yakuza

Also known as gokudō, ヤクザ

, also known as , or simply the Japanese Mafia, are members of transnational organized crime syndicates originating in Japan. The Japanese police and media (by request of the police) call them , while the yakuza call themselves . The English equivalent for the term yakuza is gangster, meaning an individual involved in a Mafia-like criminal organization.

AI overview

Yakuza are members of organized crime syndicates that originated in Japan and operate across multiple countries, engaging in Mafia-like criminal activities. They are significant enough that Japanese police and media have specific terminology for them, and understanding who they are helps explain a major aspect of organized crime in Japan and internationally.

AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.

Key facts

Criminal organization.territory: Primarily Japan, particularly in Kantō/Tokyo, Kansai, Kyushu/Fukuoka, and Chūbu; also internationally in South Korea, Australia, the Western United States (Hawaii and California), Thailand (Phuket), Canada, Brazil (São Paulo), Mexico
Criminal organization.activities: Varied, including illegitimate businesses, as well as an array of criminal and non-criminal activities
Criminal organization.notable_members: Principal clans: Yamaguchi-gumi Sumiyoshi-kai Inagawa-kai
Criminal organization.name: Yakuza
Criminal organization.native_name: Ninkyō dantai
Criminal organization.founded: 17th century(presumed to have originated from the )
Criminal organization.ethnicity: Primarily Japanese; occasionally Koreans and Japanese Americans
Criminal organization.membership: members quasi-members

via Wikipedia infobox

Wikidata facts

Image: KanjiYakuza.gif

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Commons category: Yakuza
inception: 1700-00-00

Sources (4)

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~46 min read

Article

36 sections

Contents

Etymology
Origins
Kyushu
Organization and activities
Structure
Rituals
Syndicates
Number of members and quasi-members
Designated yakuza (''Shitei Bōryokudan'')
Three largest syndicates and six major syndicates
Current activities
Japan
Yakuza's aid in earthquakes
United States
Asia (outside Japan)
Constituent members
Burakumin
Ethnic Koreans
Law enforcement and indirect enforcement
Operation Summit
Anti-yakuza laws
Yakuza exclusion ordinances
Outside Japan
Current situation
Legacy
Yakuza in society
Film
Television
Video games
Manga, anime and television dramas
Yakuza-related terminology
See also
References
Bibliography
Further reading
External links

The yakuza are known for their strict codes of conduct, their organized fiefdom nature, and several unconventional ritual practices such as yubitsume, or amputation of the left little finger. Members are often portrayed with heavily tattooed bodies and wearing a fundoshi, sometimes with a kimono or, in more recent years, a Western-style "sharp" suit covering them.