What is the Japanese name for yakuza?

yakuza, also called bōryokudan or gokudō, Japanese gangsters, members of what are formally called bōryokudan (“violence groups”), or Mafia-like criminal organizations.

What do the yakuza call themselves?

The Japanese police, and media by request of the police, call them bōryokudan (暴力団, "violent groups"), while the yakuza call themselves "ninkyō dantai" (任侠団体 or 仁侠団体, "chivalrous organizations").

What is the Japanese number yakuza?

893 can be read as "ya-ku-za" (やくざ) or "Yakuza". It is traditionally a bad omen for a student to receive this candidate number for an exam.

Why is yakuza called Gokudo?

極道 Gokudo is often used to describe a “good for nothing member of the family”, although it was originally a Buddhist term describing a 道を極めた者 (michi wo kiwameta mono) = a master guru of some sort. The term was applied to the yakuza since they are masters of unethical or illegal pastimes.

Is there a Yakuza girl?

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).

The Yakuza - Mafia of Japan

Do Yakuza still exist in Japan?

Contrarily, the yakuza are a confederation of criminal syndicates active throughout Japan. According to Japanese law, their status is not illegal: they have offices and a yakuza presence is still noticeable in many cities.

Who is the biggest yakuza now?

Four largest syndicates

The Yamaguchi-gumi is the largest yakuza family, with about 8,200 members. The Sumiyoshi-kai is the second-largest yakuza family, with 4,200 members. Sumiyoshi-kai is a confederation of smaller yakuza groups. Its current head (会長 oyabun) is Isao Seki.

Who is the most feared yakuza?

Kenichi Shinoda (篠田 建市, Shinoda Ken'ichi, born January 25, 1942), also known as Shinobu Tsukasa (司 忍, Tsukasa Shinobu), is a Japanese Yakuza, the sixth and current kumicho (supreme kingpin, or chairman) of the Yamaguchi-gumi, Japan's largest yakuza organization.

Is the yakuza Legal in Japan?

These activities make the relationship between yakuza and police in Japan a complicated one; yakuza membership itself is not illegal, and yakuza-owned businesses and gang headquarters are often clearly marked. Gang whereabouts and activities are often known to Japanese police without the latter's taking any action.

Is it OK to get a yakuza tattoo?

🐉 Is it OK to have a Yakuza tattoo? Yes, you can get a traditional yakuza tattoo. Yakuza doesn't use tattoos to identify their members, so you won't run into trouble. These tattoos are personal and based on Japanese legends, symbolism, and art.

Do yakuza get married?

“Depending on which Yakuza you marry, your role will vary. The wife of the boss has a vital role in the group. She is the boss's shadow. She walks by his side and knows everything.

How do you identify a yakuza?

The Japanese public recognizes them through their tattoos

For the Yakuza, tattoos are used to recognize members, demonstrate commitment, and boast about their wealth. They are designed using an extremely painful process called irezumi, in which the tattoos are hand-poked.

Can a foreigner join the Yakuza?

A gaijin in the organisation? Straight away, the strangest thing is that a foreigner – a gaijin – gets to become a member of a Yakuza family. Not only that, but Lowell quickly rises to become a member with key responsibilities – at one point he becomes the main boss's bodyguard.

What is the 5 year yakuza rule?

The banking industry has a rule prohibiting former yakuza from opening bank accounts until five years after they leave a gang. This forces former gang members to explain to employers why they cannot open bank accounts, and makes job hunting harder.

What does missing finger mean in yakuza?

Yubitsume (指詰め, "finger shortening") or otoshimae is a Japanese ritual to atone for offenses to another, a way to be punished or to show sincere apology and remorse to another, by means of amputating portions of one's own little finger.

Can you talk to yakuza?

Once you complete Togo Atatsuma's task, you may speak to the Yakuza in the alleyway of the town. The first time Ryoba speaks to him, he will give you a free gift. The second time you speak to him and onwards, Ryoba can pay him to do various favors for you.

What is the most violent Japanese crime?

The majority of crimes recorded in Japan are theft offenses. Among violent crimes, the most reported offenses are assaults and bodily injuries followed by rapes and homicides.

Do yakuza harm citizens?

There are crimes in Japan like all other countries, but Japan is different from America. For example, it's organized crime groups or gangs such as the Yakuza are unwilling to go out and attack or rob regular lawful civilians. Instead, they cause intended harm towards other rival Yakuza clans separate from their own.

Why are the Yakuza dying out?

Numbers are shrinking because fewer young people see yakuza as an enviable career path, existing members are aging and earnings are shrinking as a result of a number of legal changes that have given the police far greater powers to bring the gangs under control.

Why is yakuza rich?

Japan's organized crime groups (aka the yakuza) are still big business. The National Police Agency estimates that they still collect 5% of all revenue from construction work; yakuza front companies are involved in waste disposal, entertainment and labor dispatch. They operate both legitimate and illegal businesses.

Who is replacing the Yakuza?

Sega has formally dropped the Yakuza brand name and replaced it with Like a Dragon. To "more closely align with the Japanese name."

What crimes do yakuza commit?

These gangs controlled many businesses, engaged in sophisticated gambling and loan sharking activities, and invested heavily in sports and other entertainment. They also became involved in drugs, money lending, smuggling, and pornography.

Why do yakuza get tattoos?

They're instead a "very personal depiction" of a scene from the yakuza member's life, or something symbolically important to them - which is meant to show people the attributes that person is known for.

How do you join yakuza?

Recruitment is frequently through gambling or in recent years, motorcycle gangs. In the last few decades, yakuza have expanded into drugs and other more serious criminal activity. They have also moved into sophisticated activities.

How much does the Yakuza pay?

If the gamblers are all yakuza, they can bet at least ten thousand dollars for one play. Sometimes they make more than a million dollars a day.