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I think it's pretty obvious that everyone and their grandma knows what yakuza are. They're the Japanese mafia and a large part of the japanese society.

I'm sure all of you can google or wikipedia up some reference to yakuza, so to save you all that time and effort that you'd be wasting, i'm going to tell you how today's yakuza operate and a few things and history lessons NOT taught or explained in wikipedia, britannica, google, etc.

START OF YAKUZA

everyone knows yakuza started as a defense against unemployed samurai who were frustrated that they had no skills other than killing in a now "peaceful" japan. By the time of World War II, Japan's government was corrupt and the families were mostly brainwashed the same way Al Qaida is with the war on iraq/war on terror with the US.

The Japanese government brainwashed the citizens with controlled media and force by guards and police law. basically, women were the governments sex toys and slaves, men were either more capable slaves or government employees, and children were made to think the same ideals as the government wants them to. if anyone refuses? They die, get lies made up about them to the point where their own relatives hate them, and female and children associated with them are raped then killed if they don't swear alliance.

The yakuza were the only groups technically that operated behind the scenes to stop this from getting out of hand as in north korea. It was only when the pearl harbor incident happened that change began.

Americans locked up Japanese Americans who escaped the corruption in Internment Camps, trashed and liquidated their belongings, and in japan, dropped the two nukes, took over japan, and even invaded Okinawa, which at the time had NOTHING to do with the war. in fact, okinawa was unofficially fighting with Japan in the shadows.

Now enter the world of today:

Japan has an economy superior to the US in some places and equal in others. Japan's society however has taken a hit for the worst. Material possessions are above a person's true worth emotionally, and what school a person goes to isn't decided by scholarships or talent, but by how rich the parents are. (there are NO scholarships in japan. they're all loans.)

Prostitution, especially *****, is on the rise, and since much of japanese erotica is censored, the Yakuza get some power and monetary gain by selling the uncensored DVDs and mags from the US and France to Japan.

The Yakuza also handle kids and orphans who are neglected or looked down/taunted by much of society since Japan is mainly judged by social status and monetary possessions. In some cases, the Yakuza actually helped some kids get on the right path, while others went down the wrong path and became Chinpira, or yakuza grunts.

Yakuza, in actuality, do NOT have large tattoos or wear loud clothing. In fact, yakuza generally dress like regular salarymen and lawyers. The hardcore yakuza know that if it is known that they are associated with the mob, they lose their job if they aren't the CEO or some high up position. But since some of Japan still has a hatred for them while others support them, even CEO's get taken down hard by the media. So true yakuzas can not really be distinguished from any other person on the street.

Now, chinpira, on the other hand, are the guys you see acting like they own the city, strutting around in zoot suits and expensive neon clothing with a particular walk involving the curving of the body and slight wave of the arms to make oneself seem bigger than he really is.

"The walk" is used to hit someone intentionally in the shoulder. Since japanese are known to be quiet and take insults quite well, many chinpira run into one's shoulders, claiming it's now dislocated, and milk the victim for cash. Should they try to defend themselves, more chinpira approach and mug them for everything they own. Chinpira generally don't get financial support from the middle and upper class yakuza unless working a muscle job, so since many can't get a job since they act and look the stereotypical way any chinpira does, no one wants to hire them.

I have dealt with Yakuza before, and have interviewed a few yakuza with the "cut finger" ritual. This is far different from just getting "jumped out" of a gang... in this ritual, you must chop off your own finger without whining and present it to the yakuza boss and say "thank you for your supporting me but i just can't stay anymore." Then, the boss accepts and cuts off all ties with you.

problem with this? A few men who i interviewed said it made their life hell. Before, they worked at a small insurance firm and everything was great. once the finger was cut off, everyone knew he was ex-yakuza and so he was targeted by other yakuza groups from different prefectures. Now he had no customers, no way to pay the bills, yakuza coming after him since he's now easy prey... once you're a yakuza you're better off staying one for life.

I had an opportunity to do so a few years ago when i was hassled by one at a club, but i'd just be a chinpira, and true yakuza are generally todai grads with tons of cash and heavy political connections.

my older brother has a yakuza tattoo on one arm, but since he's not yakuza no one cares. he's just banned from all public bathhouses since they don't allow anyone with any tattoos cuz tattoos claim yakuza alliance if you're of Japanese origin.

OK... i think that's enough for one post...

if anyone wants to post their yakuza ideals/experiences/info they've learned, or questions about them in general, please post here and either missgothiclolita, or myself will answer them for you.

Thanks for your time.

Gambling, burlesque houses/brothels, real estate/escrow...

whatever gains money the most is what they will most likely specialize in.

Mainly, these are regular, everyday people with extraordinary connections. Hence the definition of a true ninja: a farmer or merchant with skills that rivaled ronin, especially with the talent to blend in with local crowds in a few moments. hence the "disappearing" legend ninja have today. Yakuza started just as Ninja did. Ordinary people who wanted, worked hard, and gained extraordinary skills/connections/abilities/knowledge/etc.

well you'd hafta do something real bad... mostly with chinpira its getting jumped, and with the higher-ups the punishment varies between what the offender's main weakness is. for example, if he has a fear of something, he'd have to do a ritual related to that fear. Sometimes even humiliation or status being reduced to the level below a chinpira.

Just confirmed from a few buddies in Shibuya -

The higher-ups and more yakuza-related people end up getting humiliated by being considered a child porn trafficer, or having the newspaper say that the traitor endorses ***** gangs/ rapes/ suicides/ etc.

Basically meaning:

A. you'll never get another job.

B. you'll get fired from your existing job.

C. your only home of safety is the yakuza as a chinpira

D. you're pretty much screwed.

The Yakuza are just another way of life. Some are good some are bad... but mostly the ones on the streets are the bad.

4laugh Oh Wow I learned so much today! hehe My brain is hurting

Wow! I had never heard of this... It's very interesting :O

disgrace gets you humiliated or harmed... cutting the finger is to sever ties with yakuza.

That was very interesting to read. I never knew what Yazuka acually do in Japan until now. Thanks for sharing the information.^^