The Unusual World of Yakuza Fan Magazines
By Jake Adelstein
TOKYO: The Japanese mafia, higher referred to as the yakuza, has been the topic of fan magazines for many years. These magazines function de-facto commerce periodicals for a world of vicious, autocratic thugs, males who’re helpful with swords and weapons, sport full-body tattoos, deal in unlawful contraband and laundered cash, and rip off most of the people; all of the whereas funneling cash and energy to their households and kigyoshatei (company blood brothers). What could also be much more stunning is how straightforward the yakuza fan magazines are to seek out: they’re available at newsstands, comfort shops, bookstores, public libraries and even some authorities workplaces.
It isn’t a shock that this occurs in Japan, the place yakuza are considered as authorized entities, they usually function below the duvet of being fraternal organizations “devoted to the preservation of conventional values,” very similar to the Rotary Membership or the Boy Scouts are in the US. In response to the Nationwide Police Company, there are 22 such acknowledged yakuza teams, claiming a complete of 86,000 members. They’ve their very own workplace buildings or, within the case of the Yamaguchi-gumi, which has emerged as the most important yakuza group within the nation and claims 50,000 members and associates, a compound/headquarters in Kobe that takes up virtually a whole metropolis block.
Many Japanese folks, together with some law enforcement officials, have nice awe and admiration for these tattooed gangsters. They’re seen by some as lovable outlaws, a obligatory evil (必要悪) maintaining the streets secure from “evil overseas criminals.” And within the eyes of the middle-aged salaryman, the yakuza are actual males dwelling the perfect life, one crammed with an extra of cash, booze, pleasure, and delightful girls (in addition to retirement packages which are higher than these of Japan’s main automakers). It’s little marvel, then, that the overwhelmed down workplace employee turns to the yakuza fan magazines as a technique to escape and fantasize about a greater, extra glamorous life.
Essentially the most outstanding yakuza fan magazines are Jitsuwa Jidai, Jitsuwa Jiho, Jitsuwa Doc, and Asahi Geino. Different magazines, like Knuckles, aren’t strictly talking yakuza fan magazines, however usually characteristic interviews with gangsters and articles about them. Every journal is often aligned carefully with one particular organized crime group. Bosses from the Sumiyoshikai (12,000 members), the Inagawakai (10,000 members), in addition to different teams, steadily give prolonged interviews to the reporters from the fan mags. The interviews hardly ever contact on any type of felony exercise, however confer with previous glories, gang wars, and discussions of conventional Japanese values. Nevertheless, there are occasional references to the group’s present unlawful actions, which explains why the magazines are equally as well-liked with law enforcement officials as they’re with salarymen.
The one group that doesn’t absolutely cooperate with the magazines is the dominant Yamaguchi-gumi, which has taken a no interview coverage with the press for the reason that ascension of a brand new boss, Tsukasa Shinobu, in the summertime of 2005. The Yamaguchi-gumi have allowed the press to movie the annual rice-cake pounding ceremony initially of the New Yr, however virtually no Yamaguchi-gumi boss has had an on-the-record interview below his personal title for near 4 years.
Even so, Jitsuwa Doc, nonetheless closely favors protection of the Yamaguchi-gumi. Take a typical version, for instance, the one from March 2006, and also you’ll nonetheless discover the primary and quantity two of the group.
Inside, you’ll discover a mixture of articles, starting from the fawning to the profane: The lead story covers the Yamaguchi-gumi alliance with the Toyko-based Kokusuikai and the Toakai (one other Tokyo-based, although principally Korean, yakuza) and their enlargement into jap Japan, whereas the off-lead is in regards to the head of the Nakamura-gumi being kicked out of the group (that they had apparently fallen behind on month-to-month dues). A tasteful photograph unfold options Yamaguchi-gumi members making their first annual go to to a hatsumode, a Shinto shrine, and pounding rice desserts. “Tattoo Nook” presents footage of tattooed women and men, submitted by readers. One story ponders whether or not women with small breasts have extra delicate genitalia than women with “cow boobs,” and the evaluations part seems on the hottest intercourse golf equipment, or fuzokuten, in Japan, full with interviews with the highest intercourse staff discussing their finest sexual methods. (Japan has odd legal guidelines governing the intercourse trade, which mainly enable virtually all the things in addition to “regular” intercourse. Prostitution, whereas unlawful, carries no penalties for the client or the prostitute, however just for the pimp or brothel proprietor usually.)
