The Yakuza Chapter 8 Flashcards

Questions and Answers

Yakuza is derived from a Japanese card game named what?

Hanafuda

Poker

Oicho-Kabu (correct)

Blackjack

The goal in Oicho-Kubu is to obtain a score of what?

The word Yakuza literally means what?

Useless hands in society

Believed to have originated in the early 1600s, the Yakuza group now owns approximately how much in assets?

85 billion Signup and view all the answers

Known for corporate extortion and gambling, the Yakuza ranks among the most what?

Powerful and successful organized crime groups in the world Signup and view all the answers

What is the Yakuza considered in relation to its influence in Japan?

Shadow government of Japan Signup and view all the answers

Most of the 3000 Yakuza organizations are based in what country?

Japan Signup and view all the answers

What impact did the Yakuza have on Hawaii and California?

Expansion of Yakuza activities Signup and view all the answers

The origins of Yakuza can be traced back to the early 15th century, when what group terrorized communities?

Kabuki mono Signup and view all the answers

Once the servants of Shogun, these eccentric samurai became what during the Tokugawa era?

Ronin Signup and view all the answers

The Yakuza has been described as networks of what kind of criminals?

Adult male criminals Signup and view all the answers

What term does the Japanese government use to refer to the Yakuza?

Boryokudan Signup and view all the answers

They believe that their ancestors were what?

Machi Yakko Signup and view all the answers

To this day, many Yakuza members believe they live the way of what?

Ninkyo-do Signup and view all the answers

These groups are not what?

Homogenous Signup and view all the answers

What other groups are suggested origins of the Yakuza?

Traditional gamblers, street peddlers, political right-wing extremists, common thugs Signup and view all the answers

The common thread among these groups was a background of what?

Landless, poor misfits Signup and view all the answers

Although much of the history is debatable, these groups formed what?

Families, clans, or gangs Signup and view all the answers

The Tekiya are believed to have come from the what?

Yashi peddlers Signup and view all the answers

These outlaw merchants distanced themselves from the what?

Feudal caste system of Japan Signup and view all the answers

These groups or families formed relationships known as what?

Oyabun-Kobun Signup and view all the answers

What was the role of the Kabun in the Oyabun-Kobun relationship?

Servant Signup and view all the answers

What did the Oyabun control in their relationships?

Goods and services Signup and view all the answers

The Bakuto originated during which era?

Tokugawa era Signup and view all the answers

These gamblers were alleged to have been employed by the government to what?

Gamble with workers Signup and view all the answers

What illegal activities did the Bakuto sponsor?

Gambling games Signup and view all the answers

Both the Bakuto and Tekiya criminal groups survived because of what?

Economic and political events Signup and view all the answers

Industrialization of Japan allowed these criminal groups to do what?

Ally with capitalists Signup and view all the answers

What similar role did Yakuza groups provide during labor disputes?

Strike breakers Signup and view all the answers

This affiliation with the ultraconservative party led to the formation of the what?

Political right wing Signup and view all the answers

The Uyoku are the nationalists or what?

Political right Signup and view all the answers

The Uyoku also have strong ties to what?

Politicians Signup and view all the answers

During Japan's industrialization, the Yakuza began to create what?

Different secret organizations Signup and view all the answers

Known as ultranationalists, their violence became more what?

Public Signup and view all the answers

They murdered two what?

Prime ministers Signup and view all the answers

The Yakuza exploited Japan during the what?

Industrial and social changes Signup and view all the answers

Membership rose steadily until what?

World War II Signup and view all the answers

During the American occupation of Japan after the war, food was what?

Rationed Signup and view all the answers

A new kind of Yakuza known as the Gurentai arose, whose members were mostly former what?

Japanese militia Signup and view all the answers

Patterning themselves after the American gangster Al Capone, these groups used what to achieve their profits?

Intimidation and extortion Signup and view all the answers

Just like the Italian Mafia, the Gurentai began to dress in what?

Dark suits and wear sunglasses Signup and view all the answers

After the war, the Allied Command liberated what?

Chinese and Korean captives Signup and view all the answers

The gangsters among the former captives initially controlled the black markets, but the Gurentai took what?

Over Signup and view all the answers

Eventually, the Bakuto, Tekiya, Uyoku, and the Gurentai merged and became more what?

