Yakuza members
Japan has always been for Europeans mysterious country. For a long time, its emperors did not allow strangers onto their land. When did foreigners manage to get to know the Country in detail? Rising Sun, then they discovered a lot of traditional phenomena for the population that are absolutely incomprehensible to the European mentality. Samurai, hara-kiri, geisha, sumo and, of course, the yakuza. The Yakuza is a purely Japanese form of existence of a criminal community, incorporating the traditional spirit of Eastern mystery and European rationalism in its conduct.
Until recently, the existence of the yakuza in Japanese society was completely legal. IN major cities there were even offices with a corresponding sign, and by rummaging through the papers one could even find a complete list of employees. The Yakuza have mastered here part of the recreation and entertainment industry, which is in close contact with human vices - drinking establishments, gambling business and brothels. Previously, the dominance of Japanese bandits in these areas was unchallenged. The changed world was brought by the western winds to Japanese islands competitors. Now the yakuza have to compete and share income with the Taiwanese and, who rushed into the country several decades ago rich Japan. The state is also adopting foreign experience in the fight against organized crime and has adopted a number of laws that have driven the yakuza deep underground. However, it is too early to say that the time of the Yakuza is irrevocably gone.
Literally translated, the word yakuza means “scum.” This is exactly how ordinary people treat those who do not want to earn a living by honest work and, instead of waking up every morning and going to work, engage in very dubious and risky activities in the evenings and at night. People who have not found themselves in modern industrial society, or those who everyday life gives too little adrenaline.
Each of the three hieroglyphs denoting the name yakuza has its own numerical value. Together, this is a combination of numbers 893. In the Japanese version of the card game blackjack, this combination of cards is the most useless, which once again emphasizes people’s opinion about the inferiority of the yakuza as a social phenomenon. Yakuza members for successful people have always been second class. True, the average person used to be terribly afraid of this second class. As soon as a group of people with characteristic tattoos on their bodies appeared on the beach or in a bathhouse, those around them began to run away from them in panic. The myth of the omnipotence and ferocity of the Yakuza was very strong. Moreover, it was not customary for ordinary Japanese citizens to have drawings printed on their bodies. Today, tattooed, strong men are simply not paid attention to. The fear completely disappeared, and the fashion for tattoos became more popular.
However, the image of the yakuza is very popular in popular culture thanks to those replicated in feature films traditions that are both colorful and cruel. The most famous of all rituals is considered to be yubitsume. This is when the phalanx of a finger is cut off. Previously, the lack of fingers on the hands was considered one of the signs of belonging to the yakuza. Misconceptions said that yubitsume represents a type of punishment for an offense. In fact, according to the ideology of Japanese criminals, amputation of a finger should be voluntary. Thus, the offending gang member apologizes to the boss, after which the incident is considered settled and erased from memory.
The technology for self-deprivation of the phalanx of a finger is quite complex. At the beginning, the base of the finger should be tightly tied, for example, with an elastic band. Blood should stop flowing to the end of the finger, and the finger itself should become numb. Having achieved complete loss of sensitivity, the apologetic yakuza takes the knife in his hand, puts it to his finger and asks the boss to hit it with a hammer. With a strong and sharp blow, the procedure is almost painless and bloodless. The severed tip is presented to the boss as a souvenir. Previously, severed organs could be kept by him for a long time in alcoholized form. Now it’s easy to end up in prison for such a collection. The Japanese adopted a very harsh law that imposes punishment even for simply discussing crimes in a narrow circle. What then can we say about intentional self-harm?
Yakuza Tattoo
Among the yakuza, the boss is called an oyabun. His name is sacred and must appear on the body of anika - this is what an ordinary member of the group is called. Aniki means brother. All members of the yakuza are brothers and form a family, and the oyabun is its head. Unlike Russian criminals, Yakuza tattoos do not carry any meaning. They lack completely symbolic meanings like crosses, domes, eight-pointed stars, maps, mermaids.
The range of subjects for Yakuza tattoos is quite limited and is a type of ancient Japanese painting. Tattoos should cover the entire torso of the anika, but a clean stripe must be left in the center of the chest from the collarbones to the waist. After the initiation ceremony, the name of the oyabun must be inscribed on it. Previously, all tattoos were applied with special bamboo sticks called irezumi. It took years to paint the body. Progress has forced tradition to retreat. Yakuza go to tattoo parlors and expose bodies to rotary or induction machines.
The initiation ritual is called sakazuki. It requires 2 flat cups, more like Russian tea saucers, and Japanese rice vodka ─ sake. Sake is poured into both cups. Oyabun drinks from one, and the yakuza candidate spills his drink onto the ground. Then both cups are given to Aniki as a souvenir, and he keeps them all his life, like the most expensive thing. In the center of the cup from which the oyabun drank his name is drawn, which should then appear on the chest of the new gang member.
