Yakuza - Japanese mafia. Yakuza: what you need to know about the Japanese mafia

Yakuza(Japanese: ヤクザ or やくざ), also known as gokudo(Japanese: 極道 gokudo)- members of rival traditional organized crime groups in Japan, as well as the general name for such groups. In Japanese legal terminology, yakuza is called "bōryokudan", which means “power group.” The Yakuza themselves regard this name as offensive, since it can be applied to any type of crime. According to the Guinness Book of Records, today the yakuza are the most significant criminal phenomenon in the world.

During their creation, the Yakuza adopted the traditional Japanese hierarchical structure oyabun-kobun (“oyabun-kobun”), Where kobun (子分, "adopted child") must show loyalty to oyabunu (親分, "foster parent"). At a much later period it was developed code of "jingi" (仁義, code of "justice and duty"), where it was stated that loyalty and respect are a way of life. The oyabun-kobun relationship is cemented by the ceremonial exchange of a glass of sake. This ritual is not a feature of the yakuza world and is commonly found in a traditional Japanese Shinto wedding and may have been part of a twinning relationship. During World War II, the more traditional tekiya/bakuto form of organization declined as the entire population was mobilized to participate in the war effort, and society was under the watchful and strict eye of the military government.

However, after the war the Yakuza rose again. Supposedly, the Yakuza have infiltrated all areas human life in Japan. The most romantic tales say that the yakuza accept sons who have been abandoned or sent away by their parents. Many yakuza began their “professional” activities in middle or high school as street thugs or members of bosozoku gangs (bōsōzoku). Some Yakuza thugs are actually not very smart, if not mentally retarded, but they are accepted into clans because of their good physical fitness. Perhaps due to the fact that they initially have a lower social status, yakuza often become burakumin and ethnic Koreans. Leaders of Yakuza clans are, as a rule, very cunning, tough and intelligent men, because... to rise to top level in the yakuza hierarchy, you need to be very competitive and unscrupulous. Yakuza clans are headed by an oyabun or kumichō (組長, "head of the family"), who gives orders to his kobun subordinates. In this regard, the Yakuza organization is a unique variation of the traditional Japanese senpai-kohai relationship. Yakuza gang members carry family relationships into clans in the sense that they treat each other like a father figure or like older/younger brothers.
In Yakuza clans, almost all members are men and there are very few women. However, if they do exist, they are usually called "o-nee-san" (お姉さん, "elder sister"). When the head of Yamaguchi-gumi in the late 90s. was killed, his wife, albeit for a short time, took over the reins of the family. The Yakuza have a very complex structure: there is the most important boss of the syndicate - kumicho, immediately after which it comes saiko komon (最高顧問, "senior consultant"), and behind him - so-honbucho (“so-honbucho”, “chief of staff”).

At the next level of command is wakagashira (“wakagashira”), which controls several clans in the region, and directly controls the clan shateigashira. The connections of each clan member are subordinated to a hierarchy (sakazuki): at the very top is the kumicho and controls the various saiko-komon, who in turn control their own subordinates in different districts or cities. The saiko-komon have their own subordinates, including junior bosses, consultants, accountants, etc. Those named by the oyabun are part of one large family and are ranked from younger to older brothers. At the same time, each kobun can act as an oyabun for a lower-ranking clan, which can also become the basis for the emergence of an even lower-ranking unit. The Yamaguchi-gumi, which controls approximately 2,500 firms and 500 yakuza clans, even has fifth-rank organizations.

Yubitsume, or cutting off fingers: according to this tradition, after the first offense, the offender cuts off the tip of the little finger from his left hand and hands the cut part to his boss.
Sometimes a clan boss may perform this ritual and give the cut off part of a finger to the oyabun when, for example, he wants to save one of his clan members from further reprisals. The origin of this custom comes down to the Japanese manner of holding a sword. The bottom three fingers of each hand are used to hold the sword firmly, with the index and thumb slightly relaxed. Removing the phalanges of the fingers, starting with the little finger, gradually weakens the grip on the hilt of the sword and the idea of ​​punishment is thus that a person with a weak grip is only capable of defense.

