Yakuza is a Japanese mafia. History, leaders. Interesting Facts

In any, even the most civilized country, along with law-abiding citizens there are criminals. Gradually they begin to unite, until eventually the union of criminal elements turns into a real mafia. Illegal groups engage in trafficking in narcotic and psychotropic substances, weapons, living people and even their organs. Japan was no exception. In the Asian state, the mafia, which comes from the ronin, or, in other words, the samurai noblemen, who were once impoverished and who turned out on the wrong path, has already been at work. Its name is the yakuza. This is neither more nor less than a hundred and ten thousand criminals, which considerably exceeds the number of the American mafia (twenty thousand). And, of course, they have their own special history.

The beginning of the way

The history of the yakuza as a mafia began in Japan. The name it came from a card game called "oyte-kabu". This is a kind of version of the game in the point where, when folding the cards, you need to get a certain number. The most unfortunate scenario is a combination of eight, nine and three. In total they give 20, and according to the rules of the game this is 0 points. These numbers are pronounced "I", "Ku", "sa", and from there the name of the gang. In this situation, one must have mastery skills in order to get out of the unfortunate situation.

The beginning of the grouping, according to the most common version, takes from three societies.

Mathi-yokko . As a result of the reduction in the samurai state in the 17th century, about half a million fighters were on the street. All that they had was their combat experience and cruelty. Not finding any means of livelihood, many gradually began to organize their criminal gangs. They attacked travelers, robbed towns and villages, merchants. The police were not armed well, and they were not trained in combat, all that was lacking was to pacify the raging drunkards. They had no chance to beat professional soldiers. However, not these samurai were all known mati-yokko, they were city guards. People who decided to fight - urban bully, players, petty criminals. And this was not surprising, because peaceful citizens would never take up arms. Their victories over the samurais were appreciated by the people, but over time, mati-yokko began to engage in criminal activities, not very different from the occupation of their enemies - the former samurai.

Tecia. Their story began not with such belligerence. Since ancient times, people who sell drugs, potions and all sorts of mystical nonsense have been loafing around the territory of Japan. Initially, they were called healers, in time they created their own business and began to be called tekia, that is, peddlers. They began to trade all in a row, guided by the rule "Do not deceive - you will not sell." Qualitative their goods could not be named, and that angry buyers did not cause them harm, they began to unite in large gangs. To the big grouping of claim it is much more dangerous to present, and the robbers tried to bypass their shops side. In their ranks a hierarchical system was developed, which is used by modern yakuza. Gradually, trying to increase their profits, tekiya began to ensure themselves order in the bazaars and fairs. They took money from merchants, caught and punished pocket thieves and collected a so-called tribute.

Bakato. They were organized by the government itself, and soon it turned out to be a bad side. The government started hiring gamblers, they were supposed to entertain workers, workers in state-run construction projects. Players beat hard workers, and part of the salaries of employees thus returned to the treasury of the state. But as one would expect, those who agreed to beat up honest workers began to commit crimes. Since the government needed them, many things had to turn a blind eye. It was the bakuto that was first applied to the body of a tattoo. They tattooed all the way back, and this required special willpower, because it took a whole hundred hours. The ceremony of circumcision of phalanges of fingers for a fault was also invented by Bakuto. The name "yakuza" also went from them, because it was the gamblers who knew the subtleties of the game ote kabu.

Famous Leaders

The first leader of the gang is Bandzuin Tobei, who was originally a samurai. The path of the yakuza Tebei began with a gambling brothel. Gradually, he became rich and received respect and influence. The authorities of the city of Edo, in which he led his business, offered him to engage in hiring workers for roads and repairing the city. He agreed, but instead of wage workers on construction sites sent card debtors. Their wages he took himself.

Another famous leader was Jirotë. He was the leader of the gang of the city of Shimizu in the 80's. He was particularly cruel, dividing the territory, cut out competitors from the neighboring city. On his account, also the theft of gold dolphins from the roof of an ancient castle.

Law-abiding bandits

The mafia yakuza is engaged in criminal activities of various orientations: they organize the sale of girls to Europe, America and the countries of the East, keep their brothels, involve minors in prostitution, distribute illegal pornography, and engage in illegal emigration and racketeering. Of all the world's criminal gangs, they are the most organized and, paradoxically as it sounds, more than other groups, they respect the law.

The grouping is divided into 750 clans and together with all their members makes up the largest mafia in terms of the number of bandits around the world. Their main enemy is Chinese criminal groups. Yakuza and the triad, in other words - the Chinese mafia, lead enmity, this is a tribute to tradition. The Chinese and the Japanese have for centuries considered each other to be rivals.

The Japanese rulers and the entire government of the country as a whole throughout history have, by their main task, placed control over their entire state. It does not matter what ways you had to do it. So it turned out that the authorities themselves were in control of everything that lies in the legal sphere, including business activities, and the Japanese mafia controlled the illegal life of the Asian state. The Mafia never quarreled with the authorities, and they, in turn, did not climb to them.