Mafia Yakuza
The most amazing thing about the Yakuza way of life is that they do not have a commandment of lifelong devotion to family or oyabun. In Latin American gangs, a person who joins only swears once and can only leave as a corpse. The Japanese are more similar to the Russians, who have the concept of “moved away.” This is when a thief, for reasons of deteriorating health, does not give him the opportunity to actively participate in everyday criminal life, or for ideological reasons, declares his resignation and relinquishment of high powers.
In Japan everything happens much simpler. Especially for the yakuza, who are on the lower steps of the hierarchical ladder. They can simply leave the family. No one will persecute them for this step. As a memory of the time spent in the yakuza, only the body, densely painted with ornaments and the inscription from the name of the oyabun, will remain. Yakuza are also allowed to move from one family to another. Without any consequences. No one will even be interested in the motives that prompted such a decision. With yakuza of higher ranks the situation is more complicated, but quite solvable. Leaving his family, he must pay her something like a fine for betraying trust. Pay and go free. Leaving the yakuza or moving from family to family is not uncommon, but quite common.
In the early 90s of the last century, the gambling business began to revive in Russia. The Russian bandits immediately remembered their Japanese colleagues, who had accumulated vast experience in its proper organization and methods of control over this area of business. The head of the Tambov team invited a delegation of Japanese entrepreneurs to St. Petersburg, headed by.
The businessman was a second generation yakuza. The eastern mysticism surrounding the yakuza did not take root in northern and cold Russia, inhabited by people who are not as sophisticated as in Japan and who prefer not to mess around with their opponents for a long time, but to put a bullet in their forehead or blow them up with a mine along with all their guts. The morals of the new Russian era allowed even the leaders of organized crime groups to be killed for money and power. The cooperation stopped at the supply of slot machines.
In Japan, the yakuza usually operates as follows. They are trying to reach an amicable agreement with competitors, and negotiations can take quite a long time. Convinced that the negotiation process has reached a dead end, the Yakuza appoint a “shooter”, to which they bring their entire available staff. The finale of the meeting could be a wall-to-wall fight. All Aniki are usually disciplined in visiting the training halls and preparing themselves for battle. There are no wimps or “nerds” among the Yakuza. IN last decade under police pressure, many families broke up. Statistics show a sharp decline in the number of oyabuns in recent years. As a result, the crime rate in Japan is one of the lowest in the world.
Japanese Mafia Boss Kenichi Shinoda
The largest group of Japanese yakuza, the Yamaguchi-gumi, has split. At least ten gangs of the criminal syndicate have announced their withdrawal from the organization due to disagreement with the course of the current boss, Kenichi Shinoda. Japanese law enforcement officials fear that a split in the mafia will lead to a war over the redistribution of spheres of influence - this already happened in the 1980s. However, the crisis in the Yamaguchi-gumi has been going on for several years now, and the split in the group was only its logical continuation.
Japanese police are on high alert. The reason for this was the split of the largest group of the Japanese mafia, the Yakuza Yamaguchi-gumi. The news is covered on local television channels.
According to Japanese media, more than ten gangs associated with this crime syndicate appear to be planning to break away and form their own organization. Until today, this happened only in the distant 1980s - then the split in the Yamaguchi-gumi led to a war for the redistribution of spheres of influence and caused the death of at least two dozen mafiosi.
A signal of the split was the absence of bosses of several factions at a general meeting at the Yamaguchi-gumi headquarters this week. The secession is expected to be formalized at a meeting early next month. After this, the organization will even change its name, adding the word “Kobe” to it - this is the name of the city in which the headquarters of the syndicate is located.
Police sources cited by Japanese media claim that the reason for the current division of the group is dissatisfaction with the course being pursued in the Yamaguchi-gumi by boss Kenichi Shinoda (also known as Shinobu Tsukasa). Some members of the syndicate did not like the fact that Shinoda was paying too much attention to his own group, the Kodo-kai, which he founded in 1984. Under the current boss, the Yamaguchi-gumi has begun to increase its influence in Tokyo and the eastern parts of Japan, while the western part - the group's traditional sphere of influence - has been left behind.
Experts tend to see another reason underlying the split - economic. As journalist Brett Bull, who specializes in organized crime in Japan, writes, membership in the mafia simply ceased to generate income for some bandits: “The Yamaguchi-gumi division has nothing to do with anything other than the Japanese economy. To put it bluntly, it is easier to 'chop cabbage' in Tokyo, and so Shinoda's emphasis on the Kodo-kai and Tokyo has caused frustration among gang members in western Japan."
According to law enforcement officials, as of the end of last year, there were more than 23 thousand bandits in the Yamaguchi-gumi. Five years ago, the group consisted of 27.7 thousand people. Nevertheless, the Yamaguchi-gumi is still considered to be the largest group in the country, which includes half of all Japanese mafiosi. The syndicate was even nicknamed the “Walmart” of the Japanese underworld for its ability to easily deal with opponents and generate huge profits.
Back in 2010, when the syndicate began publishing its own corporate magazine, Yamaguchi-gumi Shimpo, Kenichi Shinoda complained in his column that times were hard for the mafia. He also acknowledged that Yamaguchi-gumi could no longer rely on its “brand” to ensure the profitability of its operations.