Recently, prosthetic fingertips have been introduced to hide this feature, and when the British cartoon Bob the Builder was imported into Japan, plans were even made to add an extra finger to the characters so as not to scare small children. Many Yakuza have tattoos all over their bodies, which are known as irezumi (“irezumi”). Irezumi are still often pricked by hand, where the dye is injected under the skin using bamboo or steel needles. Such a procedure is not only painful and takes a significant toll on your pocket, it can also take more than one year to reproduce the entire pattern. While serving time in prison, some yakuza are immortalized every year with one pearl... inserted under the skin of the penis. And when the yakuza play cards with each other Oicho-Kabu, they often open their shirts or tie them around their waists, thus showing each other their tattoos. This is one of the few times when the Yakuza show their tattoos “in public”, because... As a rule, patterns are carefully hidden by highly buttoned shirts with long sleeves.

Another well-known ceremonial among the Yakuza is drinking sake together - thus sealing the fraternal oath between individual Yakuza or entire mafia clans. For example, in August 2005, Kenichi Shinoda and Kazuyoshi Kudo held such a ceremony, cementing the twinning of their clans - the Yamaguchi-gumi and the Kokushu-kai.zy.

The history of the emergence and development of the Yakuza.

First historical background their appearances are attributed to the hatamoto-yakko or Kabuki-mono of the 17th century, which are derived classes from the lower rank "hatamoto". Other theories, proposed by members of the yakuza themselves, argue for their origins in the "machi-yakko" (machi-yakko), who defended villages from hatamoto-yakko who tried, despite the strength and training of the machi-yakko, to plunder them. Despite their shortcomings, the machi-yakko were regarded as folk heroes at the level of the same Robin Hood. The theory that the yakuza are descended from the hatamoto-yakko is due to the strange hair styles they adopted and the outrageous clothing worn by Kabuki actors during performances during the Genroku era.

Despite some differences of opinion, most researchers agree that most of the events associated with the emergence of the yakuza date back to the Edo period. Since at that time the Toyotomi Hideyoshi clan no longer threatened the Tokugawa power, peace reigned in the country and great amount soldiers were no longer needed to maintain general order and they moved to the castles of their daimyo.
Due to Japan's isolation and restrictions foreign trade, her own trade and Agriculture improved significantly, which led to the accumulation of power within the merchant class, and made the samurai dependent on them - the samurai’s “salaries” were paid in the form of a natural product - rice, which was then sold in local markets. Subsequent natural disasters, famine and increased taxes led to destabilization of the situation in society, a decline in morality and public discontent with the government. Then personalities such as ronins began to appear, who played a significant role on the historical stage of Japan. It was the ronins who moved from simply stealing money and violence to protecting villages from bandits and other bad people in return for a certain fee, of course.

Modern yakuza, however, claim that they came from the ranks of the mati-yakko, refuting their origin from the ranks of the hatamoto-yakko, because, you see, they [hatamoto-yakko] are associated with theft, which honest modern yakuza cannot afford . In large cities, several such groups often existed simultaneously and, as a result, competed for territory, money and influence - just like many modern gangs - ignoring any civilians who, by pure chance, found themselves in the line of fire. Again, the pioneer of the popular yakuza theme in Japanese cinema and television was the famous - including in the West - Akira Kurosawa's film Yojimbo, in which a wandering ronin pits two yakuza factions against each other and ultimately destroys them. In fact, the yakuza received a little bit of both Machi-yakko (for example, some defense techniques) and Kabuki-mono (for example, frilly fashion and language).

While there is some certainty about the exact origins of the yakuza, most modern yakuza stem from two groups that emerged during the Edo period: the tekiya, who primarily peddled illegal, stolen, or shoddy goods; and "bakuto" who were associated with or directly participated in gambling Oh. Tekiya (“peddlers”) were considered one of the most lower castes Edo period.

When they began to form their own organizations, they took on certain administrative responsibilities, such as trading only in certain areas (ie, each had their own area) or protecting their commercial activities. During Shinto festivals, tekiya set up stalls and some members of the group were hired as security. Each tekiya paid rent in exchange for a stall and protection during the festival. Finally, the Edo government officially recognized tekiya organizations and granted their "employees" ("oyabun") the right to bear a surname and a sword.

