Comments on: A Yakuza Encounter

By: Jake Adelstein

Jake Adelstein — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 05:34:01 +0000

James,
Well, the outcome doesn’t surprise me but it does surprise me that the yakuza would beat him up in plain sight of everyone and that no one would do anything about it. That’s how it used to be in Japan. Nowadays, I think someone would call the police and the police would come and arrest the yakuza. Loan sharking used to be considered a civil problem and not a police matter for years and years in Japan–that’s not been the case since 2002. I think her reaction was understandable—if you see criminals operating in the open with impunity and you try to stop them or ask the wrong question–it might be reasonable to assume that their anger could become directed towards you as well. You’re speaking from the perspective of someone who obviously knows a lot about Japan–please be a little forgiving of those who don’t or didn’t at the time.

By: Mark Barnes

Mark Barnes — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 01:04:21 +0000

Jake I was told that there are areas that the police simply leave to the Yakuza. I was a missionary from 1978-1980. Just before leaving Fukuoka in the Spring of 1980, I was at the Mission Home, which was located in a building next to the Zoo. The Pandas were arriving from China and this was a big event for Fukuoka. The Mission Home had a rather large garden area next to the parking lot in front of the Zoo. The morning of the event I was on the front porch watching a large group of policemen (aprox. 50) marching in formation. I have never seen policemen in the U.S. march in formation like this, so it caught my attention. The Mission President had given permission to several vendors to set up their tents on the front lawn of the Mission Home. As I watched the policemen march, I noticed two Yakuza move from booth to booth, collecting their 20%. The police obviously saw them and did nothing. Likewise, not one vendor raised his voice to ask the police for help. It seemed to be understood that the police would not interfere with the extortion taking place in front of them. Apparently one of the vendors must have mentioned that the property belonged to the Mission Home. After visiting all of the vendors, the Yakuza came to the front door of the Mission Home and demanded to see the Mission President. When he came to the door, they demanded 20% of what the Mission was receiving from the vendors. It was really very funny, the Mission President told them that he was not receiving any money, but that one of the vendors had given him stickers of the mission logo as payment, so he would be happy to give the Yakuza 20% of the stickers. They quickly declined and took off. It was after witnessing this and telling the story that someone told me that there were certain activities conducted by the Yakuza, where it is simply understood that the police will not interfere.

By: Jake Adelstein

Jake Adelstein — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:23:21 +0000

I think what is scary to the writer of this is that it happens in public view and no one does a thing. When people are afraid of the criminal element and so are the cops so that bad guys can act with impunity–that’s frightening.
I didn’t grow up in LA. So maybe I’m a wimp. But her story captures the surreal qualities of open brutality in a supposedly civil society.
If I had been new to the country and in her shoes, I would have been frightened as well. There’s nothing wrong about admitting fear.

By: james

james — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 06:23:25 +0000

I’d expect a little more toughness from someone running the length of Japan. The guy borrowed money from a criminal who was part of an underground organization and didn’t pay it back, the outcome shouldn’t surprise or shock anyone. And then the paranoia about being alone for an hour in Tokyo…give me a break. People in organized crime don’t go around looking for randoms to rough up. Petty thieves and muggers might, but this is Japan and those elements are pretty rare.

By: Lou

Lou — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 09:15:35 +0000

Wow! That was such a non-threating situation for this lady. She must be an American. It is always the Americans that have these stories. The ones where if 5 things were different I would have been on one of the planes that was used in the Twin Towers attack. You know the I flew on that same flight 2 weeks prior. I am so glad to be alive BS. I live in LA and see a lack of civil behavior everyday perpetrated by people that could hurt me, but they don’t because I am mind my own business and move on.