Conversations Japanese gangsters: the secrets of the Yakuza
20 snips
May 31, 2024 
Investigative journalist Jake Adelstein and powerful Yakuza boss Tadamasa Goto discuss the secrets of the Yakuza. Topics include Adelstein's immersion in Tokyo's criminal underworld, identifying Yakuza members, the intricate structure of Yakuza organizations, and Adelstein's journey to becoming a Zen Buddhist priest while navigating connections with the Yakuza.
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Yakuza Are Semi‑Official Organized Groups
- Yakuza are multiple semi-legal organizations with public and criminal roles in Japan.
- Their semi-official status historically let them operate openly alongside legitimate businesses.
Criminals With Legitimate Public Faces
- Yakuza mixed legitimate businesses like film roles and nonprofits with criminal activity.
- They cultivated a public image as community organizations to justify their existence.
Origins In Merchants And Gamblers
- Early Yakuza roots split into tekiya (street merchants) and bakuto (gamblers) with protection and festival roles.
- Those trades evolved into rackets like protection and gambling that formed modern gangs.