This was a huge step forward for traders, because... up to this point, only samurai and nobles could carry swords. Bakuto (“players”) stood much lower on the social ladder than merchants, because gambling was illegal (and, in general, continues to be so now - for money, in any case. But here, however, there are a certain number of tricks). Small gambling houses multiplied in abandoned temples and shrines on the outskirts of cities and villages throughout Japan. Most of them were able to provide some loan to their clients and maintained their own security force. The Bakuto were despised by all sections of society in general and most of the negativity associated with the Yakuza stems from the "players" and their activities. Actually, the name “Yakuza” is the self-name of Bakuto.

Due to the economic situation in the mid-period and the dominance of the merchant class, the developing yakuza factions consisted of misfits who could not adapt to society and criminals who extorted in local markets and sold counterfeit or shoddy goods. The roots of the yakuza can still be found in the initiation rites of tekiya and bakuto. Despite the fact that modern yakuza are much more diverse in their areas of activity, many of them still consider themselves one or the other. original groups. For example, yakuza whose primary source of income is illegal gambling may well consider themselves bakuto.

As Japan entered the age of urbanization and industrialization, a third yakuza group emerged, called the "gurentai" (愚連隊), a name that predates the outbreak of World War II. Do gurentai fall under traditional concept yakuzai or no, that's it controversial issue, but they undoubtedly gave rise to a different kind of yakuza groups, which were called “bōryokudan” - “power groups”. In short, the Gurentai are a gang of undisciplined young thugs who stage power “shows” for money. Those. they fight for those who will pay the most. They often participated in the struggles of trade unions and other workers' organizations, which placed them much closer to the traditional Japanese underground power structures. As Japan militarized, some of them came to represent the militant wing of Japanese politics known as uyoku (右翼, "right wing"), or ultra-nationalists.

Unlike the more traditional yakuza, the uyoku did not establish their influence over any territories - they committed violence solely for political purposes. The most famous uyoku group before World War II was the Kokuryū-kai (黒龍会) - "Black Dragon Society". The Kokuryu-kai was a secret ultra-nationalist umbrella organization (such an organization supports several other organizations working in a certain area; or such an organization is representative of an association (union) of these organizations and has its own name), whose members included many government officials and military officers, as well as many martial artists and members of the Japanese underground involved in political terrorism and assassination. Members of the Kokuryu-kai also provided espionage services for the Japanese authorities and engaged in smuggling activities, including the trade in Chinese opium, prostitution, and overseas gambling, all of which provided the Kokuryu-kai with both money and information. they began to control major seaports and the entertainment industry.
The largest Yakuza umbrella group was the Yamaguchi-gumi, which appeared in the Kansai region and owned a large entertainment industry in Osaka and equally large seaports in Kobe. The US occupation forces tried to fight the Yamaguchi-gumi and other groups, but in vain, eventually admitting defeat in 1950. Gradually, the Yakuza began to use firearms and began to look more and more like classic Western gangsters.

At this stage, both tekiya and bakuto were not limited to their traditional fields of activity and expanded into any area they found profitable. The Gurentai at the same time began to assume the traditional roles of tekiya and bakuto, which eventually led to a clash between all three major yakuza groups and a struggle for power and prestige. In the 1960s Yoshio Kodama, an ex-nationalist, began to negotiate with various factions, the first of which were the Yamaguchi-gumi led by Kazuo Taoka, the Tosei-kai led by Hisayuki Machii ) and ultimately with Inagawa-kai. Clashes between individual gangs, however, continued.

Although Koreans make up a tiny fraction (0.5%) of the total population in Japan, they are a very important component of the yakuza, perhaps because Koreans suffer severe discrimination along with the burakumin. Of the total Yakuza population, Koreans make up about 15%, and in the early 1990s. 18 of the 90 major leaders in the Inagawa-kai group were ethnic Koreans. The Japanese National Police Agency suggests that Koreans made up about 10% of total number burakumin in Yamaguchi-gumi. Koreans were also among the boryokudan.

The importance of Koreans was an untouchable taboo and one of the reasons that the Japanese version of "Yakuza" (1986) by Kaplan and Dubro was not published until 1991, plus descriptions were cut from it, for example, the Korean from Yamaguchi -gumi. Although ethnic Koreans born in Japan make up a significant portion of the Japanese population, they are still considered foreigners simply living in the country because of their ethnicity. But Koreans, who often avoid engaging in legitimate trade, are accepted into yakuza clans precisely because they fit the image of society's "outcasts."

