Yakuza (Japanese: ヤクザ, [jaꜜkɯza]), also known as gokudō (極道, "the extreme path"), are members of transnational organized crime syndicates originating in Japan.

Sumiyoshi-kai is the second largest yakuza group in Japan with roughly 12,000 members (20,000 by some estimates) divided into 277 clans. It has a well-known office in Tokyo’s Ginza District and operates under the banner Hama Enterprise.

Nov 1, 2022 · In present-day Japan, there are about 12,300 existing members of the organised crime syndicate known as yakuza. The group was at their peak in the early 1960s, the Japanese government estimated the number to be about 2,00,000 members. The three big yakuza groups operating in Japan are Yamaguchi-gumi, Sumiyoshi-kai, and Inagawa-kai.

The National Police Agency reported that Japanese yakuza organizations had 10,400 members and 10,000 quasi-members in 2023. [2] ... On top of the already staggering anti-yakuza legislation, Japan's younger generation may be less inclined to gang-related activity, as modern society has made it easier especially for young men to gain even semi ...

The Yakuza, often referred to as the Japanese mafia, is a syndicate made up of various organized crime groups. Known for their strict code of conduct, elaborate tattoos, and sometimes even their semi-legitimized presence in Japanese society, they are both feared and respected.

Aug 22, 2023 · The Yakuza is a complex and formidable criminal force within Japan. Distinguished by their distinctive tattoos and stringent moral code, Yakuza members hold membership in one of the world's most affluent criminal networks.

Aug 6, 2022 · Known informally as the Japanese mafia, the Yakuza are a 400-year-old criminal syndicate that carries out everything from human trafficking to real estate sales.

Jan 14, 2025 · In Japan and elsewhere, especially in the West, the term yakuza can be used to refer to individual gangsters or criminals as well as to their organized groups and to Japanese organized crime in general. Yakuza adopt samurai-like …

Dec 3, 2020 · During the economic downturn in the late 2000s, yakuza were among the top investors in Japanese real estate, according to some observers. They had plenty of money when few others did not and spotted a golden opportunity.

Jan 23, 2019 · Considered as the most feared crime syndicates from Japan, a closer look at the yakuza - how they came to be and where are they now.