The number of yakuza members is falling every year - it seems that gangsters are finding it increasingly difficult to cope with their tasks due to anti-mafia policies that prevent them from opening new bank accounts or entering into real estate purchase and sale agreements. At the same time, historically, the Japanese authorities tolerate the activities of yakuza gangs and do not outlaw the mafia, although in particularly egregious cases clashes between gangsters and the police still occur. In addition, in the very minds of the Japanese, the mafia was and remains an unchanged attribute of society.
The activities of the yakuza and the lives of Japanese mafiosi, widely reproduced in films, television series and magazines, create the impression that gangsters are leading luxurious life and live by the samurai code of honor, bushido. The yakuza appeared in many films: Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill, Luc Besson's Wasabi and Taxi 2, Justin Lin's Fast & Furious (who directed all subsequent Fast & Furious films), and even The Wolverine, which it would seem , has nothing to do with the Japanese mafia. It is not surprising that the “on-screen” yakuza is strikingly different from the real bandits operating in Tokyo. However, Japanese directors are much more familiar with this phenomenon, and their films allow us to imagine how the life of mafia groups in Japan actually works. Takeshi Kitano’s film “Complete Mayhem” is very indicative, which depicts the clash of “old” and “new” in the life of the yakuza. In the film, the old bosses, pushed to the sidelines, no longer drink sake and beer, but red and white wine, but in general new reality are treated with irritation.
In addition, the director clearly explains that representatives of all generations honor samurai principles only in words, betraying each other at every step.
The Yakuza is based on the values of the patriarchal family, the principles of unquestioning obedience to the boss and strict adherence to a set of rules (the mafia code), for violation of which inevitable punishment is provided. Horizontal “brotherly” relations are maintained between ordinary members of the group, which provides the clans with relative stability.
Yamaguchi-gumi is named after its founder, Harukichi Yamaguchi. This group has its roots in the dockers' union in pre-war Kobe (Japan), founded in 1915. Despite the fact that Yamaguchi-gumi is not experiencing the most better times, it remains the largest of all Yakuza groups.
According to police, the syndicate makes billions of dollars a year in profits from extortion, gambling, the sex industry, arms trafficking, drug trafficking, as well as real estate and construction operations.
They are also involved in market manipulation and the creation of pornographic websites.
The Yamaguchi-gumi is responsible for more than 40% of organized crime in the country. The syndicate's headquarters is located in Kobe, but the organization operates throughout Japan and carries out its business abroad, mainly in Asia and the United States.
Yakuza
Japan from A to Z. Encyclopedia.
EdwART.:2009.
Synonyms See what "Yakuza" is in other dictionaries: YAKUZA is the most common form of organized crime in Japan. Control over legal and illegal gambling continues to be one of the most important items of their income and in modern Japan
. In the first half of the 20th century. yakuza... ... Legal encyclopedia
- “The Yakuza” USA, 1974, 112 min. Thriller, adventure film. Harry Kilmer, a former soldier and now a private detective, returns to Japan, where he spent several years in the 50s. He wants to help his friend, ship owner George... Encyclopedia of Cinema YAKUZA, YAKUZA [jap. “scoundrel, slacker”] in Japan: hooligan, bandit, GANGSTER. Dictionary foreign words. Komlev N.G., 2006. yakuza, yakuza (Japanese scoundrel, slacker) in Japan: hooligan, bandit, gangster. New dictionary
foreign words. by EdwART… Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language
Noun, number of synonyms: 2 mafia (13) yakuza (1) ASIS synonym dictionary. V.N. Trishin. 2013…
Synonym dictionary The streets of Tokyo are a popular gathering place for modern yakuza. This term has other meanings, see Yakuza (meanings). Yakuza (Japanese... Wikipedia yakuza
- Japanese a) Japanese organized crime, Japanese mafia; b) a member of such a group (from the Japanese card game Oicho Kabu) shin. yakuza, gokudo, hachi kyu san see also gumi, oyabun, kumicho, shatei, wakashu... Universal additional practical explanatory dictionary by I. Mostitsky
Synonym dictionary I The name of Japanese organized crime; Japanese mafia. II m. and f. Member of the Japanese mafia. Ephraim's explanatory dictionary. T. F. Efremova. 2000... Modern explanatory dictionary of the Russian language by Efremova
Synonym dictionary- yak uza, uncl., female (Japanese mafia) and husband. (mafioso) ... Russian spelling dictionary
- and, f. In Japan - the mafia; organizations evil world... encyclopedic Dictionary
Books
- Yakuza (ed. 2018), Sillov D.O.. A person is free, as it seems to him. But in fact, becoming a puppet in the struggle for power is as easy as shelling pears. This is exactly what happened to Viktor Savelyev. Life forced Victor to contact first...
In any country there is crime, it is inevitable. In some places these are disparate groups, but there are also well-organized structures with strict discipline and hierarchy. Many have probably heard about the Colombian mafia, about the Italian Cosa Nostra, but the most famous and significant criminal structure is the Japanese mafia or, as it is also called, the Yakuza.