Hierarchy

The Japanese yakuza built their own internal organization according to the traditional way of their country "father-children", "older children-younger children". Among themselves, older and younger children are considered brothers, regardless of whether there is a blood bond between them or not. The head of the yakuza wears the proud title of "oyabun," in Russian this is the same as the chief. He is considered the boss of all, those who stand above all members of the gang.

After the chief in the gangster hierarchy stand: a senior adviser, head of the headquarters, deputy and assistant chief. All these criminal elements command a whole series of other criminal elements. The more people are under their influence, the more they have the influence and respect from others. All of them are heirs of the leader, and in case of his death, one of them occupies his place of honor.

In the hierarchy there are also advisers, secretaries, accountants, consultants. Themselves, the gangsters in their structure have senior syatei brigadiers, they are also called younger brothers, junior brigadiers, who are called young men, from simple yakuza rows.

Occasionally there are also independent units in Japan - single yakuza. These are criminals who do not want to enter the already formed clans. However, they do not succeed, because all the territories have long been divided, and it is simply impossible to win them back from the clan.

Clan views

The grouping of the yakuza in terms of politics refers to the ultra-right. They are in favor of the idea of traditional Japanese values in families, they want the policy of militarism to be returned, and they are trying to revive the forgotten Samurai traditions.

They like to portray themselves and the defenders of all Japanese disadvantaged. The Yamaguchi Gumi clan in 1995 even provided its own hometown with quite impressive financial assistance. The city it was required after the earthquake that occurred in the same year. However, in their good intentions, people believe little, but their "blood money" was still accepted by the people. Yamaguchi gumi are considered to be the largest clan, their headquarters are located in a city called Koba.

Yakuza divide all people into two categories: yakuza, that is, people from their circle, and katagi, which means "losers." The last category includes those who do not belong to their mafia. By tradition, kataks do not kill, but violence, robbery and any other mockery of them is allowed. They can kill "losers" only if they threaten them. Each other to kill the Japanese mafia permits. It happens that clans are fighting among themselves and even hire kamikaze killers.

All yakuza values their personal honor and the honor of the clan. They do not allow themselves to be humiliated, just like their brothers in the clan. Recognize their mistakes is not in their style, because, in their opinion, they simply are not able to do something wrong. A key place is mutual assistance. If a fellow is in trouble, the yakuza will do anything to help him. Deviation from the rules is considered a huge disgrace, and for this follows punishment: expulsion, chopping off phalanges of fingers or death.

Attitude towards women

There is a group of people who will never enter the clan - these are women. Yakuza distrust the representatives of the weaker sex, believe that in those few courage, strength, mind and that they should take care of the family and stay at home. Respect only the wives of the leaders, they are called senior sisters. They are advised, guarded and always helped. All other women are called "litter" only. If over yakuza's wives and daughters still can not scoff, then those who have nothing to do with the clan are rather tight. They treat them more like goods, often subjecting them to violence.

Illegal business

As already mentioned earlier, yakuza in Japan and abroad are engaged in various activities. But what is noteworthy, each clan of them is engaged only in their specific business, and not all industries at once. It does not depend on their personal choice, the history of the clan itself imposes a definite business on them. Almost all small and medium-sized businessmen in Japan faced the mafia at least once. The Yakuza control the entire territory and those who begin to work on it.

The large yakuza clan has already reached a high level and continues to take an active part in financial and political life. There they are engaged in so-called money laundering, investing in large business projects, knocking out debts and even interfering with the work of the shareholders' meeting of large corporations.

They are closely cooperating with the Chinese and Koreans. This is mainly related to the drug business. On the territory of Japan, drugs are produced, and through groupings of representatives of other nations they are exported outside the country. This is a rather absurd cooperation, because the Japanese mafia is at war with the Chinese triad.

Marks of Excellence

For several centuries, tattoos have been used by members of the mafia around the world as a mark of a certain gang. It is possible to understand by it which group the person belongs to and what position it occupies. Do not depart from the traditions and yakuza. Tattoos in Japan in general for a long time associated exclusively with them. People who were not in the gang did not do them, while the Mafiosi covered them with their whole body. Drawings and inscriptions covered hands, head and even genitals.

Sometimes ordinary artisans and peasants fell into the ranks of the yakuza. Tattoos in this case were selected under a new name. Names usually gave sounding like "roaring storm", "steel sword", "lightning dragon". Today, tattooed people still continue to be associated with a dangerous gang. In some places of bathing even the entrance for people with images and inscriptions on the body is forbidden. This ban is not justified, since after the group is officially banned, its members do not aspire to attract the attention of the police and ordinary citizens so clearly.