The man who paved the way for Japanese-Koreans in Japanese society was the Japanese-Korean yakuza who founded the Tosei-kai - godfather of Hisayuki Machii. At birth in 1923, he was given the name Chong Gwon Yong and gradually became a major street gangster who saw many opportunities in Japan. As a result, Matiya managed to conquer this country, after which he began to establish contacts with the United States, in particular, he collaborated with their counterintelligence, which appreciated his strong anti-communist beliefs. While the Japanese yakuza were imprisoned or under close surveillance by the US occupation forces, the Korean yakuza felt quite free and gradually took over the most profitable black markets. But rather than compete with the Japanese yakuza, Machii formed an alliance with them and remained close to Kodama and Taoka throughout his underground career (see above).

In 1948, Machii created his own group, Tosei-kai (“Voice of Eastern Gan”) and soon took control of the Ginza region. The Tosei-kai became such a powerful group in Tokyo that it was even known as the “Ginza Police” and the all-powerful Taoka of the Yamaguchi-gumi had to negotiate with Machii to ensure that his group continued to operate within Tokyo. Matiya's vast empire included tourism, entertainment, bars and restaurants, prostitution and oil imports. He and Kodama, without any outside help, made a fortune investing in real estate. More importantly, Machii acted as an intermediary between the Korean government and the yakuza, which allowed Japanese criminals to do business (ie racketeering) in Korea, which had been terrorized by the Japanese for years. Thanks to Machii, Korea became a second home for the Japanese yakuza. To further suit its role as a glue between the underworld of both countries, Machii was allowed to acquire the largest ferry service connecting Shimonoseki (Japan) and Busan ( South Korea) and is the shortest route between the two countries.

In the mid-1960s. pressure from the police forced Machii to officially disband the Tosei-kai. At that time, he even formed two supposedly legitimate organizations: "Toa Sogo Kigyo" (East Asia Business Company) and "Toa Yuai Jigyo Kumiai" (Association of Friendly Organizations). East Asia), which became a screen for criminal activities. Machii is widely believed to have facilitated the kidnapping of Korean opposition leader Kim Dae Jung from a hotel in Tokyo. It was assumed that Kim was to be thrown into the sea, bound hand and foot, blindfolded and with a weight tied so that the body would never surface. But suddenly the execution by drowning was canceled and Kim was secretly taken to a hotel in the vicinity of Seoul. American intervention is said to have saved his life. And further police investigation showed that Matiya's people rented all the other rooms on this floor of the hotel. However, Matija was never reported for kidnapping. Machii "retired" at the age of about 80 and since then he has often been seen vacationing in Hawaii. He died on September 14, 2002.
In addition, Tokutaro Takayami was the “kaicho” of the fourth yakuza gang - Aizukotetsu. He was an ethnic Korean and came to power as the head of a Kyoto gang, which he ruled until his “retirement” in the late 1990s. Despite all of the above, in modern Japan, exact origin The yakuza is still a subject of debate.

Firstly, the Yakuza is not some kind of secret society, like their counterparts in the Italian mafia or Chinese triads. Yakuza organizations very often have front door a wooden plaque with the clan/family name or emblem. Very often, many Yakuza members wear brightly colored suits and Sunglasses, so they are easily recognized by ordinary residents (“katagi”, “katagi”). Even the way they walk makes the Yakuza stand out from the crowd: their arrogant and sweeping gait is noticeably different from the gait of ordinary residents busy with their usual daily affairs. Or, for example, a yakuza can dress quite modestly, but at the same time, if necessary, display some of the tattoos, indicating their type of activity. Yakuza sometimes wear small emblems on the lapels of their jackets, and one yakuza family once even published a monthly newsletter with detailed information regarding prison terms, weddings, funerals, and murders of family members. The newsletter also included poems from family leaders.

Until recently, most of the Yakuza's income came from the shopping, entertainment and red light districts, which were protected by the Yakuza from various kinds racketeers As a rule, such areas avoid contact with the police, preferring to be under the “warm wing” of the Yakuza. Japanese police also, in turn, refuse to interfere in the internal affairs of communities such as shopping arcades, schools/universities, “night” areas and the like. In this sense, the Yakuza are still regarded as semi-legal organizations.