The word “yakuza” (Japanese: ヤクザ or やくざ) means “complete zero” or “worthless”, that is, something unnecessary, useless. This word is used in Japanese card game Ohyo-kabu. The worst combination in this game is eight (“ya”), nine (“ku”) and three (“sa”). With such a combination of cards, it is very difficult to win and you need to have a lot of luck and luck to win. Based on this, the word “yakuza” had the meaning of a person’s endurance.
Also, members of the Japanese mafia are sometimes called "hachi-kyu-san" these days. This is how “eight-nine-three” sounds in modern Japanese.
From the history of the Yakuza
From the beginning of the 17th to the mid-19th century, the yakuza recruited people of the lower classes, that is, various peasants, merchants and artisans. Also included in the Yakuza were those who were hiding from the authorities or, due to certain circumstances, who lost their housing and property. They could always get shelter and work from the Yakuza.
Samurai, unable to find use for their fighting skills in peacetime, often joined the ranks of the police. They called the Yakuza members upstarts who did not respect the Bushido code of honor. Because of this, conflicts often occurred between the police and Yakuza groups. But such confrontation was not universal and in some areas the yakuza and the police could even cooperate.
The development of modern Yakuza groups from two groups that began their formation in the 18th century is very clearly traced. These were players (bakuto) and peddlers (tekiya).
Tekiyas began their development by trading in markets, where they often deceived and defrauded their customers, for which they could suffer. Therefore, they began to unite into groups and take control of entire markets. In the territory under their control, they ensured order, distributed trading places, hired guards and caught pickpockets.
The bakuto organization was created by the government to entertain workers who were building government projects. In addition, while playing the game, workers lost a significant part of their wages, which were safely returned to the treasury. Often members of the Bakuto committed crimes. Bakuto could be recognized by their tattoos, which were also a test of willpower, because it took more than 100 hours to get a colored tattoo on the entire back. At the same time, the pain was hellish.
Members of the Bakuto also have another tradition that has survived to this day. This is the so-called rite of cutting off the phalanx of the finger (“yubitsume”). Yubitsume performed bakuto with the help of a tanto or hammer for the offense he committed. Cutting off the phalanx of the finger symbolized the fact that without the phalanx it is no longer possible to firmly hold a sword or cards in one’s hands. For subsequent crimes, the Bakuto could either cut off the next phalanx or be completely kicked out of the group.
And in fact, the term “yakuza” itself came precisely from the Bakuto class, who played oycho-kabu.
Later, the tekiya and bakuto organizations had to merge as reforms and the fight against gambling began, while small and medium-sized trade flourished. We had to adapt to the new realities of life.
At the same time, the yakuza began to increase relationships with politicians. They learned to use their talents by deceiving, blackmailing, and bribing voters. Sometimes they even had to intimidate or kill in order to achieve their goals. For their services, the yakuza received relative freedom of action from the politicians they helped.
The Rise of the Modern Yakuza
When World War II began, some Yakuza members were drafted into the army, while others were sent to prison. As is often the case, the war caused a shortage of goods, which in turn led to the emergence of the black market and the modern yakuza bandits or "gurentai".
Gurentai drew conclusions from the actions of their predecessors and gradually took control of the entire country, especially since the black market was already under their control. By and large, no one could resist them, because the Americans destroyed the Japanese elite or took them into custody. As a result, in 1950, one might say, the Americans admitted their defeat to the Yakuza and declared that they could no longer protect ordinary Japanese from the Gurentai.
Around the same time, it developed modern look yakuza. Japanese mafiosi wanted to look like gangsters from American films and began to wear dark glasses, black suits with white shirts and ties. Samurai swords are a thing of the past, and they have been replaced by knives and pistols.
Wars began to divide the sphere of influence between factions. In these wars, civilians also suffered. By 1963, the number of Yakuza reached 184 thousand out of 5,200 groups, which exceeded the number of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces.
In the current situation, a person was needed who could restore order in the country. And such a person was found, he turned out to be Kodama Yoshio, who during the war was an adviser to the Prime Minister and a rear admiral. He was imprisoned by the Americans, where he began to collaborate with them. To begin with, he reconciled the Americans with the Yakuza. After which he became an intermediary between the largest clans, with the aim of uniting them. Thanks to Kodama's efforts, the yakuza clan system took on a modern look.
Basis hierarchical structure Yakuza is a traditional principle for Japan: “father - children” and “older brothers - younger brothers”. The head of the clan is called chief (oyabun) or senior chief (kumicho). All other members of the syndicate are subject to him.
The next step in the hierarchy is the senior adviser ("saiko komon"), the head of headquarters ("so-hombutyo"), the assistant chief ("fuku-hombutyo"), and the deputy ("wakagashira"). They lead a certain number of people and their influence is determined by this very number. If a kumicho dies, one of his subordinates takes his place.
Advisors (komon), secretaries (kumicho hisho), consultants (shingiin), accountants (kaikei) - they all also report to the kumicho.
