, also known as , are members of transnational organized crime syndicates originating in Japan.
Syndicates
Four largest syndicates
Although yakuza membership has declined following an anti-gang law aimed specifically at yakuza and passed by the Japanese government in 1992, there are thought to be about 25,900 active yakuza members in Japan today.
Designated bōryokudan
A is a "particularly harmful" yakuza group registered by the Prefectural Public Safety Commissions under the enacted in 1991.
The numbers that follow the names of bōryokudan groups refer to the group's leadership. For example, Yoshinori Watanabe headed the Yamaguchi-gumi fifth; on his retirement, Shinobu Tsukasa became head of the Yamaguchi-gumi sixth, and "Yamaguchi-gumi VI" is the group's formal name.
Designated bōryokudan in the past
Other notable bōryokudan
Other prominent bōryokudan
References
Bibliography
Bruno, A. (2007). "The Yakuza, the Japanese Mafia" CrimeLibrary: Time Warner
Kaplan, David, Dubro Alec. (1986). Yakuza Addison-Wesley () Kaplan, David, Dubro Alec. (2003). Yakuza: Expanded Edition University of California Press () Hill, Peter B.E. (2003). The Japanese Mafia: Yakuza, Law, and the State Oxford University Press () Johnson, David T. (2001). The Japanese Way of Justice: Prosecuting Crime in Japan Oxford University Press () Miyazaki, Manabu. (2005) Toppamono: Outlaw. Radical. Suspect. My Life in Japan's Underworld Kotan Publishing () Seymour, Christopher. (1996). Yakuza Diary Atlantic Monthly Press () Saga, Junichi., Bester, John. (1991) Confessions of a Yakuza: A Life in Japan's Underworld Kodansha America Schilling, Mark. (2003). The Yakuza Movie Book Stone Bridge Press () Sterling, Claire. (1994). Thieves' World Simon & Schuster () Sho Fumimura (Writer), Ryoichi Ikegami (Artist). (Series 1993–1997) "Sanctuary" Viz Communications Inc (Vol 1: ; Vol 2:; Vol 3: ; Vol 4: ; Vol 5: ; Vol 6: ; Vol 7: ; Vol 8: ; Vol 9: ) Tendo, Shoko (2007). Yakuza Moon: Memoirs of a Gangster's Daughter Kodansha International () Young Yakuza. Dir. Jean-Pierre Limosin. Cinema Epoch, 2007.
External links
101 East – Battling the Yakuza—Al Jazeera (Video)