Japan's largest yakuza group, Yamaguchi-gumi, broke into two warring camps. This is feared will trigger a war between Yakuza gangs in Japan which currently consists of 21 different groups.
This was conveyed by journalist Jake Adelstein who reviewed about organized crime in Japan since 1993.
The author of the book titled "Tokyo Vice", "Operation Tropical Storm: How to Fly the Yossza Boss in Hawaii" and soon to be published "The Last Yakuza," says the fragments of Yamaguchi-gumi have a new name , namely Kobe Yamaguchi-gumi. This new group has formed an alliance with several other Yakuza gangs.
Yamaguchi has entered the police radar after one of his gang members, Tetsuya Shiroo, shot dead the mayor of Nagasaki in 2007. In fact, Japan has strict rules about gun ownership.
Adelstein said the 21 other Yakuza groups are still trying to decide which group to join Yamaguchi.
Japan National Police Agency admitted to having held an emergency meeting to discuss the threat of Yakuza war. Police throughout Japan have even been on alert.
The Japanese police deserve to be worried. Because the previous Yamaguchi split in 1984 resulted in gang warfare over the past few years, colored by murders, bombings and shootouts that terrified all citizens of Sakura State.
Yamaguchi-gumi has previously had 72 factions before splitting. This could trigger another split in Yakuza gangs across Japan because they have to choose which group to join.
Japan's third largest yakuza group, Inagawa-kai, has been split in two for support on Kobe Yamaguchi. The second largest gang, Sumiyoshi-kai, is likely to suffer the same fate. According to police reports, another powerful Yakuza gang, Kohei-ikka, has decided to support Kobe Yamaguchi-gumi and parted from the Sumiyoshikai gang.
One of the things that might dampen the violence is the Japanese civil regulation that allows Yakuza bosses to be sued for damages by their subordinates.
In 2012, Goto Tadamasa, a former Yakuza boss was forced to pay US $ 1.4 million to the family of housing businessmen killed by his men.
Know the Yakuza
Yakuza is a term for Japanese mafia. They were originally a gathering of gamblers and street traders in the 1800s. Yakuza became big in the era of World War II by establishing gambling and entertainment business illegally.
There are 53,000 members in 21 Yakuza groups, based on data from the National Police Agency of Japan. The three largest are Yamaguchi-gumi (23,400), Inagawa-kai, (6,600), and Sumiyoshi-kai (8,500).
Yakuza associations are not considered unlawful as long as they do not commit a crime. But they are closely watched and restrained by the security laws.
Not all Yakuza businesses are illegal. For example the third generation Yamaguchi-gumi leadership, Kazuo Taoka, formed a halal business by printing magazines, comics, and cards about the life of Yakuza.
In Japan, most entertainment businesses are usually associated with Yakuza. In addition, the Yakuza-controlled sector is construction, housing, currency exchange, labor, technology and finance.
Characteristics of Yakuza members, the body full of tattoos, is now beginning to be abandoned. Because the body tattoos are very easily identified by the police.
Cutting a finger as a punishment was not necessarily done by Yakuza. Finger cutting, usually on the first finger of the little finger, is done if the Yakuza member can not pay the debts or make mistakes and still wants to be in the gang.