Powerful and more diverse Signup and view all the answers

Between 1958 and 1963, the Yakuza ranks rose to what?

184,000 Signup and view all the answers

More than 5000 gangs in Japan jostled for what?

Positioning against one another Signup and view all the answers

Epidemic violence and turf wars over profits resulted in a situation similar to the what?

LCN wars in the United States Signup and view all the answers

The Yakuza crime group was formalized in the early 1960s through the negotiations of who?

Yoshio Kadama Signup and view all the answers

Yoshio Kadama is a what?

Thug Signup and view all the answers

During those years, Kadama dealt in supplies such as what?

Nickel, copper, cobalt, and heroin Signup and view all the answers

Kodama was considered a what?

War criminal Signup and view all the answers

Upset over the violence, the Allied command later asked Kadama to do what?

Negotiate peace between rival gangs Signup and view all the answers

The largest and most powerful Yakuza group is the what?

Yamaguchi-gumi Signup and view all the answers

In 1902, the Yamaguchi-gumi had more than what?

23,000 members Signup and view all the answers

The third Oyabun of this faction, Kazuo Taoka, was responsible for what?

Much of its growth and power Signup and view all the answers

The Yamguchi-gumi was formed in 1915 in what area?

Kobe area Signup and view all the answers

Taoka ruled as a what?

Violent dictator Signup and view all the answers

Kobe Harbor was controlled by what?

Taoka's labor forces Signup and view all the answers

A split within the Tamaguchi gumi saw Hiroshi Yamamoto create which syndicate?

Ichiwa Kai syndicate Signup and view all the answers

Bosses became heroes in the public's eyes and were subjects of what?

Songs, movies, and media glamorization Signup and view all the answers

The saga of Yoshinori Watanabe illustrates the rise of powerful bosses of the what?

Yakuza Signup and view all the answers

The leader of the largest Yakuza clan is who?

Yoshinori Watanabe Signup and view all the answers

Born in 1941, Watanabe came from a what?

Huge family of farmers Signup and view all the answers

After finishing middle school, he worked in a what?

Tokyo Restaurant Signup and view all the answers

He later moved to Kobe and became involved with the what?

Yamaken gumi gang Signup and view all the answers

When Watanabe joined the Yamaguchi-gumi around 1960, its members were embroiled in a what?

Series of deadly turf wars Signup and view all the answers

When the Yamaguchi-gumi began having troubles in the early 1980s, law enforcement thought this discord could be the what?

End of the group Signup and view all the answers

They lost their third boss in 1981 due to a what?

Heart attack Signup and view all the answers

Watanabe became the fifth boss of the Yamaguchi-gumi in what year?

1988 Signup and view all the answers

During the 1980s, the Yamaguchi-gumi split into what?

Two rival factions Signup and view all the answers

During the 1990s, Watanabe began to drastically change the structure of the what?

Yamaguchi-gumi Signup and view all the answers

The original centralized power structure was split into how many regional groups?

Seven Signup and view all the answers

Watanabe focused on developing what?

New alliances Signup and view all the answers

The clan's offices expanded from 39 to what?

43 of Japan's 47 prefectures Signup and view all the answers

By 1999, the Yamaguchi-gumi had how many full-time members?

165,000 Signup and view all the answers

Under Watanabe's leadership, the Yamaguchi-gumi survived what?

Japanese depression and government crackdown Signup and view all the answers

Other Yakuza clan bosses were what during this period?

Jailed Signup and view all the answers

The Yamaguchi-gumi grabbed what was left and managed to muscle on the what?

New economy Signup and view all the answers

Because Watanabe was the most powerful Yakuza boss, police attempts to attack him met with what?

Little success Signup and view all the answers

Distancing himself from the crimes of his group, he helped raise money and get out the what?

Vote for scores of politicians Signup and view all the answers

Because of Watanabe's political power, it was believed that the police could do little to what?

Stop him Signup and view all the answers

According to some sources, Watanabe is a simple man who does what?

Lifts weights, avoids rich foods, and jogs Signup and view all the answers

Some sources suggest that he sees himself as a what?

Public servant Signup and view all the answers

Since the Yakuza provides work for individuals, he thinks of it as a what?

