Why Yakuza is Becoming Extinct in Japan

As the influence of Japan's notorious Yakuza wanes, new and more violent criminal groups are stepping in to fill the void

Jul 11, 2023

∙ Paid

I usually don't write articles like this, but after reading the writings of Noboru Hirosue, especially his articles in Asahi Shinbun and Chuichi, I thought it would be relevant to share the state of the infamous and often romanticized Yakuza.

Please enjoy.

Participants pose to show their traditional Japanese tattoos (Irezumi), related to the Yakuza, during the annual Sanja Matsuri festival in the Asakusa district of Tokyo on May 20, 2018. - Sanja Matsuri festival is a celebration for the three founders of Sensoji Temple in the Asakusa neighbourhood with nearly two million people visiting during the three-day event. (Photo by Behrouz MEHRI / AFP) (Photo credit should read BEHROUZ MEHRI/AFP via Getty Images)

The Yakuza, a powerful and once-dominant presence in Japan's criminal underworld, is now on the brin…

Continue reading this post for free, courtesy of Rei Saito.

Or purchase a paid subscription.