Aging Population and Stricter Regulations Accelerate Decline
"Strong Hierarchical Structure Drives Away Younger Generation"
In South Korea, Number of MZ Gangster Arrests on the Rise
The number of members in Japanese organized crime groups, known as the "Yakuza," has fallen below 20,000 for the first time, marking a record low.
According to the Sankei Shimbun on April 28, Japanese police counted a total of 18,880 Yakuza members and quasi-members as of the end of last year, breaking the 20,000 threshold. This is about one-tenth the size of the early 1960s, when membership peaked at over 180,000. The number of Yakuza members has been steadily declining since 2005, dropping below 50,000 in 2015 and continuing to decrease.
As of the end of last year, the largest Yakuza group was the Yamaguchi-gumi, headquartered in Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture, with 6,900 members. This was followed by the Sumiyoshi-kai in Shinjuku, Tokyo, with 3,200 members, and the Inagawa-kai in Minato, Tokyo, with 2,800 members.
The main reasons cited for the decline in Yakuza membership in Japan include stricter regulations, such as amendments to the Anti-Boryokudan Law, and the aging of existing members. The newspaper also pointed out that the younger generation's aversion to the Yakuza, due to strict codes of conduct and hierarchical customs that persist within the organizations, is another factor. However, it is estimated that some young people are instead joining new types of criminal groups that commit crimes such as fraud without affiliating with the Yakuza.
According to data from the National Police Agency of Japan, as of 2022, 30.8% of Yakuza members were in their 50s, the largest age group; 12.5% were in their 60s; and 11.6% were in their 70s. Those aged 50 and above accounted for more than half of all members. The average age was 54.2, an increase of 6.8 years compared to a decade earlier. In contrast, members in their 40s and 30s made up 26.3% and 12.9%, respectively, both significant decreases. Only 5.4% were in their 20s.
In contrast, in South Korea, so-called "MZ gangsters," primarily composed of people in their 20s and 30s, are on the rise and becoming a social problem. According to data from the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency in October last year, 2,565 people were arrested for organized crime in the region over the past five years, with those in their teens to 30s?the so-called MZ gangsters?accounting for 69.1% (1,773 people) of the total. The number of MZ gangster arrests has been increasing each year.
On the same day, the Incheon District Prosecutors' Office announced that it had brought 97 members of criminal organizations involved in violent crimes in the Incheon area to trial over the past three years. The prosecution stated that the portrayal of gangsters in various media has made the lifestyle seem appealing, leading to a significant increase in young people joining these groups.
In fact, during investigations, one member confessed that he had expected a glamorous and exciting life like those depicted in television shows and movies, but in reality, he was unable to do what he wanted due to being assigned menial tasks and errands by senior members and being mobilized for events.
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