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

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.

The Yakuza, a powerful and once-dominant presence in Japan's criminal underworld, is now on the brink of extinction. As the government ramps up its crackdown on Yakuza-affiliated businesses and activities, the Yakuza's influence is fading.

In an effort to suppress the Yakuza's influence, the Japanese government has introduced measures that have pressured the crime syndicates to abandon their more legal activities, such as hostess bars and Pachinko parlors, and retreat further underground into the heavier drug and weapons trade. These measures, while successful in curbing the Yakuza's power, have had unforeseen consequences.

Foreign Gangs Taking Over

In recent years, Japan has seen the rise of new criminal groups that have moved in to fill the vacuum left by the declining Yakuza. These groups, like the Chinese Dragons, pose a significant threat to the stability of Japan's criminal underworld. Historically, the Yakuza have been seen as a "necessary evil" that can control and monopolize the underworld, preventing the excesses of less-organized gangs and foreign groups from spiraling out of control.

The Chinese Dragons, a criminal group that originated in the 1980s in Kasai, Tokyo, have been steadily gaining notoriety due to incidents like the Sunshine 60 brawl. On the afternoon of October 16 last year, a brawl erupted between two groups of gangsters in a restaurant on the 58th floor of the Sunshine 60 high-rise building in Ikebukuro, a central neighborhood of Tokyo. A group of around 70 people crashed a private party held by members of the Chinese Dragons, resulting in one person bleeding from the head and sustaining minor injuries (Asahi Shimbun, 2022)

According to Hirosue Noboru, one of the few experts on organized crime in Japan, some Yakuza groups subsequently issued a warning to their members not to get involved with the Chinese mafia, due to their penchant for violence. Chinese mafia groups have been more likely to involve civilians in their criminal activities, often through extortion of shopkeepers and bar owners.

As the Yakuza's strength wanes, their ability to regulate the illegal market is also diminishing, leaving the door open for these new, more violent groups to establish a foothold in Japan's criminal underworld. However, it is important to note that the rise of these new criminal groups does not necessarily mean they are gaining more influence. While they may be gaining notoriety, the Japanese underworld remains largely controlled by the Yakuza.

The media is likely exaggerating the threat posed by groups like the Chinese Dragons, playing on broader social anxieties in Japan concerning the rise of China taking over. Anti-Chinese discrimination, which also extends to Koreans, is common and has roots dating back to before World War II. In reality, even though the strength of Yakuza has waned, and foreign gangs have taken their place in some areas, the overall crime rate in Japan has continued to drop (NPA Statistics, 2022).

Increased Government Crackdown have Unforeseen Consequences

As the government continues its crackdown on Yakuza-affiliated businesses, the consequences of their decline become more apparent. The Yakuza have long been a part of Japan's culture, and as Yukio Yamanouchi, a former Yamaguchi-gumi corporate lawyer, points out, they have served a purpose in providing a way for those with nowhere else to go. It is essential that Japan carefully navigates this transitional period in its criminal underworld, lest it allow these newer, more violent criminal groups to flourish and further destabilize the delicate balance that has been maintained for decades.

Back in 2013, the Japanese government rolled out a plan to hit the Yakuza where it hurts. They passed a law nudging corporations to slip a tiny line into their contracts. This line asked business partners to promise they weren't friends with the Yakuza. This small step had a tremendous impact. Businesses hiding ties with the Yakuza were suddenly on the hook. If they lied about their Yakuza links, they could be sued for bucketloads of money.

The aftermath? 'Legal' Yakuza businesses are now scrambling, clinging onto old phone services and equipment from before 2013. The pressure is on, and many are slipping into the shadows to keep their operations alive.

The government must consider the societal implications of their crackdown on the Yakuza. For generations, the Yakuza have been a part of the fabric of Japanese society, and their decline has the potential to create a power vacuum that could be filled by even more dangerous and unpredictable forces. By taking a more targeted approach to dismantling the Yakuza's criminal activities while working to address the root causes of crime, the government can mitigate the risk of creating an even more chaotic and dangerous criminal landscape.

According to Hirosune, one potential solution lies in addressing the underlying social and economic issues that have driven people to join the Yakuza in the first place. By investing in education, job training, and social services, the government can help to create a society where individuals have more opportunities to succeed without turning to crime.

Conclusion

As Japan moves forward in this new era, it is crucial to acknowledge the role that the Yakuza has played in the country's history, while also recognizing the need for change. The decline of the Yakuza, while potentially beneficial in reducing crime, is not without its challenges. By addressing the root causes of crime and working to create a more equitable society, Japan can ensure a safer and more prosperous future for all of its citizens.

In the meantime, the Japanese government must remain vigilant in monitoring the activities of these emerging criminal groups and take necessary steps to prevent them from gaining a foothold in the underworld. By doing so, they can ensure that the decline of the Yakuza does not lead to the rise of an even more dangerous criminal element. The future of Japan's criminal underworld hangs in the balance, and the outcome will have lasting effects on the nation's safety, stability, and social fabric.