The Yakuza currently face an existential crisis. Older members are retiring, and younger generations find the lifestyle—and its legal consequences—unattractive.
The Yakuza represent one of the world's most sophisticated and storied organized crime syndicates. Rooted in centuries of history, they have evolved from street peddlers into powerful corporate-like entities that operate in a unique gray area of Japanese society. Origins and Early History The Yakuza
: The first major legislative blow to gang autonomy. The Yakuza currently face an existential crisis
: Using front companies to manipulate the stock market and provide high-interest loans. The Yakuza
: A chivalrous code claiming they help the weak and fight the strong.
: Most members came from the "Burakumin" (outcast) class.
: Gamblers who operated in the shadows of highways and towns.