Pragmatic solution Signup and view all the answers

Watanabe considered that the alternative to the Yakuza solution was what?

Disorganized crime Signup and view all the answers

In the wake of police struggles to control Yakuza activities, by the mid-1960s, smaller groups were absorbed by what?

Larger groups Signup and view all the answers

Koiki is the term police used to characterize what?

Large criminal operations Signup and view all the answers

These groups became extremely powerful because they operated both in what?

Legal and illegal enterprises Signup and view all the answers

By 1992, how many groups were named by the police under a new law against organized crime?

16 groups Signup and view all the answers

In recent years, organized crime crackdowns resulted in a 70% increase in what?

Serious crime in Japan Signup and view all the answers

Modern Yakuza members are more what?

Economically motivated and materialistic Signup and view all the answers

Research on members indicates that most Yakuza are what?

High school dropouts Signup and view all the answers

The majority join this group because of the what?

Perceived glamour and monetary success Signup and view all the answers

Many members were what?

Delinquents and involved in drug use Signup and view all the answers

The Yakuza have been active in the United States since when?

Mid-1950s Signup and view all the answers

It is likely that the Yakuza factions will operate in a similar fashion as they have in what?

Japan Signup and view all the answers

However, these groups are what?

Fluid and dynamic Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Yakuza Origins and Meaning

Yakuza derives from the Japanese card game Oicho-Kabu, similar to blackjack.
The term literally means "useless hands in society," reflecting the group's outsider status.

Historical Background

Yakuza origins trace back to the early 15th century with the Kabuki mono, who terrorized communities.
Early Yakuza members were often Ronin (masterless samurai) who became outlaws during the Tokugawa era.

Criminal Activities

Yakuza is involved in corporate extortion, gambling, prostitution, and drug trafficking, ranking among the world’s most powerful organized crime groups.
The group operates as a shadow government in Japan, with strong alliances with other organized crime factions.

Global Presence

While primarily based in Japan, the Yakuza has established a presence in the United States and across Asia, particularly in Hawaii and California.
Growing Yakuza activities in the U.S. are anticipated, aligning with other organized crime expansions.

Organizational Structure

Comprises approximately 3000 groups, characterized by hierarchies and bosses akin to legitimate corporations.
Members are not limited to familial ties and include diverse backgrounds, often rooted in a history of poverty and delinquency.

Notable Subgroups

Tekiya emerged from traveling peddlers, while Bakuto originated as gamblers during the Tokugawa period.
The Gurentai arose post-World War II, particularly from former Japanese militia members.

Evolution Through Decades

During the industrialization of Japan, Yakuza groups allied with capitalists, providing labor and strike-breaking services.
By the mid-20th century, membership peaked at approximately 184,000, exceeding the size of the Japanese army.

Key Figures and Leadership

Yoshio Kadama emerged as a prominent thug during the early Yakuza formation, establishing powerful ties to the Japanese government.
The Yamaguchi-gumi is the largest Yakuza group, formed in 1915 and led by influential boss Kazuo Taoka, who enhanced its power and influence.

Modernization and Adaptation

Under the leadership of Yoshinori Watanabe during the late 1980s, the Yamaguchi-gumi restructured into semi-autonomous regional groups.
Membership rose to 165,000 by 1999, showcasing the organization's resilience amid government crackdowns.

Current Status and Activities

Yakuza involvement in the U.S. dates back to the mid-1950s, with a focus on money laundering and investment in lucrative markets.
Increased sophistication and economic motivations characterize modern Yakuza members, many of whom are high school dropouts drawn by perceived glamour.

Law Enforcement Challenges

Recent years have seen a notable rise in serious crime, attributed to the decline in police effectiveness against Yakuza activities.
Ongoing corruption within law enforcement complicates efforts to rein in organized crime, leading to a dynamic adaptation of Yakuza operations.

Cultural Perception

Yakuza members are often glamorized as "folk heroes" in media and public lore, despite their criminal activities.
The organization maintains its image through strong community ties and the facade of social responsibility among members.

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Description

Test your knowledge on Chapter 8 of The Yakuza. This quiz covers key terms and concepts, such as the origins of the name 'Yakuza' and the card game Oicho-Kabu. Challenge yourself with flashcards designed to reinforce your understanding of organized crime in Japanese culture.