The yakuza - a family of organized crime that is complicated, hierarchical, underground and extremely influential in both the Private and the Public sphere, is unique to Japan. It is common knowledge that there exists an underworld in every country. The Yakuza, the significant part of Japan’s underworld however carries along unique characteristics, which makes it arguably a crucial part of what makes up the Japanese society. This essay seeks to substantiate the claim that Yakuzas, despite its definition of being a criminal organization, plays an important role in the Japanese history and society.
Firstly, the Yakuzas plays a role in the Japanese society as they can be seen as a kind of ‘ambivalent hero’ throughout the Japanese
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Till today, the government is fully aware of their presence and their members, but have not banned the yakuza. The government have instead recognized their right to exist and kept them in hand with strict laws. The 1991 Anti-Yakuza Law is classified as an executive law, rather than a justice law. Hence, The Yakuza will be punished only if they breach the orders under the law.(Shikata, 2006, PG 419).
The Yakuzas are also well established in the corporate world. Protection of businesses by the yakuza is very common, more so in the past however. Companies pay yojimbodai2 to the yakuza in exchange for protection services.
It is worthy to note the fact that companies sought the Yakuzas’ protection willingly. For instance, the entertainment industry seeks protection to reduce the threat of disruption to their operating environment by competitors or rowdy customers. Trucking and construction industries are dependent on this protection to prevent delayed, damaged goods in transit due to the highly competitive industry. (Hill, 2003, 96). Evidently, businesses are the ones who are actively seeking yakuza protection instead of finding it thrust upon them.
To conclude this essay, the presence of the Yazuka as outcasts of the society acts as a "social cloth" that binds much of Japan together. In essence, the yakuza is more than what they seem on the surface. Furthermore, despite the presence
Musui 's Story is a samurai 's autobiography that portrays the Tokugawa society as it was lived during Katsu Kokichi 's life (1802 - 1850). Katsu Kokichi (or Musui) was a man born into a family with hereditary privilege of audience with the shogun, yet he lived a life unworthy of a samurai 's way, running protection racket, cheating, stealing, and lying. Before we discuss how Musui 's lifestyle was against the codes that regulated the behavior of the samurai, it is essential that the role of the samurai in Japanese society be understood.
The film also provides a meaningful glimpse at how the Japanese viewed the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity sphere. The native islanders are depicted as being genial but simple peoples. Prescribing perfectly to the idea of proper place they are shown as more than willing to be the beasts of burden for the superior Japanese.
Throughout History, there have been many different groups or events that are still widely known today. Groups of people such as the Indians or Vikings are popular groups which are referenced constantly in today’s society. However, none of these groups is more known or referenced than the Japanese Samurai. Originating in 646 AD, these Japanese warriors developed from a loose organization of farmers to the dominant social class in Feudal Japan. Along with their dominant military and political standing, the samurai brought with them a unique code or moral belief that became the core of Samurai culture. Because of this, the Samurai and their principles still affect modern day Japanese society with social customs today
This text also shows the extreme lengths that the Japanese government went to in order to destroy perceived outward influence especially in the realm of religion. This text clearly shows the tension between government and religion, and truly expresses the happenings of 17th century Japan through the lens of a human being. While our textbook teaches of the actual events which transpired during the timeline of this novel, the novel is far more real and powerful because it presents the events through the lens of human
He is well aware that his defense of Japan's tight society is subject to criticism, and at the end of his book he concedes the widespread corruption underlying so many Confucian societies, the diversity that makes overall judgments tricky and the racial homogeneity that may play a great part in enforcing Confucian harmony. But he sticks to his central thesis, fortified by his obviously pleasant recollections of living in Japan.
While ongoing change became the status quo in late-Tokugawa era Japan the ideals of the samurai—and the respect they receive—endured. And, because samurai could still fall back on the prestige their class represented, members of society still
Japan’s criminal underworld began apparently in the seventeenth century in the Edo or Tokugawa eras. The Azuchi-Moyama was apparently a period where unification ceased in the year 1603, and the Tokugawa Shogunate gained control over the Japanese government bringing with it two hundred fifty years of peace. It was towards the middle of this era that three early versions of what today we know as the Yakuza surfaced: the shishi, the tekiya, and lastly the bakuto.
