanese criminal organizations.
(True, the modern Japanese police and the media call them differently - “Borekudan”, which means “power groups”, and the Yakuza members themselves call themselves “Ninkyo Dantai” - “Knightly Organization”).
Let's try to find out something curious (and sometimes shocking) about this famous organization of Japanese bandits.
10. Technically, the Yakuza is legal
Yes, it is, - the yakuza acts in Japan quite openly. You can easily find the headquarters of this organization in large cities - on their doors there are special signs with an identification mark.
Yakuza legally manages business networks in many industries - from construction to the porn industry. Moreover, she has been involved in Japanese politics for quite some time.
Public scandals due to the connections of leading politicians (including ministers) with the mafia occur in this country regularly, but rarely lead not only to resignations, but even to a deterioration in the further political career of their defendants.
For many years, Yakuza has been openly sponsoring the right-wing Liberal Democratic Party of Japan (largely due to this the LDP has ruled the country since 1955 almost without interruptions), campaigning the population before the election for the “necessary” candidates, etc. In general, the Japanese have long perceived the Yakuza as part of the national culture.
9. This is the largest mafia in the world.
At the moment, the Yakuza has more than 100 thousand full members (not counting the petty “servants” and young boys - “candidates for entry”). Of these, approximately 58 thousand operate in Japan itself, the rest - outside the country.
Moreover, back in the late 1960s. there were about 184 thousand people in yakuza, but in the following decades their number began to fall rapidly, in 2016 reaching the lowest rate in recent history - only 39 thousand yakuza inside Japan.
These recessions and booms, of course, are directly related to both political and economic circumstances (for example, the government of the country still tries from time to time to limit the fabulous incomes of the mafia by adopting certain laws that impede its “work”).
But in the same 2016, the Japanese authorities legalized gambling, and the number of yakuza began to grow again, since gambling establishments are a real “gold mine” for bandits.
In addition, the yakuza is also one of the richest mafia. Thus, the fortune of only one of the largest clan Yamaguchi-gumi is approximately $ 80 billion.
8. Yakuza have bases in America
As we mentioned above, the activities of the yakuza are not limited to the borders of Japan. It is expanding not only into neighboring Asian countries, but also in the United States.
So, it is definitely known that the Yakuza is operating in Chicago, Seattle, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, New York and other cities. But the main base of the Japanese mafia is in Hawaii, which are used as a “transshipment station” for drug smuggling in the United States and transporting weapons in the opposite direction.
The Obama government even had to freeze banking assets in the Yamaguchi-gumi clan in America and impose sanctions against several of its leaders.
7. Yakuza members tattoos are done manually
One of the most visually noticeable differences of the yakuza is an intricate color tattoo throughout the body. Such tattoos (the main motives of which are dragons, mountains and women) occupy almost the entire space of the skin, except for the hands, feet, and a clean strip from the neck to the abdomen - so that you can open your shirt.
Because of this “body painting,” the Yakuza usually wear closed clothing, as the rest of the Japanese have such “jewelry,” to put it mildly, not welcome.
Iredzumi tattoos are made, according to tradition, using metal or bamboo needles. Although electric tools are not directly prohibited, they are undesirable: since a large and complex tattoo is very painful and takes a lot of time to manufacture, its presence means that you have a courageous person who can endure severe pain for many hours.
True, in recent years, members of the Yakuza have begun to gradually abandon this long-standing tradition. Laws are becoming stricter, and the attitude towards bandits in society is becoming more intolerant, and with such “special signs” in the whole body, of course, it is very difficult to get lost in the crowd or at least temporarily “sink to the bottom”.
By the way, the Yakuza wives (who usually do not play any role in their business, sit at home and raise children) also make irezumi - as a sign of devotion to their husbands.
6. Yakuza members cut off parts of their fingers
Another long tradition of the yakuza is yubitsume, which is cutting off part of the fingers after committing some serious misconduct or mistake.
The falsified yakuza must personally cut off the phalanx on the ring finger or little finger and present it to the boss. If the boss accepted this “gift”, then the subordinate is forgiven. If not, the Yakuza can even expect the death penalty.
And this practice occurred from the ancient punishment to which players who did not pay card debts were subjected. Without a few fingers, a person not only experienced everyday inconvenience, but also could not hold a sword normally, which made him vulnerable.
In the case of the yakuza, after the yubitsume, the bandit becomes more dependent on other members of the group and reduces his own activities.
In a government investigation in 1993, it turned out that more than 45% of the yakuza had ever “shortened” one finger, and 15% had done it repeatedly. And since this is also an excellent “special sign,” in recent years, yubitsume as a phenomenon has become increasingly rare.
By the way, another interesting fact: when the British animated film "Builder Bob" was shown in Japan, the fifth character was painted on the main character, who had 4 fingers, so that the children would not mistake him for the yakuza.
