Why did the Yamaguchi-gumi split?
According to police sources quoted by the Sankei Shimbun newspaper, more than a dozen gangs with connections to the Yamaguchi-gumi decided to form a breakaway group in protest at the emphasis Tsukasa is placing on the Kodo-kai, a Nagoya-based affiliate he founded in 1984.
How long has the Yamaguchi-gumi been around?
The Asahi Shimbun. Of all the yakuza groups in Japan, the Yamaguchi-gumi, founded in 1915, was the gang that ruled them all until the organization split apart almost exactly five years ago—on Aug. 27, 2015.
How many families are in the Yamaguchi-gumi?
8,200 members
The Yamaguchi-gumi is the largest yakuza family, with about 8,200 members. The Sumiyoshi-kai is the second-largest yakuza family, with 4,200 members.
Why is Yakuza legal?
Throughout the years, the Yakuza has kept a strict code of honor. This has allowed them to remain quasi-legal as the authorities are aware that their code of honor keeps them from disrupting public order. There are currently close to 100,000 members and have a large presence in Japan.
Do Yakuza still cut off fingers?
While a lot of their members are heavily tattooed, a large proportion of them are also missing their pinky finger. The act of cutting off one’s pinky is called yubitsume, which literally translates to “finger-shortening” and it’s a huge part of Yakuza culture.
Who is the highest rank in Yakuza?
Immediately under the kumicho (supreme boss) are the saiko komon (senior adviser) and the so-honbucho (headquarters chief). The wakagashira (number-two man) is a regional boss responsible for governing many gangs; he is assisted by the fuku-honbucho, who is responsible for several gangs of his own.
Who are the factions of the Yamaguchi gumi?
On August 27, 2015, Japanese police confirmed that powerful factions, including the Kobe-based Yamaken-gumi, the Osaka-based Takumi-gumi, and the Kyoyu-kai, broke away from the Yamaguchi-gumi and formed a new group called the Kobe Yamaguchi-gumi. Prior to the split, the organization consisted of seventy-two factions.
Who is the head of the ninkyo Yamaguchi gumi?
The Ninkyō Dantai Yamaguchi-gumi, led by Oda Yoshinori, breaks off from the Kobe Yamaguchi-gumi. In August, it changes its name to the Ninkyō Yamaguchi-gumi. Members of the new gang were unhappy with the head of the Kobe group due to collection of membership fees.
What kind of money does the Yamaguchi gumi make?
The Yamaguchi-gumi are among the world’s wealthiest gangsters, bringing in billions of dollars a year from extortion, gambling, the sex industry, arms trafficking, drug trafficking, real estate and construction kickback schemes. They are also involved in stock market manipulation and Internet pornography.
Who was the fourth kumicho of Yamaguchi gumi?
He died of liver failure shortly afterward. Taoka’s wife, Fumiko Taoka, stepped forward to fill the leadership void until a new kumichō could be selected by a council of eight top-level bosses. In 1984, the elders chose Masahisa Takenaka ( kumichō of the Takenaka-gumi) to be the fourth kumichō of Yamaguchi-gumi.