Job Discussion Forums

[sushi]

How prominent are these people, and what role do they really play in Japan

I read in the Yomuri Times a while back that a new Don was taking over from his father, and they actually had his photo in the paper. Found that quite surprising of course.

Have heard they are all over the place, and vary in their ruthlessness from harmless easy going arrogant to being a hitman and arrogant.

At a place I worked another expat who had been here a long time was able to pick out who the yakuza were by their manerisms and the way they spoke. The said individuals were decent enough guys in my book, but they did have a hard edge.

[markle]

Unless you want to get involved in the 'entertainment' industry you are highly unlikely to come across any real yakusa. Plenty of wannabes around but again you really have to want to deal with them.

[angrysoba]

As Markle said before the yakuza are hardly likely to become any part of your life unless you are determined to seek them out.

Generally speaking, they have very little to do with foreigners from developed countries. Their role in Japanese society is usually one of extortion. For example they may force local restaurants or coffee shops to buy oshibori (warm towels) from them at a protectionist rate.

[harlemknight]

[PAULH]

[womblingfree]

You'll see Yakuza, or at least Yakuza minions, all over the place. Touting tickets at gigs, scouting for girls, drumming up business for brothels etc, etc...

Many look like Asian Don Johnsons from around 1985. The older ones tend to wear loud shirts and tracksuits that would put Tony Montana to shame. They stick out a mile and there's something strangely comforting about a country where the criminals are actually recognisable by their silly gangster clothes.

I saw a not very happy young Yakuza with a bit of finger chopped off in Bic Camera once.

Like has been said, you'll see em, but they'll almost certainly never bother you. My sister even got her photo taken with one who quite happily obliged.

By the way, does anyone know what that drama show was recently where there was a young Japanese high school teacher who was secretly the daughter of a powerful yakuza? Based on a manga I think?

[Apsara]

I had the wife of a yakuza as a private student for about a year. She, an ex-bar girl, had a huge tattoo (shoulders to thighs) of the goddess Kannon on her back, and spent most of her days taking English and yoga lessons, shopping and going to este salons, having shipped out their 2 year old daughter Kannon (I kid you not) to all day nursery school.

They lived in a very expensive area of Tokyo, she told me he got picked up by his driver and taken to work in Roppongi every day. I had started to have suspicions from various things she said, but they were pretty much confirmed when I went to their house one time to help her with an email in English and there among the family photos were two of him in the altogether- obviously taken to record his very extensive tattoos- dragons, samurai and cherry blossoms if I remember, although I tried not to stare!
Kind of an intimidating-looking guy actually, shaved head, small moustache, not typical yak but pretty thuggish.

At our last lesson she told me he was having an affair and she was shopping as much as she could. Last I heard they were getting divorced and she and Kannon-chan had gone back to her parents' house in Hokkaido.

That's my brush with the Tokyo underworld anyway!

[womblingfree]

I just remembered a Japanese 'candid camera' show on TV. I think it was called London Hearts or something.

An attractive young woman comes onto a guy out shopping, whose girlfriend is secretly in the studio.

They go on a date and then she invites him back to her apartment. Just as they are about to make out her husband comes home. He is very obviously an important yakuza boss who freaks out. (This is the guys 'punishment' for being willing to cheat on his girlfriend).

After some ranting and the guy quaking in fear the yakuza bosses gang arrive. The guy seriously thinks his life is in danger.

Anyway just before he has a complete nervous breakdown the TV show host comes in. 'SURPRIIIIISE!'

[Apsara]

Ah, that sounds like a variation on London Boots' "The Stinger" set-up programme I saw a few years ago. They had a guy stand up his girlfriend, then they would send in "The Stinger"- a really charming, good-looking guy, who would take the girlfriend out to lunch, and then invite her back to his apartment/ hotel room. If she said yes the words "mochi-kaeri!!" flashed up on the screen. Of course back at the room the boyfriend and the London Boots guys were waiting. Why a guy would want to set up his girlfriend in such a way on national television I could never figure out- 2 ideas came to mind- A) a very creative way to dump her, B) it was all done by actors.