Yakuza facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Yakuza |
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|---|---|
| Founded | 17th century (presumed to have originated from the Kabukimono) |
| Membership | more than 200,000 members |
| Criminal activities | Varied, including illegitimate businesses |
Yakuza (Japanese: ヤクザ), known also as gokudō (極道, "the extreme path"), are members of transnational organized crime syndicates in Japan.
Yakuza call themselves ninkyō dantai (chivalrous organizations) which the Japanese media and police call them bōryokudan (violence group). They are the world's largest criminal organization and have about 103,000 members. The three biggest Yakuza families are Yamaguchi-gumi, Sumiyoshi-kai, and Inagawa-kai. During the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, they opened their offices to help refugees and sent dozens of trucks with supplies to affected areas.
Images for kids
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Kyushu island, the largest source of yakuza members.
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Yakuza hierarchy
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The alleys and streets of Shinjuku are a popular modern Tokyo Yakuza hangout.
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Poster of Drunken Angel, of Akira Kurosawa, released in 1948, a Yakuza Eiga genre film
See also
In Spanish: Yakuza para niños