For example, after the Kobe earthquake, the local Yamaguchi-gumi headquarters quickly mobilized to help the local population deal with the effects of the earthquake. A helicopter was even brought in and the event as a whole was widely covered in the media, despite the delayed reaction of the Japanese government. For this reason, many yakuza view their income as a kind of tax levy. The Yakuza are actively involved in the sex industry, smuggling pornography from Europe and America, importing it into Japan. The yakuza also control large gangs of “night butterflies” throughout the country.

In China, where the law limits the number of children per family and preference is traditionally given to boys, the yakuza can buy unwanted girls for as little as $5,000 and send them to work in the "mizu shōbai" ("water trade"). .e. into Yakuza-controlled night bars, restaurants and clubs. The Philippines is another source of young women. The Yakuza deceive local girls from impoverished villages, promising them respectable jobs and good salaries in Japan. But, of course, instead of the coveted mountains of gold, the girls quickly master one of the oldest professions in the world, becoming prostitutes and strippers. Moreover, some girls are quite happy with this, because... they receive more money than they could ever earn in the Philippines. Very often, the yakuza engage in a specialized Japanese form of extortion known as sōkaiya (総会屋). Sokaya is essentially a specialized form of protection against racketeering. The Yakuza do not harass small businesses, preferring to intimidate the shareholders of large corporations. For example, they scare the average shareholder with the presence of thugs from their clans and gain the right to participate in a meeting and buy a small share. The yakuza also engage in regular blackmail, obtaining information incriminating or compromising the leaders or participants of certain companies. Once the yakuza gain a foothold in a company, they become its protectors, protecting it from the impact of internal scandals on the public.
And some companies still count bribes as part of their annual budget. The Yakuza have a strong influence on Japanese professional wrestling - "puroresu", from the English "professional wrestling". Their interest in this matter, of course, is purely financial. The Yakuza mainly support and promote their fighters, and they also run many of the arenas and stadiums where competitions are held. The yakuza also receive a certain percentage of the fees. In general, the Yakuza are considered to be the patrons of wrestling and mixed martial arts, and it is not unusual for fighters to seek patronage from one clan or another. It can be said that none of the major wrestling events in Japan failed because the Yakuza were interested in them.

The pioneer of Japanese wrestling, Rikidozan, was killed by the Yakuza, and former member World Championship Wrestling, Yoshihiro Tajiri, refused to show the "Yakuza trick", fearing that he would become a target for the real Yakuza. Professional wrestler Yoshiaki Fujiwara was often called "kumicho" (or "godfather") and often played yakuza in various Japanese comedies and dramas. The yakuza have connections both in the Japanese real estate market and in banking - in this they are facilitated by “jiageya” (“jiageya”, 地上げ屋), who specialize in convincing owners of small real estate to sell their property, and thus enrich company. For the economy " soap bubble» 1980s also holding real estate speculators at bank branches responsible. After the collapse of the Japanese economy at that time, the manager of the main bank in Nagoya was killed, in connection with which it was suggested that the bank businessmen were connected with the underworld. The Yakuza are also known to make extensive investments in legitimate and large companies. In 1989, Susumu Ishii, oyabun of Inagawa-kai, bought shares of Tokyo Kyuko Electric Railway for $255 million. In principle, theft is not considered a legitimate activity of the yakuza - all their actions are, as it were, half-hidden, and theft is entirely a secret act. And, more importantly, such an act on the part of the Yakuza would be regarded as an abuse of public relations. Also, in fact, the yakuza do not conduct actual economic transactions themselves. Basic business activities, such as merchandising, issuing loans, running gambling houses, etc., are not carried out by the yakuza themselves, but by those who pay the mafia to protect their activities.

