10 Facts about the Yakuza You Didn't Know

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The organized crime syndicate in Japan, the Yakuza, has its own unique way of carrying out crimes and playing its role in society. Yakuza is like an organization, it has offices, members and rules of the game, and what is unique is that gossip about this organization is still alive and has even been recorded by many foreign writers.

Here are ten facts about the Yakuza that you probably didn't know before as reported by Listverse:

1. Yakuza in politics

In the history of the Yakuza, a number of high-ranking Japanese officials and politicians were part of the Yakuza network. For example, the Japanese Minister of Law, Keishu Tanaka. He was then forced to resign from his position in 2012 because he was discovered to be a member of the Yakuza network. The first Prime Minister of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Nobusuke Kishi, was proven to be part of one of the largest Yakuza organizations, the Yamaguchi-gumi. In 1971, Nobusuke and a number of politicians provided financial aid to a Yamaguchi-gumi leader who was convicted of paying compensation for a murder case. He also attended funerals and weddings of a number of Yakuza members. The LDP party, which ran the government for 58 years, documented the people who made up the Yakuza network. The documentation lasted 54 years.

Noboru Takeshita, the prime minister who came to power in 1987, was also a member of the Yakuza network. Receiving a lot of criticism from the opposition, he then chose to rejoin Inagawa-kai, one of the three founding Yakuza organizations. At least four Japanese prime ministers were involved in the Yakuza network.

In the field of practical politics, Yakuza participate in campaigns and act as security guards during general elections. Yakuza are also able to provide guarantees to voters to win the candidate they favor.

2. Organizational Rituals

Yakuza has a complex leadership structure and has many stages that its members must go through to reach the pinnacle of power. Well, a new member has to go through a hazing ritual called sakazukigoto. New members will obey and respect their seniors in what is called kobun or "child role". Sake, a traditional Japanese drink, is a drink that is always present in hazing rituals and becomes the bond between them. The procedure for drinking sake in rituals like this is part of respecting the beliefs of the majority of Japanese people, namely Shinto.

3. Written test

Being a member of the Yakuza is not just about physicality. But also intelligence. In 2009, the Yamaguchi-gumi, one of the three founding Yakuza organizations, implemented a 12-page written test. This test is to ensure members understand the applicable regulations so that problems do not arise later. The test begins with a story about the Japanese economy as a whole. This is followed by the topics being tested, for example the issue of industrial waste and motor vehicle theft. Yakuza has long been known as a barometer of the Japanese economy. So, if the mafia members encounter difficulties, then they have to do something to minimize failure.

4. Lawsuit

Even though this mafia syndicate is feared, that doesn't mean no one dares to fight back. A female bar owner has sued the Yamaguchi-gumi's most dangerous leader, Kenichi Shinoda. This woman objected to the extortion action by Kenichi's men on the pretext of security money accompanied by threats to burn down her bar if she didn't pay it. The woman is demanding 17 million yen or US$ 2.8 million in her lawsuit.

Previously, a group of residents expelled the Dojinkai gang, a Yakuza network, from its headquarters in Kurume City in 2008. On the grounds that they deserved to live in safety and for this reason they demanded that the gangsters disappear from their city.

Even though they have received many lawsuits, the Yakuza have also filed lawsuits. For example, members of the Yakuza mafia in southern Japan, the Kudo-kai, do not accept being labeled "dangerous" by law enforcement. They were accused of being dangerous because they were involved in a number of grenade attacks on their opponents. Their lawyers argued the label was unfair and violated Japan's constitution.

5. Tattoos

One famous icon of the Yakuza is the tattoos that cover their entire bodies. They use the traditional Japanese method of tattooing, known as irezumi. This tattoo is a sign of courage to face the pain of the method of tattooing on the body. Generally tattoos depict dragons, mountains and women. Interestingly, Yakuza-style tattoos are now favored by people who have nothing to do with the Yakuza. The stigma of tattoos is still strongly embedded in Japanese society. To the extent that the Mayor of Osaka forbade his workers from wearing tattoos. The government offers ways to enforce the ban, namely removing tattoos, leaving work, or looking for another job in a private company.

6. Yubitsume

Yakuza members who do not carry out the work they are supposed to do are forced to cut off their fingers. Cutting off body parts, which are generally fingers, is called yubitsume. Usually the first part of the body that is cut is the left little finger. Therefore, many Yakuza members are known by their missing fingers that were cut off.

7. Yakuza Magazine

For the first time, Yamaguchi-gumi published a magazine for its approximately 28,000 members in early 2013. The magazine was named Yamaguchi-gumi Shinpo. The magazine was filled with articles that tell the experiences of Yakuza members. Due to the decreasing number of its members, this magazine was seen as a way to raise enthusiasm.

8. Yakuza social activities

When Japan was hit by a tsunami in 2011, the Yakuza were among the first organizations to arrive at the location and provide assistance to the tsunami victims. Previously, when an earthquake hit Kobe, the fifth largest city in Japan, Yakuza used motorbikes, boats and helicopters to send aid. A number of people praised the Yakuza's responsiveness in the community's difficult situations, but there were also those who gave cynical responses saying that the Yakuza were carrying out a 'PR' (public relations) activities.

9. Eradicating the Yakuza

The United States government recently issued a statement to eradicate the Yakuza as a crime syndicate organization. Americans also no longer want to make transactions with Kenichi Shinoda, the leader of the largest Yakuza organization, Yamguchi-gumi. Kenichi is included in the list of one of the seven criminal masterminds in the world. America also blacklisted the number two boss in the mafia organization, Kiyoshi Takayama, and froze all their assets in America. This step was taken following Japan's fight against Yakuza involvement in illegal business in the country. Responding to the sanctions, Kenichi said, "If Yamaguchi-gumi is banned, the public will immediately retaliate."

10. Sokaiya

Sokaiya is the name of a form of large-scale bribery that has been carried out by the Yakuza. The method is that the Yakuza will buy shares in a company which gives them a seat and take part in meetings attended by the shareholders. After that, they will do everything they can to influence the company's leadership. Then they will ask for money or they will threaten to embarrass the head of the company in meetings. And usually this Yakuza tactic produces results. Another method, the Yakuza will hold sports tournaments and beauty contests and then sell tickets at very high prices to their victims via blackmail. Their targets are usually large companies.

LISTVERSE | MARIA RITA HASUGIAN

Editor's Choice: 15 Countries Used to Be Part of Soviet Union, Including Russia, Ukraine

Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News