Upload
hakien
View
222
Download
4
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Yakuza History l
• Sengoku Jidai (Warring States Period) - from the mid-15th century to early 17th century was defined by nearly constant military conflict with the excess of military forces (samurai class)
Yakuza History ll
Wandering samurai without a master, ronin, chose other paths to survive during the Imjin War which left 500,000 samurai jobless. Which they readjusted their life as merchants to profit the expansion of trade.
Yakuza Point of View
Folk heroes who rose up to defend against bandits that became the legend ideal of yakuza origins
Versus common perception as bouryokudan (violent groups) while authority saw other wise
Yakuzas purpose
Ran illegal gambling houses and brothels
Commonly hired by government during Edo Period to cheat construction and irrigation workers out of their wages for a percentage
Yakuza Etymology
Ya (8), Ku (9), Za (3) – worst hand
Cards games commonly played with kabufuda (gambling cards) or hanafuda (flower cards)
Tekiya
Organized to protect themselves and their interests against the shogunate
Sold shoddy merchandise with deceit, expanded to meet demand for illegal goods (black market)
Controlled booths/stalls during fairs – start of protection racket, turf wars, etc.
Traditions
Function of group solidarity and reliance
Began yubitsume (finger-cutting) as a punishment/apology to the oyabun or prior to expulsion from the group
Origin in weakening katana grip
Tattoos
Tattooing (irezumi) also began as punishment, evolved to represent strength and fortitude, unwillingness to conform to society and personal characteristics
Still done by hand with bamboo or steel needles, five times more painful than with a tattoo gun
Popular designs – mythical beats, animals
Ritual
• Sakazuki-goto – for creating the oyabun-kobun blood bond (father-son), joining the family by exchanging cups at a Shinto shrine as bond between man and gods, blessing of good harvest, extension to earthly bonds.
Meiji Restoration
Start of political parties and militarism
Yakuza also modernized, formed strong ties with those in government (ultranationalists)
Trained militarily, in languages, assassination, blackmail, and so on by secret groups
Assassinated political rivals, pressured various groups, soldiers/terrorists (i.e. Manchuria)
By 1930's – role in assassinating prime minsters, finance ministers, coups, etc.
Yakuza in WWII
Sold opium with the help of industrialists and military under the Opium Monopoly Bureau to fund the war effort.
Ran thousands of brothels for soldiers by kidnapping and forcing Korean women and wives/daughters of debtors into prostitution
Firms like Mitsui and Suzuki were involved
Post-WWII Origins
Hoodlums hired goons (gurentai) and used threats and extortion to operate
Start of gun culture and new level of violence
Reason for bouryokudan, band of thugs, labels were inspired by prohibition era gangsters.
Post-WWII Strengthening
Used to control labour, oppose communism, provide information
Majority of US aid going to Europe, flourishing black market for everyday needs by funnelling of military stockpiles
The Yakuzas are larger than the police force
The Godfathers
Yoshio Kodama (WWII and post-WWII) – known as a visionary for uniting the yakuza
Kazuo Taoka (origins of Yamaguchi-Gumi)
Hisayuki Machii (origins of Korean Yakuza) – Tosei-kai/Tao-kai fifth largest clan
Kenichi Shinoda (sixth and current kumicho of the Yamaguchi-Gumi) – currently most powerful
Modern Day 100 000+ members in 22 syndicates and 2500 clans
Corporate-style organizational structure with franchise based growth
1. Yamaguchi-Gumi – 50 000 in 850 clans
2. Sumiyoshi-Rengo – 20 000 in 270 clans
3. Inagawa-Kai – 15 000 in 310 clans
4. Matsuba-kai – 2000
Daimon (family crest):
Modern Day
1980s bubble economy led to keizai yakuza
Increasing involvement in big business (insider trading, real estate, construction, banking, etc.)
1992 anti-gang law – severe sanctions
International expansion
Decaying police-yakuza relations
Modern Day
Increased defection and legitimate opportunities
Korean yakuza – discrimination against Japanese Koreans (0.5 percent of Japan)
Overall sixty percent are burakumin, thirty percent Korean, ten percent other Japanese
Conclusion
• Integral component of Japanese society with origins dating back to before the Edo period
• Unique culture and ritual practices with a variety of historical influences that is changing
• Historically those of lowest class/caste who gained influence (socio-economic origins)
Worldwide operation in the some of the most vile businesses