There is ample evidence that the Yakuza are also involved in international criminal operations. For example, many tattooed members of yakuza groups are now in Asian prisons on charges of drug trafficking or weapons smuggling.
In 1997, a trusted Yakuza member was caught with four kilograms of heroin in Canada. In 1999, intelligence agencies overheard a member of the Italian-American Bonnano mafia clan, Mickey Zaffarano, talking about the benefits for both families from the pornography trade. Another type of racket that the Yakuza does not shun is to attract women of other nationalities and races, especially European women, with all the possible benefits that Japan can give them, and then put them on the panel. Because of their origins as a legitimate feudal organization and their connection to the Japanese political system through uyoku (far-right forces), the yakuza are in some ways a powerful force.

In the early 80s. A Yakuza war broke out in Fukuoka, which could not be brought under control and as a result several civilians were injured. Then the police intervened and forced the bosses of both sides to officially declare a truce between the clans.

IN different times The public of Japanese cities began to fight the yakuza, which proceeded with varying success and was crowned with a wide variety of results. In March 1995, the Japanese government passed a bill called the Gang Members' Illegal Activities Prevention Act, which made life much more difficult for traditional rackets. And finally, I would like to provide brief information about the five most influential yakuza clans.

Yamaguchi-gumi (六代目山口組, Rokudaime Yamaguchi-gumi)

Created in 1915, it is the largest Yakuza family with over 39,000 members, divided into 750 small clans, which make up about 45% of all Yakuza in Japan. Despite police persecution that has been going on for over 10 years, Yamaguchi-gumi continues to grow. The family's headquarters are located in Kobe, from where they direct criminal activities throughout Japan. The family is also involved in operations in Asia and the United States. Shinobu Tsukasa, also known as Kenichi Shinoda, is the current head (oyabun) of the Yamaguchi-gumi. He is a proponent of expansionist policies and increases the number of operations in Tokyo (which traditionally was not part of the Yamaguchi-gumi territory).

Sumiyoshi-rengo (住吉会), sometimes called Sumiyoshi-kai (住吉会)
Sumiyoshi-rengo is the second largest yakuza family, with approximately 10,000 members in 177 clans. The Sumiyoshi-kai, as it is sometimes called, is a confederation of small yakuza groups. Its current oyabun is Shigeo Nishiguchi. The structure of Sumiyoshi-kai differs from its main rival, Yamaguchi-gumi. The chain of several clans appears to be weaker and, although Nishiguchi is the highest oyabun, leadership of the family is shared with him by several other members of the Sumiyoshi-kai.
The Inagawa-kai is the third largest yakuza family in Japan, with 7,400 members spread across 133 clans. The family's headquarters are located in Tokyo and Yokohama, and the Inagawa-kai itself was one of the first yakuza families to expand its area of ​​influence beyond Japan. The current oyabun of the family is Kakuji Inagawa.

Founded in 1948 by Hisayuki Machii, the Toa-kai quickly became one of the most powerful yakuza families in Tokyo, but is still only the fifth in the overall yakuza. This family consists of Yakuza of Korean origin, and its number is over 3,000 people, organized into 6 clans. The current oyabun of the family is Satoru Nomura.

Aizukotetsu-kai was founded in 1954. in Kyoto, is the fourth largest yakuza organization in Japan. Its name comes from the Aizu region, “Kotetsu,” a type of Japanese sword, and the suffix “-kai,” or society. Instead of an autonomous gang, the Aizukotetsu-Kai Federation has about 100 various groups Kyoto Yakuza, comprising an estimated 7,000 members. In October 2005, the group formed an alliance with the Sixth Yamaguchi-gumi, the largest yakuza gang in Japan. Her current oyabun is Mitsugi Baba.

Inagawa-kai (稲川会)

Toua Yuai Jigyo Kummiai (東亜友愛事業組合), sometimes also called Tōa-kai (東亜会)

Aizukotetsu-kai (六代目会津小鉄会)

Like many others ethnic criminal groups the image of the yakuza is popular in modern popular culture. So in Japan and in the world a series of films about yakuzda with the famous Japanese actor Takeshi Kitano is very famous - “ Yakuza Brother" and others. The issue of the yakuza was also discussed in the anime “Side Story About the Yakuza” and many other famous anime.

The Japanese mafia is one of the most “prosperous” in the world. The total number of yakuza ranges from 80 to 110 thousand people, and the largest clan - the Yamaguchi-gumi - is considered the richest criminal group planets. In 2015, its revenue was more than $80 billion.