Each gang consists of senior foremen shatei (“younger brothers”), junior foremen wakashu (“youths”) and ordinary yakuza. Their number, as a rule, ranges from 20 to 200 people. In turn, a clan can consist of tens of thousands of members. Such a clan may control several cities.
There are gangs that do not belong to clans, but there are very few of them, since the entire territory has already been divided. And it’s impossible for anyone to survive here alone.
Rituals, signs and traditions of the Yakuza
For several centuries, the Yakuza have used extensive tattoos as a sign of distinction and often as a sign of belonging to a group or clan. This also indicates their position in the group.
Initially, when artisans and peasants joined the yakuza, they received new sonorous names, for example, Nine Dragons or Tiger and Crane. Then the corresponding images were applied to their back or chest and complemented with various patterns. As a result, very often it turned out that the tattoo covers the entire body of the yakuza.
And these days in Japan, tattoos are primarily associated with the yakuza. However, in reality this is a stereotype, because after the official ban of the yakuza, many of them try not to be different from those around them.
Another ritual has already been mentioned above. This is the so-called ritual of yubitsume, that is, cutting off a finger for wrongdoing. Today, old yakuza who are missing several fingers try to hide it with the help of prosthetics.
Another type of punishment is seppuku, or ritual murder by ripping open the abdomen. Seppuku was more popular among the samurai, however, it was also sometimes committed by the yakuza.
Yakuza principles and beliefs
, as well as for traditional family values.
The Yakuza has a division into the Yakuza and the simpletons (“Katagi”), that is, those who do not belong to them. Killing katagi is not allowed, as the yakuza adhere to the samurai code of honor. This can only be done if the katagi threatens the clan’s activities. However, everything else (blackmail, rape, racketeering) is permitted.
Naturally, it is allowed to kill other yakuza. Sometimes, during , they can use kamikaze killers (“teppodama”).
The Yakuza do not trust women and believe that they should take care of the home. This is why women are not accepted into the ranks of the Yakuza. The Yakuza respect only the wives of the clan head and call them “big sisters” (ane-san). In some cases, when kumicho are in hospital or prison, they may even be consulted. And the rest of the women are treated like litter.
Personal honor and the honor of the clan are the most important thing for any yakuza. Therefore, the Yakuza cannot stand being humiliated and insulted. They also almost never admit their mistakes or apologize.
It is customary for the Yakuza to support and help each other. If one of the group members ends up in prison, they try in every possible way to help him get out of there. And covering up for a “colleague” is revered as great valor.
Modern life of the yakuza
Yakuza members can be found everywhere in Japan, however, it is difficult for foreigners to identify them, since very often they look like ordinary businessmen. The Japanese mafia has penetrated almost all spheres of life, including financial markets. In addition, they have their own people in politics.
The Japanese mafia did not abandon its traditional areas of activity, such as drug trafficking, illegal gambling, control over prostitution and protection protection. They do not disdain various types blackmail. To do this, they have specialists in corporate blackmail (“sokaya”). In addition, the Yakuza is excellent at managing real estate and construction operations, which brings them good income.
Typically, yakuza head offices or headquarters are located in prestigious areas. The Japanese mafia can feel calm because it has connections with officials and often with the police. In addition, it is difficult for the police to take the entire Yakuza group into custody, because, according to an unspoken rule, one of the members of the gang takes the blame for the crime committed.
The Yakuza has long been collaborating with criminal groups of Koreans and Chinese, as a rule, this is cooperation in the field of drug trafficking. However, sometimes cooperation develops into showdowns and clashes.
In 1992, the Japanese government took measures to combat members of criminal gangs. Among other things, the adopted act banned one of the main types of yakuza activities, namely “protection rackets.” This law caused a sea of indignation among the yakuza, their families, as well as all those who had close contacts with them (individual politicians, lawyers and others).
But despite the protests, the government did not make concessions. The public also supported the government's measures. So, now some establishments do not allow people with tattoos.
But this law turned out to be a much lesser evil compared to the economic crisis that began in the country in the early 90s. Because of him, many clans suffered huge losses, as a result of which they even had to fire some of the lower class employees.
However, in general, as long as shadow business exists, it is almost impossible to completely eradicate the yakuza.
- Added: 02/18/2012
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The game series has been bringing current events from the political and criminal world of Japan to our TV screens for a very long time and in sufficient detail. We tried to figure out how virtual world and everyday reality intersect, and where a beautiful picture hides a bitter truth or embellished mythology. But first we need to understand where the roots of the Japanese mafia come from and how it influences the culture, politics and entertainment industry of modern Japan.
According to popular legend, the name of the organization originates from a popular card game oichokabu, which was usually played with a set of special flower cards ().
