Berliner Tageblatt - Japan top yakuza group promises 'no more trouble'

The Yamaguchi-gumi has fought bloody wars with other yakuza groups formed by its former members who broke away in 2015.

Senior members submitted a letter in person to police on Monday vowing to "end all infightings" and "not make any trouble", a police official told AFP.

Authorities have had various yakuza groups under close surveillance since 2020 over their intensifying violence, which has severely limited their activities, like their ability to use offices in certain areas.

The Yamaguchi-gumi's pledge, submitted in Hyogo prefecture in western Japan, may be aimed at loosening the restrictions, local media said.

The splinter groups' plans remain unclear, said the Hyogo police official.

Investigators are monitoring the situation as the Yamaguchi-gumi's pledge might only be a one-sided declaration, he said.

Unlike the Italian mafia or Chinese triads, yakuza have long occupied a grey area in Japanese society.

They are not illegal, and each group has its own headquarters in full view of police.

- Falling membership -

The yakuza grew from the chaos of post-war Japan into multi-billion-dollar criminal organisations.

They are involved in a variety of activities, from drugs and prostitution to protection rackets and white-collar crime.

They were long tolerated as a necessary evil for ensuring order on the streets and getting things done quickly -- however dubious the means.

In recent decades, stiffer anti-gang regulations, waning social tolerance and a weak economy have resulted in steadily falling membership.

Membership of the nation's yakuza groups hit a new low of 18,800 in 2024 after years of decline, falling below the 20,000 mark for the first time, police data showed this month.

Still, they pose a threat to society as they continue to engage in criminal acts while keeping a lower profile, the National Police Agency said in a recent report.

Criminal activities by yakuza and others are becoming more complicated with the emergence of "tokuryu" groups, police say.

Unlike yakuza groups with organised membership and established hierarchical structures, these are ad-hoc groups of individuals.

Many have no criminal background and are often recruited via social media under the promise of quick money.

These groups are seen working with established yakuza groups, adding complexity to Japan's crime scenes, according to police reports.

Tattoos are still often associated with yakuza and other "anti-social" elements, although attitudes are changing.

People with tattoos in Japan are often barred from facilities like swimming pools or "onsen" baths, and tourists with body art can sometimes fall foul of the rule.

J.Horn--BTB