Roots Japanese mafia go back to the Middle Ages. It is believed that the ancestors of the current yakuza or, as they are also called, borekudan (although they themselves do not like this nickname) were small street traders - tekiya - and gambling enthusiasts - bakuto. The word "yakuza" itself means the worst combination in the card game oyte-kabu. Initially, the ancestors of Japanese mafiosi were considered outcasts, and therefore this nickname was assigned to them.

© AFP 2017 / Fred Dufour

Men with traditional Yakuza Irezumi tattoo at the Sanja Matsuri festival in Tokyo

The Yakuza are known for their tradition of tattooing. Some mafiosi have almost their entire body covered with them. Borekudan tattoos have a hidden meaning from outsiders. For example, the first, as a rule, denotes a transition from the family of parents to new family- Yakuza. It is not customary to show them off - as a rule, clan members prefer closed clothing. The only exception where their tattoos can be seen by an outsider is during the Shinto festival of Sanja Matsuri.

© AFP 2017 / Fred Dufour

Another Yakuza "tradition" concerns punishment. For offenses against the mafia clan, phalanges of fingers are cut off - one for each significant offense, and this must be done by the culprit himself. When one finger is completely cut off, he moves on to the next one. This custom also came from the past: the fewer fingers a yakuza had, the more difficult it was for him to hold a sword, which means his dependence on the protection of his boss and clan grew. Now it has more of a symbolic meaning.

© AFP 2017 / Fred Dufour

A man with a traditional Yakuza Irezumi tattoo at the Sanja Matsuri festival in Tokyo

The ties that bind members of the Yakuza clan are akin to family. The authority of the head of the community is indisputable, and ordinary participants consider each other brothers. The main figure in the hierarchy is the boss - oyabun. His right hand is considered to be the saiko-komon (senior advisor). Also subordinate to the oyabun are the sanro-kai (a group of less influential advisers), so-hombute (chief of staff), wakagashira and shateigashira, who command directly the executors of the boss’s orders: ke-dai and shatei - the older and younger “brothers”. Saiko-komon is responsible for the administrative component of affairs - kaikei accountants and legal consultants shingiin are subordinate to him.

© AFP 2017 / Fred Dufour

A man with a traditional Yakuza Irezumi tattoo at the Sanja Matsuri festival in Tokyo

As a rule, ordinary clan members rarely leave the territory under their control - only if they receive particularly profitable “orders” or for the purpose of war with competitors.

In total, there are more than 20 yakuza clans in Japan. The largest are considered to be Yamaguchi-gumi, Sumiyoshi-kai and Inagawa-kai. Members of these clans make up about 70% of the yakuza. In 2015, the largest group, the Yamaguchi-gumi, split. About three thousand people broke away from it.

© AFP 2017 / Fred Dufour

A man with a traditional Yakuza Irezumi tattoo at the Sanja Matsuri festival in Tokyo

The range of Yakuza activities is very wide: prostitution, gambling, drugs, arms trafficking, smuggling. The position of the mafia is also strong in the porn industry. At the same time, borekudan strive to at least partially legalize the sources of their income by investing in construction, the entertainment industry, stock trading and auditing services. In 2013, several prominent members of the yakuza were arrested for interfering with the restoration of the Fukushima nuclear power plant by helping to find illegal labor.

The Japanese mafia is one of the most “prosperous” in the world. The total number of Yakuza ranges from 80 to 110 thousand people, and the largest clan, the Yamaguchi-gumi, is considered the richest criminal group on the planet. In 2015, its revenue was more than $80 billion.

MOSCOW, September 2 – RIA Novosti, David Narmania. The roots of the Japanese mafia go back to the Middle Ages. It is believed that the ancestors of the current yakuza or, as they are also called, borekudan (although they themselves do not like this nickname) were small street traders - tekiya - and gambling enthusiasts - bakuto. The word "yakuza" itself means the worst combination in the card game oyte-kabu. Initially, the ancestors of Japanese mafiosi were considered outcasts, and therefore this nickname was assigned to them.

The Yakuza are known for their tradition of tattooing. Some mafiosi have almost their entire body covered with them. Borekudan tattoos have a hidden meaning from outsiders. For example, the first, as a rule, signifies a transition from the parents' family to a new family - the yakuza. It is not customary to show them off - as a rule, clan members prefer closed clothes. The only exception where their tattoos can be seen by an outsider is during the Shinto festival of Sanja Matsuri.

