Gang war on the horizon?

[Samurai_Jerk]

The Coming Yakuza War

This year should have been a good one for Japan’s largest organized crime organization, the Yamaguchi-gumi, the one yakuza group that just about ruled them all. But as it marks its 100th year in business, internal squabbles may split the organization apart; it could also result in the kind of large-scale gang warfare that hasn’t been seen in decades.

The Japanese police are on full alert. Thursday (Japan time), the sprawling Yamaguchi-gumi headquarters in Kobe was besieged by a fleet of black Mercedes and high-end Toyota Lexus, transporting the top dogs of the Yamaguchi-gumi, dressed in their finest black suits, for emergency meetings.

The Yamaguchi-gumi is expected to splinter into factions with some gangs supporting current top boss Kenichi Shinoda aka Shinobu Tsukasa, 73, and others supporting a rival group, primarily based in Western Japan, that opposes him and his parent faction, the Kodo-kai ....

[kurogane]

Cool. Let's hope those fat pig-eyed fucks can aim straight so innocents don't get hurt.

I wonder if Yakuza war news goes better with soy flavoured popcorn?

[Takechanpoo]

its 弘道会 vs 山健組 as a matter of fact. the latter one is ex-main stream of yamaguchi-gumi.
it seems like both have been making inroads into tokyo area these days. and also seems like my neighboring Hachioji is being the headquarter of tokyo branches of the latter 山健組. there are many affiliated companies and already built houses for their families. i heard. no idea whether its true or not.

[Coligny]

And a single law called "association de malfaiteurs"(*) would have sent this roadside freakshow to jail on the spot.

(*) litterally "evildoer club". Legally "conspiracy for comitting crime" Known criminals meeting in the prospect of comitting more crimes.

https://fr.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Associa ... en_droit_pénal_français

[Samurai_Jerk]

And a single law called "association de malfaiteurs"(*) would have sent this roadside freakshow to jail on the spot.

(*) litterally "evildoer club". Legally "conspiracy for comitting crime" Known criminals meeting in the prospect of comitting more crimes.

https://fr.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Associa ... en_droit_pénal_français

Would that be something like RICO?

[Coligny]

Yes, except Rico sounds young as a law... (1970)
Pretty sure there was something already there in the prohibition days...
In japan this kind of laws might put power and construction companies (and... and... and... ) out of business..,

[wuchan]

From what I hear the debate is over the same topic the American Mafia fought over, drugs. One side (Tsukasa) wants to keep their cozy position with the police and politicians while the other side wants to make more money off the increasing demand for alternatives to booze. (just look at all the "dangerous drugs" arrests lately) When the Americans went through this phase back in the 70's it resulted in street shootings of bosses and eventually RICO laws.

In the US it ended in a fractured underground and more drugs on the street. Is this the beginning of the end for "safe country" Japan?


EDIT: this "war" could probably be avoided by legalizing the traditional crop 麻.

[wuchan]

Yes, except Rico sounds young as a law... (1970)
Pretty sure there was something already there in the prohibition days...
In japan this kind of laws might put power and construction companies (and... and... and... ) out of business..,

RICO laws made bosses responsible for their kid's actions. Some argue it went too far in that some people got put away for low level actions that were never sanctioned by the top. In the 30's the best they could do was get them on tax evasion because people were responsible for their own actions. Now if you are in a "gang" and do something bad, the whole chain of command above you gets in trouble even if they didn't know about your actions.

[Samurai_Jerk]

From what I hear the debate is over the same topic the American Mafia fought over, drugs.

That's clearly stated in the linked article.

[wuchan]

From what I hear the debate is over the same topic the American Mafia fought over, drugs.

That's clearly stated in the linked article.

TL:DR

[Russell]

Yes, except Rico sounds young as a law... (1970)
Pretty sure there was something already there in the prohibition days...
In japan this kind of laws might put power and construction companies (and... and... and... ) out of business..,

Wasn't their a law in Japan that forbids anyone to do business with the Yaks?

[Samurai_Jerk]

Yes, except Rico sounds young as a law... (1970)
Pretty sure there was something already there in the prohibition days

Yes it's called conspiracy.

[wuchan]

Yes, except Rico sounds young as a law... (1970)
Pretty sure there was something already there in the prohibition days...
In japan this kind of laws might put power and construction companies (and... and... and... ) out of business..,

Wasn't their a law in Japan that forbids anyone to do business with the Yaks?

#1: *there

#2: the law is civil. If the Yaks harm you or your family the person that committed the crime gets in trouble with the law, not the person that gave the order. However, if there is proof of an order the family of the victim can sue the boss.

