Alexander Martin at the Wall Street Journal offers a piece on the yakuza organized crime syndicates in Japan.
TOKYO—The Yamaguchi-gumi, Japan’s largest and most powerful yakuza crime syndicate, is undergoing a major split on its 100th anniversary after years of police crackdowns and financial strains, raising fears of a bloody gang war.
News broke in late August that groups within the Yamaguchi-gumi were parting ways with its sixth-generation don. The result is the creation of a rival syndicate, also based in central Japan.
Experts say the split reflects the harsher environment facing the yakuza following the adoption of anti-gang laws that have choked off revenues. Gang members are finding it harder to make money from traditional sources like protection rackets.
“Clampdowns against the yakuza have been enforced at all points, making it increasingly difficult for them to rack up profits,” said Yoshiaki Shinozaki, an attorney with decades of experience fighting organized crime.
You can read the rest of the piece via the below link:http://www.wsj.com/articles/japans-gangsters-find-extortion-no-longer-pays-forcing-yakuza-split-1441773870
Note: The above spells out yakuza in Katakana.
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