Over 300 years ago, the roots of Japanese organized crime started to develop in what is now known as the Yakuza. The word Yakuza directly means “good for nothing,” this term is believed to have originated from a card game. Over time, it has become a general term for any form of organized crime group in Japan. In 1992, the Japanese National Police Agency (NPA) introduced the term Boryokudan to describe organized gangs, though now the two terms are used interchangeably, specifically by the West.
The history of the Yakuza shows a long evolution from village peddlers and gamblers to an advanced criminal enterprise, with ties to the Japanese government and high society. Known for their tattoos, digit mutilation, brutality, and dark business dealings, they once held significant power. In recent years, the Yakuza has been on a slow decline due to decades of government crackdowns and government legislature, but cases continue to arise in which Yakuza members are involved in activities as high profile as attempting to traffic nuclear materials.
Images Sourced From: Jorge, Suzuki Kinsen, Basile Morin
1 Motto, Symbols, and History
1.1 Motto
The motto for the Yakuza is “help the weak, fight the strong.” [source]
1.2 Yakuza History
The existence of the Yakuza goes back around 300 years. The origins start with two groups, the tekiya (village peddlers) and bakuto (gamblers). These two groups combined into the foundation of the Yakuza. In 1612, the group first appeared on the radar of local law enforcement for their odd behaviour, clothing, and hairstyles. During the 1700s the Yakuza started to organize, starting off with manipulative salesmanship. In the 1800s they branched into the construction field, politics, and criminal underground, and started to cooperate with politicians to gain more power and influence in Japanese society.
In WW2, the Yakuza stepped in to help citizens; they smuggled goods, food, medicine and gasoline. At this time, they also ran lucrative protection rackets, the profits of which enabled Yakuza members to collaborate with the Japanese government at the time to gain political power.
After WW2, the Yakuza took advantage of the weakened government and started to grow their control over the Japanese black markets. They further branched out into legitimate businesses, like construction and real estate, to legitimize the organization, while keeping their underworld ties. The 1958 to 1963 timeframe was the peak of the organization, with 184,000 members; in this time period there were over 5,000 different Yakuza gangs, all in competition for territory and business. They had their hand in any business that made them money, such as loan sharking, drugs, pornography, and smuggling. In 1992, the Japanese National Police Agency(NPA) started to call Yakuza groups bōryokudan.
Academics have described Yakuza as strongly business and economic-focused. In 2009, the Japanese government started to crack down on the Yakuza. In 2011, Japanese officials started to create legislation that punished businesses connected to Yakuza and pushed into motion strict anti-corruption laws. This started to weaken Yakuza groups’ legal influence and capabilities.
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1.3 Symbols
Yakuza culture is full of symbolism, the main two symbols being tattoos and self-amputation if a member needs to rectify a mistake.
Tattoos: Yakuza puts great significance behind their tattoos, otherwise known as “irezmi.” The Irezmi art is excruciatingly painful because it does not employ tattoo machines, but fine needles and a tattoo artist pushing the ink in manually by hand. They usually only have tattoos on the parts of their bodies they can cover up, with some members even having tattooed genitals. Yakuza members cover their tattoos in public to hide their affiliation. The main use of tattoos is to share what attributes the person is known for. Only Yakuza leaders can say who can get a tattoo. The organization often encourages younger members who cannot afford the artwork to work off the cost as a form of debt.
Each tattoo is different, but they have common characters that hold symbolism. Some parts of the tattoos will have flames symbolizing the dispelling of negative energy, windswept bamboo which symbolizes resistance to social norms, a koi for strength and many more symbols with significance. Additionally, Japanese society rarely embraces tattoos, as people heavily associate them with the Yakuza. It plays into the role of members viewing themselves as rule breakers and outcasts. [source, source]
Self-amputation: If a member of a Yakuza organization isn’t able to pay off his own debt or is atoning for a mistake, he has the option to amputate the tip of his finger. The newer generation of Yakuza is straying away from this ritual because of the unwanted attention from law enforcement it brings, while older members have started to wear gloves containing a hidden prosthetic to make the missing finger appear whole. [source]
2 Organisation of the Yakuza
2.1 Place within Japanese society
The Yakuza have played into all aspects of Japanese society to further their impact. In politics, government entities such as the Ministry of Education and the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan allegedly have taken donations from a front company belonging to the Yakuza. On top of that, the vice chairman of Japan’s Olympic committee has been photographed with a high-ranking member of the Yakuza sect, Sumiyoshi-kai, which he claims was faked. Additionally, the Yakuza have done acts such as helping out during natural disasters and aiding the country’s economy post-WW2. Within Japanese society, the Yakuza have played the role of the powerful outcast. [source]
2.2 Leadership Structure
The organization of the Yakuza follows the oyabun-kobun ranking. Oyabun-kobun ranking symbolizes family structures in traditional Japanese society, the leader of any sect is called an oyabun (meaning “parent status”), and people under him are called kobun (meaning “child status”).
This ranking has a strong hierarchical structure. At the top of the hierarchy, they have the “Oyabun,” aka the boss. Under them are “wakagashira,” who are the advisors. Under them are “shatei,” who carry out the day-to-day activities. Members are expected to follow a strict code called “ninkyo”, which follows themes of respect, loyalty, and honour. Breaking the code can result in severe punishment, even death.