Nowadays, ordinary European cards are increasingly used, in which Kings, Queens, Jokers are thrown out of the deck, and the number of Aces is reduced to one. Since according to the rules the numbers in this game were added to each other, the worst combination was “8-9-3” or yattsu-ku-san. That is, a player with this situation received zero points (8 + 9 + 3 = 20 = 0) and always lost. Later, the phrase yattsu-ku-san came to mean idle people who wasted their lives playing cards or simply gamblers. It is not surprising that the gaming business is still one of the most profitable for the modern yakuza. Lovers of throwing dice and cards, among other things, were also noble horse thieves. Later, they formed groups and began offering protection to peasants and merchant associations from bandits. Sometimes such gangs were joined or led by ronins - samurai left without a master. Ronin had enormous influence in small towns, becoming their protectors machi-yakko(literally servants of the city) and sometimes received the status hamamato-yakko(servants of the shogun). Feudal lords increasingly negotiated semi-legal services with organized criminal groups. The medieval yakuza supplied labor for construction projects or pacified peasant uprisings. In 1800, gaming syndicates assisted authorities in military operations both domestically and internationally. Later they united with the nationalists and became a serious political force. Even now, in modern Japan, the Yakuza are closely associated with the 100,000-strong wing of far-right nationalists, who advocate the return of the northern territories (Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands) and the reduction of the American presence in the region. Often nationalists do work for yakuza groups or are an active part of them. There is a wonderful one about this documentary from VICE.
For a long time, the police collaborated and benefited from working with crime syndicates until they decided to destroy them in 1912. It is noteworthy that all attempts to destroy or reduce the influence of the yakuza then or years later led to serious economic problems and an internal political crisis in the country, since criminal groups, business and politics are too complexly intertwined even in modern Japanese society. In the twenties of the 20th century, the Yakuza as an organization began to resemble its modern self, emerging as a serious force that showed itself even more actively after Second World War. It was then that disparate groups united for the first time, taking on the functions of the police. They brought order to the streets, invested in companies, imported scarce goods into the country, and helped the poor with medicines and provisions. At the same time, the entire Japanese economy was divided between two dozen families who invested in each other's enterprises. It is quite natural that among the shadow association there were also members of the Yakuza. By the way, this cross-investment system still works today, so that, for example, some Japanese companies almost always support others, actually sharing financial problems and not competing with each other. In other words, if the economic situation were such that Nintendo would be forced to leave gaming business, That Sony would keep her afloat and vice versa.
Returning to the post-war period, I would like to note that it was then that the image of the yakuza was formed as ninkyo dantai or a knightly organization that helps people in times of disaster, protects ordinary people and is ready to sacrifice themselves for a higher purpose. For example, among the 50 heroes of Fukushima who gave up their lives for the common good during repairs at a nuclear power plant, five people were active members of the yakuza. The Yakuza also often comes to the aid of disaster victims before the authorities do. When cellular stopped operating during the 2011 tsunami, families quickly organized a system of runners who quickly reported information about needed food and medicine to the central office. In Ishinomaki, one of Japan's hardest hit cities, local gangsters gave survivors envelopes containing 30,000 yen in first aid.
In the game series, all the lieutenants of the rival clans for the most part adhere to the principle ninkyo dantai. Be it Kazuma Kiryu, which supports an orphanage in Okinawa or Majima Goro And Daigo Dojima that provide support to ordinary people. By the way, the story with Okinawa from the third part of Yakuza had a very real basis and, according to current family members, one of the high-ranking members of the organization actually runs an orphanage in Okinawa, though mostly to evade taxes. As for the plot part with the government and CIA land fraud, with the exception of the CIA, all the events told in the third part of the story related to Okinawa and the land grab actually took place in reality, as well as the struggle of local clans for power and the attempt to split large syndicate. It is also noteworthy that in history there are examples when cruel family bosses retire, transferring affairs to their followers, and they themselves become Buddhist monks, repenting of their sins and making donations in order to receive forgiveness and live happily in a monastery.
Representatives of the organization also like to discuss the concept Ninjo, which in a nutshell is to protect ordinary people. The Yakuza fights the spread of drugs on its territory, catches and surrenders street thieves, and tries not to use methods of direct violence against ordinary residents who owe them money. The image of the organization is very important to its bosses, which is why most families are completely legal. You can find addresses large organizations Yakuza with telephone numbers and offices in open directories, most groups have their own emblems, clubs and websites. This is clearly visible in the series, where you come to the leader of the clan, who is in a large office with expensive decorations and security.
The Yakuza is open to communication and often invests in legal projects, supporting young businessmen. Many shops pay for yakuza protection, and this deters petty street thieves and gangsters. The yakuza often cooperates with the police, solving a particular problem or turning over the leaders of lower members of the group for crimes, who come to the police with voluntary repentance. Members of the cell who are willing to serve time in prison for the sake of their family or a higher lieutenant are honored and respected in the clan and receive special status in prison, where the police turn a blind eye to many of their actions. This is again well demonstrated in and. Especially in the fifth part, where a respectable policeman helps the lieutenant of the Tojo clan Taige escape from prison, guided by conscience and honor, just like the Yakuza lieutenant himself, who went to prison for the sake of his brothers and the well-being of his entire family.