5. The Yakuza came up with a unique form of extortion
Sokaya - a special type of large blackmail, “invented” by the Yakuza. And everything happens like this: mafiosi buy shares of some large enterprise in the amount necessary to get on the board of shareholders (by the way, shares can simply be bought cheaply from other holders by elementary intimidation).
Then, the Yakuza collect the maximum amount of incriminating evidence for the entire management of the company and start “trading” with it in the style of “Either you pay us such a certain amount, or we tell the shareholders at the meeting that ...” And, since the Japanese are most afraid of everything “Lose face”, then this blackmail often works.
By 1982, Sokaya had become so widespread that the government passed a law prohibiting the Yakuza from paying for blackmail, but it didn’t help much ...
4. One of the heads of the Yakuza clan turned out to be an FBI informant
The long-standing head of the Goto-gumi clan, Tadamasa Goto, is one of the most legendary yakabuns (“heads of the family”) of the Yakuza. Having started his “career” in 1972 as an “errand boy”, he managed not only to live to old age, but also to become one of the most influential and successful yakuza, and also “get out of the water”, falling into several very ugly stories.
So, in 2001, it turned out by chance that for several years in a row, without a twinge of conscience, “merged” the FBI with its allies from other clans (having torn off, among other things, a number of large profitable deals).
What for? And for the FBI to help him and his three yakuza associates organize liver transplant operations in the USA (in Japan, they had problems with this because of the strictness of paperwork for such medical procedures, and Goto was banned from entering the US long before )
The fact is that serious liver problems are literally the “occupational disease” of the yakuza (both due to lifestyle and tattoos that interfere with perspiration and block the removal of toxins through the skin).
The most amazing thing is that after such a revelation, Goto not only did not suffer any punishment, but remained the head of his clan until 2008! In 2008, he assumed the rank of a Buddhist priest, but in 2010 he was indicted in the murder case (having "given" the relatives of the murdered person $ 1.5 million, Goto got out again).
Moreover, shortly after this, the former oyabun also published an autobiography in which he revealed many "non-public" aspects of the life of the yakuza.
3. To become a member of Yamaguchi-gumi, you must pass the "entrance exam"
We have already said that the largest Yakuza clan is Yamaguchi-gumi (there are 22 in all now). According to various sources, it contains from 25 to 45% of the total number of yakuza.
So: since 2009, to get into the clan, you need to answer the questions of the 12-page “examination” test, which determines the practical knowledge and skills of the applicant.
According to the clan’s leaders, this “exam” is an attempt to make sure that the new Yakuza members know the laws (which are becoming tougher every day), to protect them from possible troubles and to minimize losses.
By the way, one of the most influential mafia bosses in world history - Kazuo Taoka, nicknamed Kuma (“The Bear”), became the leader of Yamaguchi-gumi.
Taoka ruled the clan for 35 years (from 1946 to 1981), having gone from a homeless boy from a small village to a powerful oyabun. He had a real talent for managing people, remarkable organizational skills and an unstoppable will, and therefore turned so much money that he was called the “boss of bosses”.
Taoka died of a heart attack in 1981, and another leader, Yamaguchi-gumi, was to take his place, but he also died (from liver problems).
And then the widow of Taoka - Fumiko took over the rule of the clan. This was the first time in history when the Yakuza obeyed a woman. In general, there are very few women in their ranks (the Yakuza call them “one-san” - “elder sister”).
2. They sometimes help their country
It's hard to believe, but the yakuza has repeatedly come to the aid of residents of different parts of Japan in difficult and dangerous situations (sometimes doing it faster than the government of the country).
So, after the devastating earthquakes in Kobe in 1995 and in Tohoku in 2011 (where the disaster was further aggravated by the powerful tsunami), it was the Yakuza who first provided residents with safe shelters, helped with the removal of rubble, organized the delivery of free food and water, etc.
Some considered it a sincere impulse (supposedly, the Yakuza, for the most part, come from the lower strata of society, they are outcasts and therefore know what deprivation is).
But most Japanese people have no illusions: firstly, such charity is a great PR, after which it will be more difficult for the police to fight the mafia (after all, the population will begin to consider the Yakuza a sort of “robin hoods” - saviors from misfortunes); and secondly, immediately after such catastrophes, the yakuza is actively involved in the struggle for government orders to restore the destroyed cities and towns, because we remember that it has a whole network of companies in the construction business (mainly, of course, through nominees), and not bad “welded” on this.
1. Yakuza will be one of the main beneficiaries at the 2020 Olympics
And one more thing about the Yakuza construction business. Are you aware that the 2020 Olympics will be held in Tokyo? So: her budget is not less than 50 billion dollars.
And already since 2015, joint photographs of Yakuza bosses and members of the Olympic Committee of Japan regularly appear in the Japanese media.
The closer the Olympics, the more obvious becomes the involvement of the mafia in the construction of sports facilities, infrastructure, etc. That is, the yakuza already receives considerable income from the Olympics, and she has time (and opportunity) to earn much more.