There may be additionally, naturally, some reportage by an intrepid reporter on how he was serviced on the prime new membership. In one other, moderately doubtful article, a person brags about his sexual conquests of bored housewives. And the accompanying promoting options male virility cures, pornography, intercourse outlets, relationship web-sites which are merely thinly disguised prostitution rings, tattoo parlors, magic charms, escort companies, and—the drugs that cures ten thousand ills 万能薬—sake!
Naturally, the journal features a part on “Foreigner Crimes” with the standard editorial line that solely the yakuza forestall the barbarian hordes from overrunning the empire of the rising solar, an enchantment to Japanese xenophobia has been utilized by the yakuza for years to justify their existence. (The Nationwide Police Company helps propagate this fantasy be faithfully releasing statistics yearly about crimes dedicated by foreigners which are each deceptive and sensationalized.)
Comics additionally characteristic closely. There’s a new installment of a long-running comedian guide collection in regards to the life and exploits of the 4th technology Yamaguchi-gumi chief, written by famous yakuza journalist Mizoguchi Atsushi, and drawn by a revered manga artist, and the strip, “Kamikaze Rengo” (The Kamikaze Federation), chronicles the lifetime of a fictional up-and-coming yakuza soldier who has a number of tough intercourse with a number of companions, in nice bodily form, and is consistently capturing or slicing up rival gang members in by no means ending gang wars.
I digress, however I’ve but to see a comic book collection in these magazines depicting how the yakuza make their cash, however there are many scenes of them spending it. It’s a disgrace that these are often in black and white, as I wish to see what a “champagne gold Mercedes” actually seems like. (One factor has at all times baffled me about many yakuza teams who declare to be excessive right-wing, nationalistic, emperor worshiping defenders of conventional values; why do they purchase overseas vehicles? Shouldn’t they be driving Subaru station wagons or one thing? Okay, a Nissan sports activities automotive, even. The place is their nationwide pleasure?)
Surprisingly, this subject additionally options an interview with a Yamaguchigumi gang boss, however he stays anonymous and there’s no photograph hooked up, as that may be a violation of “firm” coverage.
Regardless of the enduring reputation of the yakuza fan magazines, public sentiment has begun turning into extra essential of the yakuza itself, forcing organizations such because the Yamaguchi-gumi to attempt to recede even farther from the general public eye. In response, the fan magazines have been compelled to develop into extra aggressive of their information gathering and a bit extra practical about what the yakuza truly are. Latest problems with the magazines have begun to incorporate detailed information round-ups of precise crimes dedicated by yakuza members, one thing that naturally runs counter to the pursuits of the yakuza themselves.
What’s extra the yakuza fan magazines have begun seeing competitors from “mooks,” Manga-esque journal books, which include a broader mixture of textual content and comedian strips than a standard journal, in addition to comedian guide novels depicting the rise and fall of well-known yakuza of the previous and current. There at the moment are greater than 100 completely different editions of such novels, comprising a style unto itself. But, regardless of elevated competitors and an economic system that has hit journal promoting arduous all around the world, the outdated guard remains to be standing. It can nonetheless be a very long time earlier than we see any of those magazines disappear or go as far as name for any type of crackdown on organized crime. In spite of everything, they’d be placing themselves out of enterprise, and in additional methods than one.
Jake Adelstein is the writer of Tokyo Vice: An American Reporter on the Police Beat in Japan, revealed this month by Pantheon. He spent 12 years a reporter for the Yomiuri Shinbun and is an professional on Japanese organized crime, actively concerned in combating human trafficking in Japan.
VISIT: Adelstein’s Web page, the Japan Subculture Analysis Heart, for extra data.
LISTEN: To an interview with Adelstein in regards to the Yakuza and inventory market manipulation from The Economist.