crime

Yakuza gang membership falls to record low

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they left to join YAK48 ...

12 ( +13 / -1 )

If they still exist, the numbers aren't low enough. Every last one of them is a waste of space.

8 ( +10 / -3 )

Keep in mind; less thugs under the control of organized crime means more thugs running wild on the street. Say, for arguments sake, that X% of any population are born thugs. They have the thug gene. These people (and indirectly us, the populace) benefit from organized crime taking them under their wing and keeping them reasonably civilized.

5 ( +8 / -3 )

I think nowadays it is becoming increasingly uncool to enter the Yakuza for young people. But I do wonder how they know they are telling the truth about their numbers??

4 ( +7 / -3 )

Why join a gang and do stuff under the threat of death, when you can be a NEET and hangout at home.

4 ( +6 / -2 )

Yakuza focusing on efficiency and need less lower level operatives. Does the money involved also go down? Most probably Answer will be no.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

I'm wondering where these specific numbers come from. Would someone write "yakuza member" as their job on the next census??

2 ( +3 / -2 )

ReformedBasher, it wont ever happen there will always organised crime, it only takes two or more people to work together for organised crime to exist.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

They still are a force and a sub-culture to reckon with.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

The smartest crims don't run around advertising they are in some criminal gang, perhaps the yaks are becoming smarter and flying under the radar, still operating but not out in the open wearing shades, gel hairdo, white suit, driving big black lexus and benz.

Perhaps they look like you and I and you wouldn't know ( Nor would the cops know ) who is a gangster and who is not.

In the US the hells angels and other criminal organisations used to run round with their name on their back saying hey look at me i'm an outlaw, they mostly got smarter now and the ones who are really up to no good do not advertise who they are.

Typically the biggest criminals now wear suits and work in banks or have govt jobs.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I watched an amazing documentary about the yakuza--I think by Journeyman Pictures out of Australia. One of the interviewees had actually been granted the 'right' to leave without fearing harm, and now he runs a shrine. He still visits his old boss, though. No hard feelings, I guess! Some of the other stuff wasn't so 'happy-ending'-like, if you know what I mean, but it is worth watching just to get an idea of how the underworld operates.

I don't know to what extent they had in bosozoku, but those bike gangs are literally gone from where I live. Not a peep. I always assumed they were associated, but perhaps the bikers were just out on their own. Does the yakuza still harass yatai owners at festivals? One would hope ordinary folks like that would be the first to benefit from the crackdowns.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

They are just hoodlums who'll do anything for money.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

@GG2141

Exactly. That's what I tell people when they talk about how safe Japan is.

So, if the 58,600 yakuza all quit, what would they do? Somehow I doubt they'll become salarymen or work in Macdonalds or Family Mart. We'd probably just have tens of thousands of sole trader yakuza.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

They all moved up to bigger and better positions... not what it used to be.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

So things ARE tough everywhere... haha

0 ( +0 / -0 )

have made the lives of Japan’s gangsters difficult

Ah, poor Yakuza, life too difficult? Boohoo...

0 ( +0 / -0 )

The war on gangs .. Is like the war on drugs .. It's a never ending math equation.. A complete and total waste of time .. Not to mention tax payers money!!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Yakuza are required to register, which is why they know the numbers. As far as I know, they can actually be imprisoned for not registering.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@ Strangerland

Yakuza are required to register, which is why they know the numbers. As far as I know, they can actually be imprisoned for not registering.

So I guess this means CRIME REALLY PAYS in Japan!

By the way the picture of the Yak Guy if he was standing on the pitchers mound he would be signaling a Changeup!!!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Some of you seem to not understand how the yakuza actually function

0 ( +0 / -0 )

The mafia (YAKUZA) has always been here and will always be here! Just like prostitution.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Lol..This isn't good. They're still out there. The numbers are still technically high.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Get a real job losers. This isn't the Ray Ban-wearing, gel-haired 80s!

-1 ( +3 / -5 )

Maybe they just died because of age...

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

They're far from gone. Last week I saw one in an AMG Mercedes SL grooming some bosozoku.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

The Yakuza ain't jack compared to other criminal syndicates like the Mexican cartels. THOSE guys you tremble in your boots just reading about them.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Yakuza numbers down?

Maybe that trend could partly be due to the fact that uyoku numbers are up...

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Yakuza seemed cool before I moved to Japan. Then when I moved here and saw that most of them were undereducated elderly losers with a few young losers hanging around them. A very unappealing group of people. And the girls that hang with then are usually pretty nasty and dumb as bricks. And if herpes is a HUGE problem among them. I heard that from my dermatologist.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

you know though, for wayward youths who were going to go off the rails anyway, the yakuza is not such a bad place for them. There someone will be responsible for them. If they join something like Kanto Rengo, no one will be. Much better yakuza than biker gangs any day.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

So it seems the tattoo ban at zushi beach is working hahahahaha NOT !

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

I don't get it! If they know how many there are they must also know who they are. Why are they left to operate their extortion rings and prostitution rackets when the cops know who and where they are? Are the cops afraid of the Yaks? Or, are they getting under the table cash from the Yaks to leave them alone?

-3 ( +3 / -6 )

Yaks are going legit... they run Hula schools and use kawaii girls as fronts from activities that are not illegal but definitely are not fair or legit.. but then again many businessmen are crooks and while they don't hack off their fingers and tattoo their backs... they would kill another man's career or bully them to suicide or practice unfair business with no honor.. or fairness because their skills are such that they must do these things to survive.. and that has always been an excuse for less than honorable behavior in Japan or any other place in this crazy world.

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

The National Police Agency credited its crackdown on the organized crime syndicates for membership falling to 58,600 last year, down from about 63,200 in 2012.

Well done. Let's hope that things reach "critical mass" and these syndicates just collapse after the members decide it's just not worth it and go straight.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

So a few Cops retired and the numbers are down. Naturally.

-5 ( +5 / -10 )

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