Despite the fact that the mafia is Japanese, one can meet Koreans in its ranks. Koreans make up only 0.5% of the country's population, and therefore they, as national minorities, are subjected to severe discrimination. Even Korean-born Koreans, as a rule, are recognized as foreigners only because of their ethnicity. They can not engage in legal trade, nor work without obtaining a work permit. Precisely because society made them outcasts, the Mafiosi began to take them into their ranks. Yakuza generally willingly take into their ranks all rogue. Offended by society, the country and the whole world, they acquire special anger and unshakable devotion to those who shelter them.

All Koreans accepted into the ranks of the group are given a new name. To erase their belonging to another culture, they are applied to the body of special signs - tattoos with Japanese traditional symbols. Often on their body, inscriptions in Japanese language.

Special rituals

Like any clan with a long history, the yakuza has its own special traditional rituals. The brightest of them include the following.

Redemption of guilt. Any clan can make a mistake. In this case, he is considered to be guilty, and as is known, it is necessary to atone for guilt. But you can not get away with apologies alone, you have to cut off the phalanx of your fingers on your hand with a hammer. The severed part of the finger guilty hands the boss of the yakuza clan. This is a ritual, dating back to the times when it was necessary to manage the sword. With each lost phalanx, it was more difficult to manage the sword, and with the subsequent repetition of the ritual, possession of the sword could become impossible at all. Today, the absence of a part of the finger is concealed using a prosthesis for this purpose, so as not to reveal its belonging to the mafia.

The prison mark. In Russia, prisoners to serve their sentences in prisons often put homemade tattoos on their bodies, they can easily find out what the person was for, how many years he spent in prison. Yakuza also make themselves characteristic marks while in prison: for each year they introduce one pearl under the skin of the penis. To show the years spent in prison, men can in baths and saunas.

Admission to the ranks of the Mafia. Before taking any significant place in the group, men are long referred to as the "pupil of the yakuza", this is the lowest step of the hierarchy, it is possible to reach the apex of the entire criminal pyramid only by overcoming all its steps. The rite of the disciple's dedication is in the ceremony of Sakazukidogo. The rookie sits down opposite one of the clan members (later this person will be called his foster father) and drinks with him sake. In Japanese culture, drinking a traditional drink is used to create a connection between people. This ceremony is also used during the twinning of clans.

Deadly punishment. Sometimes the misdemeanors and gaffes of a member of the gang are so great that only by chopping off the phalanx of the fingers can not do without. In this case, another ritual is used - seppiku. In other words, it is a ritual suicide, which the offender does, ripping his stomach. This is still the same tribute to the samurai traditions, which in the same way deprived themselves of life. Yakuza can not get away from severe punishment, and it's not just his obedience to the centuries-old tradition of a criminal family. If you refuse, members of the gang themselves rip open their belly to their brother. Lethal punishment can follow if a member of the group surrenders someone from their brothers or fathers. Traditionally, having got into the police, the yakuza should take all the blame on himself, covering his criminal gang, if he does otherwise, he will be surely killed. Even the most severe torture, when used to obtain information about other members of the gang, will not become an extenuating circumstance when punished.

Life and gangster business of the Japanese mafia have become widespread in art. Often they can be met as movie heroes, sometimes anime. Members of the yakuza clan are none who respect the negative heroes and at the same time honoring the family and modern samurai. They are found in such films as "Kill Bill", "Brother Yakuza", "The Three Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift", "The War".

Official ban

For many years the Japanese mafia existed without a ban. Only in 1992 the government of the country adopted an act on the prevention of their activities. It was determined previously missing in the legislative acts of the definition of a criminal group, there was a ban on the racket, which is traded yakuza. Among the members of the gang and their families there was a wave of discontent. Daughters and wives of the yakuzda took to the streets of Tokyo with a demonstration of their protest. Today, this resulted in the fact that tattooed people in suits are trying not to be allowed into public places. For them, many baths, beaches, restaurants are closed.

In the 1990s, the Yakuza Mafia experienced a much stronger blow. The Japanese crisis began, which continues to this day. As a result, business groups began to gradually deteriorate, and the number of gang members decreased. But their system is not doomed to fail. Until there is an illegal business, there will be yakuza. They try to impersonate businessmen, while using their criminal jargon, buying shares of world companies and even participating in the politics of the country. They are on all Japanese islands and even outside their own country.

But people are gradually beginning to rebuff them. Most recently, a restaurant manager in Japan sued Kenichi Synod himself, the head of the largest of the Yakuza Yamaguti gumi clans. She stated that it was the ringleader who should be responsible for all the bandits of his clan who extorted money from her and even threatened to destroy her entire business. The act of this woman can be viewed from different angles. On the one hand, it's a bit reckless, because, most likely, after such an announcement, the mafia yakuza will declare it a real war. On the other hand, she showed courage by suing one of the most dangerous people in the world.