^ girlfriends and wives of Yakuza representatives also like to get tattoos
The structure of the Yakuza involves a rigid, almost military system of subordination. The head of the clan-family is the father ( oyabun), his children obey him ( kobun), who are brothers among themselves ( kyōdai). The initiation ritual involves ritually drinking sake, with the new member of the group drinking a few sips and the father drinking almost a full bottle. This symbolizes inequality in the family and recognition of the authority of the father. Often the yakuza hires teenage hooligans for a probationary period, who, upon reaching the age of 20, can return to ordinary life or join the family. If they choose a peaceful life, they must go to the police station and apologize to the police. After the coming of age ceremony Hatachi they may change their mind and join the family, sharing ceremonial sake with the boss.
Exit from the group used to be exclusively through the ritual of cutting off the phalanx of the little finger ( yubitsume), which again refers to the times of the samurai, where a person without part of his little finger could no longer wield a sword normally and became helpless on the battlefield. Nowadays, instead of self-harm, they prefer to pay a certain financial amount or a person is expelled from the organization by decision of the boss - time for business and money. In the game series, one of the heroes, representing the old school of the yakuza, offered another to make a ritual gesture to atone for his sins, but he pointedly refused, offering to pay off with money. Another old-school character, on the contrary, agreed to the bloody ritual. This is exactly how the old and new school yakuza.
Structure modern organization built according to the feudal type of family, where the orders of superior members are not discussed and, if necessary, one of the clan members can take on someone else’s guilt or kill the enemy at the first order. True, in many families, this system corrupts, and lower family members are forced to run for cigarettes, change ashtrays, refill wine and perform other functions of service personnel without the possibility of growth. The elements of this structure are shown in connection with the samurai customs of combat, the heirs of which the members of the criminal association consider themselves to be. That is why in the game clan bosses solve their problems in fist fights. In real life, fathers prefer financial deals that are beneficial to each other to fighting - no one fights with anyone.
True, sometimes violence does spill onto the streets. So during the showdown between and Sumiyoshi-kai in 2007, the 79-year-old boss of the latter was killed. And five years earlier, Sumiyoshi-kai rammed the walls of the official Yamaguchi-gumi office with an 11-ton truck. Several yakuza from the Yamaguchi-gumi family were then injured. In general, the confrontation between these two clans is shown in the game series as a struggle between families and Alliance Oni. The Yamaguchi-gumi represent the noble Tojo, while the Sumiyoshi-kai represent the aggressive Oni Alliance. The fight between the groups in real life takes place for the sake of three entertainment districts Tokyo: Ginza, Asakusa And Kabukicho. The latter is recreated one to one with the same establishments, entertainment centers, hostess clubs, massage parlors and a cinema in the game world as Kamurocho.
Many clans introduce a mandatory examination system for their members, so in 2009 the Yamaguchi-gumi forced their brothers to pass a 12-page test on their knowledge of the laws and restrictions of the law against the yakuza.
Returning to the Yakuza hierarchy, it is worth noting that at the bottom of the chain of brothers are street thugs and low-level gangsters, called chinpira, and we will return to them in connection with the main character of the Yakuza series Kazuma Kiryu a little later. In the game they try to attack you and punish you for being on their territory. And although their manner of speaking, swearing and facial expressions correspond to real Japanese punks, Japanese bandits prefer not to attack people on the streets. They specialize more in debt collection and car scams (you scratched our car, so pay the money), which are quite popular on our Russian roads.
At the end of the 90s, as a result of the unification of several clans, the current yakuza system was formed, headed by a group. In 2005, a Tokyo family Kokusui-kai joined the Yamaguchi-gumi, making it the largest yakuza family, holding 45% of all members of the organization in Japan. Currently, the total number of active members of the criminal organization is 58,600 people, which is 5 thousand less than in 2012. In addition, Yamaken-gumi, whose head office is located in Kobe, suffered a split and 17 clans out of 70 left the family, which weakened the influence of the family. Apparently, the upcoming one will be partially dedicated to these events. It is worth noting that these are official data. Unofficially, these numbers are supplemented by a 100,000-strong far-right wing, as well as at least 60% of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces, or Jieitai, which is largely made up of secret members of the organization.
In fact, all activities of an organization are divided into three types. The first is Bakuto or the sphere of gambling entertainment. Here the yakuza controls numerous salons Pachinko, arcade centers, betting shops, construction companies and show business.
Representatives of this wing actively promote numerous idols, hiding under the guise of respectable production centers. You meet the leader of a family from Osaka who is trying to help Haruka and other heroes achieve success, and at the same time promotes their group T-Set.
Pachinko is semi-legal and you can't win money, so tokens are exchanged for all sorts of jewelry and nonsense, but few people know that the same tokens and strange gifts can be exchanged for expensive jewelry and money in gray exchange centers where kind members of the Yakuza will guide you. There is a tribute to this tradition in the series Pokemon with their Pokemon centers where you get your prizes. The betting story is again beautifully illustrated in , where a complex baseball betting scheme brings together key characters. In addition to baseball, the yakuza controls sumo matches, golf, wrestling and other sports.
