Yakuza
Chair: Natalee Gotoo (natalee@uchicago.edu)
Crisis Director: Jackson Wright (jnwright@uchicago.edu)
While Gambino and Genovese have become household names, and everyone the world over is familiar with the incestuous relationship that the Russian mob has with its national government and industry, far fewer are familiar with their counterparts in Japan. This is in part because of the discretion of the Japanese people, but also because they have been neglected by (most) Hollywood screenwriters. Nevertheless, the Yakuza are arguably as romantic – if not more – than their Sicilian brothers. The clans attract the outcasts of an otherwise homogenous and law-abiding society, introducing them to a family-like, highly ritualized and powerful organization.
As leaders and representatives of the most powerful clans, it is our responsibility to guide our 84,000 members to ensure both their livelihoods, loyalty, and protection of our financial and political assets. At one time we would not have been struggling for our survival as we were respected civil servants and feared guardians of conservative Japanese culture. Yet pressure from the United States and liberal elements of society forced the government to criminalize us in 1992 with antigang legislation. Easement of hiring standards in Japanese industry has made recruitment increasingly difficult, and the recent financial crisis has severely affected our major sources of revenue, such as loan-sharking and corporate extortion. There is only so much that our allies in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party can do for us, if they are to keep the extent of our affiliation hidden. If we do not gain back the respect of Japan, our future as a proud, powerful, and public institution is in jeopardy.