The Yakuza typically requires each new member to undergo some form of blood oath during their initiation. Additionally, the organization expects any member who violates the code to atone for their wrongdoings. Traditionally, this atonement has often involved the amputation of a part of a finger, symbolizing a gesture of apology and commitment to the group’s strict code.
2.3 Top Yakuza Organizations
Yamaguchi-gumi: The biggest Yakuza syndicate in Japan started in Kobe, back in 1915. But has since spread out, with most of its operations now centered in Tokyo. The Yamaguchi-gumi the most internationally connected of all the Yakuza groups and has a serious grip on economic crime. Although they operate legitimate businesses on the surface, they engage deeply in a wide range of illegal activities. As of 2023, Japanese police estimate the Yamaguchi-gumi to have about 3,500 members. Their current leader is pushing hard to expand their influence overseas.
Sumiyoshi-kai: Japan’s second-largest Yakuza syndicate operates out of Tokyo, but stands out from other syndicates by rejecting rigid hierarchies. Instead, they function more like a loose network, giving their members greater autonomy. Their decentralized structure allows for flexibility, making them a unique force in the underworld. Like other groups, they run legitimate business fronts but also engage heavily in criminal activities such as protection rackets. Founded in 1958, they’ve grown significantly, with Japanese police estimating their membership at around 2,200 as of 2023. They are particularly influential in the Kansai region of Japan.
Inagawa-kai: Japan’s third-largest yakuza syndicate has a long history, going back to its founding in 1949. While they adhere to a strict hierarchical structure where bosses wield significant power, they are somewhat less rigid than the Yamaguchi-gumi. Like other groups, they run legitimate business fronts but are engage in illegal activities such as extortion and drug trafficking. As of 2023, Japanese police estimate their membership at around 1,700.
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2.4 Key Figures
Kazuo Taoka: Nicknamed “The Bear,” he was born in 1913 and is one of the most influential figures in Yakuza history. Kazou got involved with Yamaguchi-gumi young, and he got his nickname from a reputation of gauging people during fights, excessive violence during confrontations, and from his tall stature. Under Taoka leadership the Yakuza expanded their business beyond the criminal sphere, into businesses like construction, real estate, and finance. This expanse helped law enforcement evasion through diversification. Within the organization, people know Kazuo Taoka for his intense sense of honor and loyalty. He died in 1981 from liver cancer.
Susumu Ishii: Known as one of the most expressive characters in Yakuza history, he joined the Inagawa-kai syndicate in the 1940s and quickly became a leader. People knew him for his expensive and flamboyant lifestyle. He drove a custom Rolls Royce and wore a unique style of tailored suits. Susumu was arrested multiple times on financial charges, but not on connections to the Yakuza. He died in 1991 and his legacy shows the lifestyle of being a Yakuza member at the time
Shinobu Tsukasa: was born in 1944 and joined Yamaguchi-gumi at a young age. He is the current leader of the Yamaguchi-gumi. Under his leadership the organization expanded its operations abroad. He is known for his strict implementation of amputation as a form of discipline.
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3 The Future of the Yakuza
Due to the Japanese government enforcing laws specifically targeting organized crime and their increasing level of crackdowns on the Yakuza, which has been going on for decades, Yakuza operations are deteriorating, with the number of members declining in the past few years. This has led to a rise of loosely structured criminals called Hangures, the rise of these groups is now becoming a concern since the law enforcement system is purely focused on neatly organized and persistent groups. Since the Yakuza was countering low-level street criminals, there has been a return of this low-level crime as the influence of the Yakuza wanes. Police have also started to crack down on the group’s political ties.
With this being said, the organization still has a strong presence in Japan and is very active. The current Yakuza is doing anything to get money. On January 9th, 2025, US law enforcement arrested a high-ranking Yakuza member in a sting operation, and the member pled guilty to attempting to sell nuclear materials. This event shows that the Yakuza is still in operation and will likely be around at least another few decades before the organization fizzles out.
4 Conclusion
The Yakuza’s influence has reached into nearly every part of Japanese society, leaving an influence on politics, business, and culture. The Yakuza have historically extended into legitimate industries like construction and real estate while also maintaining a strong presence in the criminal underworld. During times of crisis, such as World War II, they stepped in to aid citizens by smuggling essential goods, further cementing their paradoxical position as both protectors and criminals within society. While Yakuza are still active, as indicated by the nuclear case just this month, Japanese law enforcement efforts to curb organized crime continue to take a toll on the Yakuza’s operations and membership.
5 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Is the Yakuza still active?
Yes, the Yakuza is still very active in Japan and internationally. Recent reports state that authorities arrested a high-ranking member for trafficking nuclear materials. [source]
Are the Yakuza still dangerous?
Yes, people still consider them dangerous. Their influence is waning but they are still active in black market activities and will do anything to make a profit. They are now becoming more dangerous internationally as they attempt to expand operations abroad for profit. Additionally, they have been attempting to increase recruitment through social media, recruiting younger people to move and destroy bodies. Though this hasn’t affected long-term membership [source]
Is the Yakuza “good?”
People have mixed positions on this moral question. Generally, the Yakuza is viewed negatively, especially within the current international order.
Is the Yakuza only in Japan?
No, the Yakuza are not only in Japan. Their operations are global. They use Japan as a home base and primary recruitment grounds of permanent members.