The construction business was actively shown in the first three parts, but in reality it was the syndicates that helped the government buy land from small owners for the 1964 Olympics, in order to later build them up with the necessary facilities. Now the government is again unofficially recruiting families to clear areas under Olympic Games 2020.
The second type of business is Takya or holding fairs and festivals. Yakuza members hold charity auctions and give gifts and money to children. For example, family Yamaken-gumi annually holds Christmas festivals where it gives envelopes with money to children and adults from low-income families otoshidama(10 thousand yen each), clothes and toys.
Ordinary members of the clan and their bosses dress up in carnival costumes and become animators. They also make rice cakes. mochi, fried noodles yakisoba and octopus dough balls takoyaki. Such holidays take place from 9 am to 1 am and have a positive effect on the image of the family. Last year, the annual Halloween celebration was canceled due to the danger of a stampede - members of the Yamaken-gumi apologized to the city residents and promised to hold the festival on a special scale in 2016. In addition, Yakuza members enjoy celebrating various Religious holidays, like last year in Asakusa. Notice how ordinary people react to the performance and how the Yakuza pick up the pieces of a newly broken bottle.
They also help the homeless with work or food. True, evil tongues claim that homeless people are often deceived, and they sort toxic waste for big money or participate in rescue operations in Fukushima, bringing money to the clan.
The third type of business is Gurentai or all possible shadow business. These are numerous porn shops, underground massage parlors, image and pink rooms, soaplands, drug sales, debt collection and other purely criminal business. Representatives of the first and last types of yakuza are often recruited by the authorities to disperse demonstrations, anti-war and anti-American campaigns and intimidate trade unionists. Many families distance themselves from the last type of income, such as family Yamaken-gumi, which has set as its goal the complete elimination of drugs in Japan and calls its main activities only festivals, show business and legal gaming business.
Tattoos and clan logos are among the main distinctive features belonging to a particular family. All lieutenants and ordinary members of the syndicate wear cufflinks or badges with the clan logo. The clans of real active families look like this:
And here is the clan from:
There are similarities, aren't there?
Tattoos are no longer as popular among younger members of groups, who prefer a subtle mark or no tattoo at all. But among the old school Yakuza, tattoos have always occupied one of the most important places as a demonstration of strength and endurance. The fact is that traditionally tattoos on almost the entire body were chosen by a tattoo artist for each family member. And then I applied the drawing according to the old system Tebori, where bright and very poisonous paints are used, and the tattoo itself is applied in a long and painful way using a bamboo stick and sharp blades. Such tattoos do not fade, but it takes up to 300 hours to create a beautiful design on the back. Such tattoos are applied in fragments once a week in sessions of 2-3 hours. The cost of an hour of work by a master is 10 thousand Yen (7 thousand rubles). Accordingly, the entire tattoo takes several years and 3 million Yen ( about 2.5 million rubles).
In addition to the fact that it is expensive, the process itself is very painful, so out of 10 people, only less than half complete their drawing. Advantages Tebori The problem is that tattoos are very bright and do not fade due to the depth of penetration. As for the drawings themselves, they contain Chinese or Japanese symbolism. For example, a carp can be combined with a dragon, since according to mythology, swimming along the yellow river turns it into this mythical creature. Sakura flowers symbolize the transience and beauty of bandit life and are common among the clan's fighting unit. The tiger and dragon balance each other, like Yin and Yang in the Chinese tradition. Images of demons on the back ward off evil and protect the owner from death. Almost all tattoos have the master's mark, which confirms the quality of the product. In the series, all tattoos correspond to the characters’ characters and are made in the Yakuza tradition. You can even find the marks of the master on them, who made them based on his real works for real family members.
It is worth noting that in traditional tattoos a special space is left on the front of the chest and there are two reasons for this. The first is that when wearing a traditional kimano it does not reveal a family member in any way, and secondly, since the paints are toxic, if you do not leave a piece of leather so that it can breathe, then problems with the liver arise. Plus, due to an active public campaign against the yakuza, family members are prohibited from accessing public baths (Onsen), beaches and even hotels. Moreover, sometimes showing a tattoo can result in a prison sentence. You can learn more about tattoos and the yakuza from this report:
The external style of family members is quite conservative. These are always expensive suits and small badges with the clan emblem.
Street thugs or chinpira They prefer red shirts with high collars and light suits. This is exactly what it looks like main character Yakuza Kazuma Kiryu, which was noticed by current members of one of the families while playing the game. You can read material about how they played.
It's really strange that one of the top yakuza dresses like a street thug. Apparently, she realized this problem herself. Yakuza Team, changing Kazuma into a jacket and T-shirt in the sixth part of the game.
About other aspects of the underground and ordinary world Japan in the game, including massage parlors, shops, arcade machines, hostess clubs and restaurants, we will talk in the second part of the material. In the meantime, you can enjoy an interesting report about the yakuza on the Russia TV channel.
Editing - ACE, Shibito.