Yakuza is a Japanese Gang Organization and is considered the Country's Mafia. One of the most wealthiest, sophisticated and organized crime groups in over 300 years. Yakuza is also known as Gokudo. Police and media call this group Boryokudan (violent groups), and Yakuza calls themselves Ninkyo Dantani ( chivalrous organizations). They are a Transnational organized crime syndicates originating in Japan dating back to 1612.
In Yojimbo, Akira Kurosawa satirizes Japanese greed and corruption and portrays the growing influence of capitalism. During this time in Japan, the Yakuza clan was a very strong and dangerous group equivalent to the modern day mafia. The Yakuza clans’ ideals are relatable to two themes prominent in Yojimbo: greed and corruption, and rising capitalist influence. Kurosawa satirizes these two characteristics of the Yakuza clan through the use of mise en scene.
The article “Japan’s Criminal Underworld” summarize the history of Yakuza. The Yakuza is part of Japan’s organized crime syndicates, they are well-known as gangs or mafia group in the West part of Asia. Along the way the author’s described the true ancestors of the modern yakuza were the bakuto, or traditional gamblers, and the tekiya, where it’s considered to be street peddlers. Both groups did get alone and had their own small territory, the bakuto control over the busy highways and towns of old Japan, on the other hand, the tekiya aid the nation’s growing markets and fairs.
In many ways, Japan has been looked upon as a strangely homogeneous society for much of its modern history. And for some, it stands as one of the most homogeneous nation in the world. However, when looking at Japan as a whole, and considering whether or not it homogeneity is a problem, or just another cultural phenomenon, one must look towards the root cause of homogeneism in Japan. In Japan’s past, it has has been questioned, as well as assumed, that the growth of Japans homogeneous viewpoint was put forward by the government of Japan, and was done so by circulating false accusations of its lineage. Which these false stories of lineage, Japan has grown in its ethnocentric views and ways. Ethnocentrism, or
Organized crime is often committed by highly controlled criminal groups that participate in illegal activities for financial benefits. Indeed, organized crimes terrorize multiple facets of the American nation, which include the US’ economy as well as national security. The FBI assigns the costs of organized crime globally at one trillion dollars per year.
I have to agree with your summary and facts about the largest gangster group in today's world. your information and summary that you provide is very useful which open connection that would be unthinkable in any other society. In addition, they are also legal triad under the Japanese's government law. i personally believe that Yakuza makes quite an impressive analysis on the birth of the Yakuza as an organization. also I believe that the Japanese organized crime has for centuries been linked not only to the financial powers as well as toy the political ones as
TyokoYamamoto’s paper titled, Migrant-support NGOs and the Challenge to the Discourse on Foreign Criminality in Japan shows that the Japanese facts and figures continue to successsfully portray migrants and criminals either perpetuating new crimes or making a crime worse. Elaborate charts create immediate apprehension and an adrenaline rush to sensitize and create panic among citizens and “legal”residents. This in turn threatens the mythological perception of Japan as homogenous and
A sociological thought piece, Chris McKinney’s The Tattoo is bursting with toxic relationships. Amongst these, McKinney uses the strained kinship between Ken Hideyoshi and his father to partially explain how people fall into cycles of violent behaviour. To understand the richness of the text, violence will be characterised as the intentional or unintentional application of force, and/or power resulting in psychological, emotional and/or physical harm, whether it is for the perpetrator’s advantage or not. Thus, a wide definition is given to encompass the numerous acts of harm occurring throughout the novel. Ken’s father is a man instilled with traditional values and beliefs. Therefore, strength and fearlessness are expected to be in Ken to make him tough and prepared to face the world. The reader witnesses these notions take root and unfurl into his father’s ideas of the epitome of hegemonic masculinity. Consequently, this essay will analyse the connection between Ken Hideyoshi and his father as it progresses throughout the novel by looking at how socialisation, hegemonic masculinity and family violence lead impressionable people into deviant lifestyles.