#3: There is a law forbidding business with "illegal" organizations. The problem is the Yamaguchi-gumi and friends are legit businesses with licenses and offices.

[matsuki]

How fearful are you guys of yaks? I can't go a week here without some J-person doing the low voice, back of the hand to their mouth "yakuza blah blah blah!" Last night, I was driving back from Niigata and the driver in front of me was swerving (drunk?) to the side on the on-ramp and eventually ended up doing 40k in a 70k on the highway. It was single lane and soon there was a line of cars behind me. I was keeping my distance, thinking the driver was drunk but after the people behind me started tailgating me, I laid on the horn and flashed my high beams. My J-passenger freaked the fuck out...talking about it could be yaks and if they stop the car and get out, we have nowhere to run The level of yak paranoia by many of the locals seems insane to me.

From what I hear the debate is over the same topic the American Mafia fought over, drugs. One side (Tsukasa) wants to keep their cozy position with the police and politicians while the other side wants to make more money off the increasing demand for alternatives to booze. (just look at all the "dangerous drugs" arrests lately) When the Americans went through this phase back in the 70's it resulted in street shootings of bosses and eventually RICO laws.

In the US it ended in a fractured underground and more drugs on the street. Is this the beginning of the end for "safe country" Japan?


EDIT: this "war" could probably be avoided by legalizing the traditional crop 麻.

麻 legalization in Japan seems impossible to fathom for most Japanese but when tobacco sales plummet and the politicians get a whiff of the possible tax revenue from pot sales, 麻 may suddenly get the viagra treatment.

[Samurai_Jerk]

How fearful are you guys of yaks? I can't go a week here without some J-person doing the low voice, back of the hand to their mouth "yakuza blah blah blah!" Last night, I was driving back from Niigata and the driver in front of me was swerving (drunk?) to the side on the on-ramp and eventually ended up doing 40k in a 70k on the highway. It was single lane and soon there was a line of cars behind me. I was keeping my distance, thinking the driver was drunk but after the people behind me started tailgating me, I laid on the horn and flashed my high beams. My J-passenger freaked the fuck out...talking about it could be yaks and if they stop the car and get out, we have nowhere to run The level of yak paranoia by many of the locals seems insane to me.

Was there a reason for her to think it might be a yak like a certain model of car with tinted windows?

I've found that in the shitamachi where you encounter obvious yaks on the regular people are cautious around them but don't seem to be particularly afraid. By cautious I don't mean they walk on eggshells. I mean that if a drunken exchange gets too heated they'll pull their non yak friend away before things go too far. The only time we really have to watch out for them is during matsuri when things can get violent under the omikoshi. At least they're nice enough to wear hanten that clearly identify them plus there are usually visible tats.

[matsuki]

How fearful are you guys of yaks? I can't go a week here without some J-person doing the low voice, back of the hand to their mouth "yakuza blah blah blah!" Last night, I was driving back from Niigata and the driver in front of me was swerving (drunk?) to the side on the on-ramp and eventually ended up doing 40k in a 70k on the highway. It was single lane and soon there was a line of cars behind me. I was keeping my distance, thinking the driver was drunk but after the people behind me started tailgating me, I laid on the horn and flashed my high beams. My J-passenger freaked the fuck out...talking about it could be yaks and if they stop the car and get out, we have nowhere to run The level of yak paranoia by many of the locals seems insane to me.

Was there a reason for her to think it might be a yak like a certain model of car with tinted windows?

No, it was a red late model shitbox with no tint. If I had to put money on it, it was two drunk (or too old to be driving) jiji.

I've found that in the shitamachi where you encounter obvious yaks on the regular people are cautious around them but don't seem to be particularly afraid. By cautious I don't mean they walk on eggshells. I mean that if a drunken exchange gets too heated they'll pull their non yak friend away before things go too far. The only time we really have to watch out for them is during matsuri when things can get violent under the omikoshi. At least they're nice enough to wear hanten that clearly identify them plus there are usually visible tats.

That's more reasonable caution....my own encounters with them have been mostly with younger chinpira and they were always more friendly than anything. Not that I think they're innocent angels or anything but I just can't buy into the "yak around every corner" fear.

[Coligny]

Not that i know of any...

But when you run a criminal business it might be a good idea to keep low profile on secondary bullshit...

Getting caught in a van full of cocain because you drove without seatbelt is not going to give you much street cred...

[Samurai_Jerk]

Not that i know of any...

But when you run a criminal business it might be a good idea to keep low profile on secondary bullshit...

Getting caught in a van full of cocain because you drove without seatbelt is not going to give you much street cred...

