Tokyo
CNN
–
Think of a famous Japanese yakuza gang. And you might consider a very tattooed man to take part in a bloody battle.
However, last week, four men were arrested in Tokyo for a more mediocre crime – running an office for a yakuza who was too close to the library.
The suspect, ages 55 to 77, “conspired” to run the office from June 2024 to February 2025. The city has strict rules on where yakuza offices can operate as part of its campaign to eliminate organized crime.
The oldest 77 people are members of an organization affiliated with the Sumiyoshi Kai Organized Crime Syndicate, one of Japan’s largest yakuza groups, the statement added.
Yakuza known for its strict hierarchy and honor code – Boryokudan – Works with everything from fear tor and money laundering to drugs and sex trafficking.
It’s far from being an underground organization, many of which are registered with the police and have a nationally established presence.
The National Police Agency (NPA) lists the business addresses of several Yakuza organizations on its website. For example, Sumiyoshikai’s headquarters is located in the Akasaka district, high in Tokyo, not too far from the parliamentary building.
According to the NPA, during its heyday in the 1960s, the Yakuza were run internationally and had over 184,000 members. However, their numbers have been steadily declining over the last few decades as police crackdowns suppress their activities.
They are legally permitted to exist, but regulations have made it difficult for gangs to survive as they have made it illegal to hire yakuza, pay off their compensation, and share profits. Securing a mobile phone contract and even renting an apartment became even more difficult.
Police data show that in 2024, the number of members of the Organized Crime Syndicate fell below 20,000 to a record low of 18,800 for the first time.
In Tokyo, Yakuza offices cannot be operated within 200 meters of schools, child welfare centers, community halls, museums, probation offices, family courts, etc.
Companies cannot hire Yakuza members as security personnel, provide payments for services, or sign contracts that “encourage” activities with Yakuza.
As a result, the Yakuza group has been reduced and is currently committed to pursuing or behaving a headline of disbandment, a new law-abiding life.
In April, Yamaguchi Gumi, Japan’s largest yakuza crime syndicate, pledged to end a long-standing war with rivals after police strengthened surveillance and restricted activities. The three senior members of the gang vowed to “end all internal battles” and handed the letter to police saying they would “never cause trouble,” police told CNN.
