Today, we interviewed a former yakuza member, Mr. A.
He was active as a violent gang member for over 13 years.
He talked about his life as a yakuza, how he left the gang, and his thoughts on returning to society.
Below are the questions we asked him.
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What made you join the yakuza?
I had a senior in my hometown who was a yakuza, and he introduced me to the boss, and I became a young member.
What was lifelike as a yakuza?
Life as a yakuza was centered on strict discipline within the organization.
I had to do headquarters duty twice a month, office duty two or three times a month, and participate in obligatory events.
Headquarters duty was especially hard work, and it was very tough to deal with the executives and answer the phone.
The executives had their own designated teacups, so I had to be careful about that.
Other duties might have different rules depending on the leader of the organization.
The work that involved face was always hard.
Especially, the higher up I went in the headquarters, the stricter the manners and discipline were.
As for my own shinogi (work), I didn't get any complaints from the organization, but maybe there were high expectations from the senior members who had older brothers.
I didn't have an older brother, so I don't know about that.
I also couldn't forget about obligatory events.
Funerals, release celebrations, etc., especially celebrating those who fought for the organization was important.
There were especially big celebrations for members who participated in conflict incidents.
The connection with friendly groups was also important, and I actively participated in the events of friendly groups in Tokyo.
Why did you quit the yakuza?
I was there for about 13 years, but gradually shinogi became harder, and I got sick of the organization that did shinogi that was shameful as a yakuza and quit.
I quit because I hated shinogi which was shameful as a yakuza, such as ore-ore fraud (a type of phone scam), stimulants, theft, etc.
Especially ore-ore fraud was impossible for me.
I wondered if it was really manly to live by deceiving old men and women.
What difficulties did you face in your life after quitting?
The five-year restriction for former gangsters was very strict.
The "five-year clause for former gangsters" is a clause that states that even if you leave a violent gang organization, you are considered a "violent gang associate" for about five years. During this period, you have the same restrictions as "active members", such as not being able to open a bank account, not being able to sign contracts under your own name, and having a high risk of false statements on your resume when applying for a job. This clause is a major hurdle for former gang members who aim to return to society.{alertInfo}
Especially, the restrictions related to my career as a former yakuza were very severe.
First of all, I couldn't open a bank account.
This means that I couldn't do common bank transactions such as receiving salary deposits.
Even if I went to the bank, unless I submitted a certificate proving that I had no relationship with the gang, the bank staff might contact the police and look for my name on the gang list.
As a result, there was a risk of being arrested for fraud.
Even staying at a hotel or using a golf course required a certificate proving that I had no relationship with the gang, and there was a risk of being arrested for fraud.
Therefore, I had no choice but to become self-employed, homeless, or work with the help of friends or acquaintances if I was lucky.
Well, in the end, many people go back to crime.
What are your current thoughts on the yakuza organization?
My experience as a yakuza has changed my thoughts on the current yakuza significantly from before.
Now, drugs and ore-ore fraud (a type of phone scam) are the main sources of income, and I wonder if that's okay as a yakuza.
Most people want to follow their boss or senior brother, so they don't have any thoughts about the organization itself.
For example, when I was asked by another boss to buy cigarettes from him, I refused once because I was not under his guidance.
But, I wonder if there are any guys like that in the current yakuza? That's what I think.