Exactly. The chinpira are actually the ones you have to worry about more than the "made" guys.

My friend in high school hung around with a bunch of low level Chinese gangsters. One of them got busted because he was packing a hand gun and decided to jump the subway turnstile. He was a fucking laughing stock after that.

[Coligny]

I never skipped on bus or subway fares..

I'm sooooo gangsta...

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[Coligny]

Oooopsyy, wrong lolcat...

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[legion]

A lot of the time you probably don't notice them. I was once renewing the lease on a house, took a Japanese buddy along to help me with the fine print. Afterwards he told me he had a strong impression the estate agent was a front company for the Yakuza, I wouldn't have noticed, especially since the office was just round the corner from the Imperial Palace. I did think the business card was a bit ornate.

I used to have a buddy who told me his job was not being a Yakuza, people preferred talking to him.

[kurogane]

Exactly. The chinpira are actually the ones you have to worry about more than the "made" guys.

Yes, and like with biker gang types, it's the hangers on that have something to prove. AFAIK from my haunts in Kyoto a made man or even Recognised Associate type getting mixed up in street level BS would be in for a serious hiding, esp. if he was seen to have started it. The Chinpies I knew always scared me because they were so stupid it bordered on insanity. Most of them ended up doing time, some fairly serious time, for what were at best Social Darwin Award capers or crimes, like starting a rumble with the local riot police while carrying mass quantities, or stealing a patrol car while out on parole or bail, or again, while carrying serious weight. As a Planner of Perfect Crimes (as a hobby!) it frightens me that there are people willing to go down for such elementary lapses of judgement or oversights.

[matsuki]

A lot of the time you probably don't notice them. I was once renewing the lease on a house, took a Japanese buddy along to help me with the fine print. Afterwards he told me he had a strong impression the estate agent was a front company for the Yakuza, I wouldn't have noticed, especially since the office was just round the corner from the Imperial Palace. I did think the business card was a bit ornate.

This is the kinda stuff I'm talking about. I'm always getting that shit pointed out to me. Even if there is some truth to yaks owning a front, as mentioned above, they aren't going to resort to chinpira-type tactics or go out of their way to mess with you....but many J-people I know get super paranoid, like the Yakuza is el coo cooi, thinking nearly everything is some sort of yak operation with chinpira at the ready to follow you home.

[Samurai_Jerk]

but many J-people I know get super paranoid, like the Yakuza is el coo cooi, thinking nearly everything is some sort of yak operation with chinpira at the ready to follow you home.

As usual this says more about the quality of people you associate with than the Japanese in general.

[matsuki]

but many J-people I know get super paranoid, like the Yakuza is el coo cooi, thinking nearly everything is some sort of yak operation with chinpira at the ready to follow you home.

As usual this says more about the quality of people you associate with than the Japanese in general.

If it was just friends, I'd agree.....but I get this from all ages, males and female, customers, friends, suppliers, etc. Not everyone of course....just surprised how often this comes up.

[wagyl]

From my experience, with contacts both in shitamachi and outside, I will say that Samurai Jerk's impressions and Matsuki's impressions both ring true. It seems to come down to people who actually have contact with them in their day to day life "respect" them (if that is the right word) but do not fear them as such. Those who do not come into contact with them (or do not realise that they are in contact with them) tend to believe the movie image.

The fact is, unless the yakuza think you will be a steady source of funds continuing into the future, or unless you are competing yakuza, they will barely influence your life. I think the biggest organisational headaches would be making sure that hotheaded young guys don't ever get hotheaded, cleaning up after them would be a pain and completely fruitless. The higher ups are like any other management types, they just tend to have prettier pictures drawn on their bodies.

[inflames]

Unless they have visible tats, my abilities to detect yakuza fronts pretty much stop as soon as the name gets beyond 893金融株式会社, although I definitely noticed them pretty consistently hanging around one bar in Osaka (turned out the owner was into gambling, but wasn't successful at it).

There was the time when they gave me friend date rape drugs, which he took them himself.

[Takechanpoo]

in my personal impression, the guys who become yakuza are ex-gofer or truely ochikobore type in their junior or high school days,
who are undermost layer of school caste, not good at studying, sports and even fighting and not popular with girls. they can do nothing except for bluffing.
bancho type of guys almost never become yakuza.

[matsuki]

There was the time when they gave me friend date rape drugs, which he took them himself.

He roofied himself?! Was he hoping he'd get raped??

[Coligny]

i,
who are undermost layer of school caste, not good at studying, sports and even fighting and not popular with girls. they can do nothing except for bluffing.
.

So you are one !