Yakuza is the name for the Japanese "mafia". The Japanese National Police Agency keeps track of the number of people recognized as Yakuza and claim that their numbers fell to a record low of 30,500 in 2018 because of an intense crackdown on organized crime. The agency claims Yakuza numbers fell about 4,000 from 2017, and this is the 14th consecutive year of decline. I wonder if the decline is due to the police crackdowns or because of the declining population in general?
By groups, the Yamaguchi-gumi was the largest group with 9,500 members. Sumiyoshi-kai had 4,900 members and Inagawa-kai had 3,700, according the the police agency.
The number of Yakuza members investigated by police in 2018 was 16,881 in 2018. Drug cases represented 4,569 members, with bodily harm at 2,042 and fraud at 1,749. Police claim it is harder to live as a Yakuza member because of police crackdowns and social exclusion of members.
In the US, mafia members have the reputation as being very violent. I don't know if that is also true with the Yakuza. When I think of the Yakuza, I think tattoos.
Tattoos have long been associated with the criminal Yakuza, so most ordinary people do not have tattoos. Many (most?) onsens do not allow people with tattoos to enter.
What is the organized crime situation where you live? How are tattoos thought of in your country?