Another Yakuza "tradition" concerns punishment. For offenses against the mafia clan, phalanges of fingers are cut off - one for each significant offense, and this must be done by the culprit himself. When one finger is completely cut off, he moves on to the next. This custom also came from the past: the fewer fingers a yakuza had, the more difficult it was for him to hold a sword, which means his dependence on the protection of his boss and clan grew. Now it has more of a symbolic meaning.

The ties that bind members of the Yakuza clan are akin to family. The authority of the head of the community is indisputable, and ordinary participants consider each other brothers. The main figure in the hierarchy is the boss - oyabun. His right hand is considered to be the saiko-komon (senior advisor). Also subordinate to the oyabun are the sanro-kai (a group of less influential advisers), so-hombute (chief of staff), wakagashira and shateigashira, who command directly the executors of the boss’s orders: ke-dai and shatei - the older and younger “brothers”. Saiko-komon is responsible for the administrative component of affairs - kaikei accountants and shingiin legal consultants are subordinate to him.

As a rule, ordinary clan members rarely leave the territory under their control - only if they receive particularly profitable “orders” or for the purpose of war with competitors.

In total, there are more than 20 yakuza clans in Japan. The largest are considered to be Yamaguchi-gumi, Sumiyoshi-kai and Inagawa-kai. Members of these clans make up about 70% of the yakuza. In 2015, the largest group, the Yamaguchi-gumi, split. About three thousand people broke away from it.

The range of Yakuza activities is very wide: prostitution, gambling, drugs, arms trafficking, smuggling. The position of the mafia is also strong in the porn industry. At the same time, borekudan strive to at least partially legalize the sources of their income by investing in construction, the entertainment industry, stock trading and auditing services. In 2013, several prominent members of the yakuza were arrested for interfering with the restoration of the Fukushima nuclear power plant by helping to find illegal labor.

In light of preparations for summer Olympic Games- 2020, which will be held in Tokyo, the yakuza expect an increase in income - they own a significant share of construction companies in the country.

The Japanese authorities are trying to fight the influence of the mafia, but it is too early to talk about complete victory. The influence of the clans is too great, and sometimes materials appear in the press about the connections of certain government members with the Borekudan. The desire to legalize their activities helps the yakuza in their confrontation with the authorities. The clans are no longer something secret - the addresses of their headquarters can be found on the website of the National Police Agency of Japan.

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 began to increase its influence in Tokyo and eastern parts of Japan, while West Side- the traditional sphere of influence of this group - was 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 the time had come for the mafia Hard times. 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 lead a luxurious life and live by the samurai code of honor of 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 the Yamaguchi-gumi is going through difficult times, it still 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 sites.

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 members

Japan has always been a mysterious country for Europeans. For a long time, its emperors did not allow strangers onto their land. When foreigners managed to get to know the Land of the Rising Sun in detail, they discovered a lot of traditional phenomena for the population that were 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 large cities there were even offices with a corresponding sign, and by rummaging through the papers one could even find full list employees. The Yakuza have mastered here part of the recreation and entertainment industry, which is in close contact with human vices - drinking establishments, gambling and brothels. Previously, the dominance of Japanese bandits in these areas was unchallenged. A changed world westerly winds brought 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.

IN literal translation the word yakuza means "scum." This is exactly how they treat ordinary people to those who do not want to earn a living by honest work and, instead of waking up every morning and going to work, in the evenings and at night they engage in very dubious and risky activities. 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 card game blackjack this combination of cards is the most useless, which once again emphasizes the people’s opinion about the inferiority of the yakuza, how social phenomenon. Yakuza members have always been second class to successful people. 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 popularization 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 stored in alcohol for a long time. 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 are completely absent symbolic meanings, like crosses, domes, eight-pointed stars, cards, 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 as 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, which does not give him the opportunity to actively participate in everyday criminal life, or for ideological reasons, declares his resignation and abdication 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 the last decade, many families have broken up under police pressure. Statistics show a sharp decline in the number of oyabuns in last years. As a result, the crime rate in Japan is one of the lowest in the world.