"Please Leave the Organization"... Japan's First Female Yakuza's Glamorous Career [Japanese Side]

First Female Yakuza Member Active
"Yakuza Are Now a Group of Scammers"
Nonprofit Organization PR Director and Branch Manager Leading Rehabilitation

If South Korea has organized crime groups, Japan has the Yakuza. In Japan, where firearm possession is not allowed like in South Korea, most gun-related incidents are often the work of the Yakuza. Earlier this year, there was an incident where a man sitting on a cafe terrace in broad daylight was shot and killed. The motive was to punish a member who had switched to a rival faction.

Why suddenly bring up the chilling topic of the Yakuza? This week in Japan, a female activist who helps former criminals, including Yakuza members, avoid reoffending after their release has become a hot topic. Her background is truly remarkable. She was Japan’s first female Yakuza member who was once notorious in the underworld. Now, having left the organization, she dedicates herself to rehabilitating released prisoners. Today, we share the story of Nishimura Mako, who shouts not "Come back to the organization," but rather "Please leave the organization."

Nishimura Mako's appearance in her 20s. (Photo by Ameba TV)

Ms. Nishimura serves as the head of public relations and the Gifu Prefecture branch manager for the nonprofit organization Gojinkai (五仁會). Born in 1966, she grew up in Aichi Prefecture. She went astray in the second year of middle school and followed the path of a delinquent youth. She was sent to juvenile detention twice. Before her first time in juvenile detention, she was not a full-fledged Yakuza member but acted as a trainee. In her late teens, she received an offer to "join our organization and become a Yakuza, even if you are a woman," and as soon as she turned twenty, she joined an organization called Sugino-gumi.

Female Yakuza members were unprecedented. After joining, she committed various crimes. In 1986, she was arrested after a fight and sentenced to three years in prison with a five-year suspended sentence. In 1987, she was arrested for possessing stimulants and sentenced to two years and six months in prison. In Japan, the National Police Agency officially recognizes Yakuza factions and members, and due to her criminal record, she was officially (?) recognized as the first female Yakuza. After her release, she returned to the organization and caused another scandal.

Nishimura signing his autobiography. (Photo by Nishimura Mako on Instagram)

Around the age of 30, she got married and had children, vowing to live an ordinary life like others. However, it was not easy. Since her husband was also a Yakuza, she effectively became a sister-in-law within the organization. Wanting to try a life outside the organization, she applied for jobs such as hospital administrative assistant. It was then that she realized her past was a serious obstacle. If she revealed her tattoos during interviews, she was rejected outright. Even if she hid them and worked diligently, once discovered, she was immediately fired. These were not small tattoos but Yakuza irezumi, so it was understandably shocking. Through these experiences, she came to understand that "ex-convicts are not easily accepted by society."

Then she met the president of Gojinkai, the organization she is now active in, and her life took a different turn. In 2012, she turned her back on the Yakuza, saying "The Yakuza have completely transformed into a fraud group," and was expelled from the organization. Since then, she has been helping other released prisoners avoid reoffending based on her own experiences.

According to the crime white paper published annually by the Japanese Ministry of Justice, the number of arrested criminals decreased from 350,000 in 2002 to 170,000 in 2022, roughly halving. However, half of those arrested were repeat offenders with prior records. In other words, many people fail to break the vicious cycle of committing crimes, being released, and reoffending. Ms. Nishimura said, "Many people reoffend due to poor economic conditions or other reasons," and added, "We create living environments where they can adapt, encourage those involved in organizations to leave, and provide opportunities to regain their resolve. I want to continue helping people like this."

Mr. Nishimura participating in nightlife district cleanup activities with Gojinkai members. (Photo by Mako Nishimura Instagram)

She continues to focus on social contribution activities and rehabilitation. The nonprofit Gojinkai, where she works, engages in activities such as picking up trash in entertainment districts with recently released individuals, volunteering at orphanages on Children’s Day, and visiting schools to give lectures on avoiding delinquency. In media interviews, Ms. Nishimura repeatedly emphasizes, "I will never return to the Yakuza. The Yakuza society will disappear soon."

Of course, in Japan, opinions clash over whether society should help criminals adapt or whether such efforts are essential. Nevertheless, hasn’t she succeeded in creating cracks in the Yakuza world and showing them that there is another path?