The Challenges of Yakuza in Prison and Their Difficult Path to Reintegration

Your Pokémon card business wasn’t as secure as you thought. A gang leader was recently arrested in Japan for stealing 25 Pokémon cards. Where there is easy money, yakuza are always present. However, even in a strict and orderly Japanese prison, some continue to engage in dubious activities.

Prison Communication Codes

A common practice among yakuza inmates in Japanese prisons is using onomatopoeic sounds to communicate. They use the sound “Z” to warn of an approaching guard, referred to as “chik” in their jargon.

Pride in Imprisonment

Going to prison used to be a source of pride for yakuza, symbolizing sacrifice for the clan. A practice called “issu” involved self-reporting to the police. Yakuza would often confess to crimes they hadn’t committed to protect their superiors. In exchange for this sacrifice, they received a reward upon release. Today, it is often the clan leaders who end up in prison, rather than the subordinates.

Leaving the Clan: An Act of Courage

After serving three years in prison, you feel a deep sense of failure. The yakuza life isn’t for you. But leaving the clan isn’t as simple as handing in a resignation letter. It means breaking the bond of loyalty between you and your Oyabun, an enormous insult and dishonor. To leave alive, you have two options: a large sum of money, which you probably don’t have, or a part of yourself.

Yubitsume: An Act of Apology

Yubitsume, or the cutting of a finger, is a real and still current practice. It involves offering part of your little finger as an apology. This tradition originates from the use of the katana, where the little finger plays a crucial role in grip strength. Cutting this finger symbolizes the loss of half of one’s strength.

According to testimonies, if the Oyabun demands this sacrifice for a fault, it is extremely painful. But if you decide to offer it yourself as an apology, the pain is more psychological than physical. An ex-yakuza recounted trying to cut his finger with a kitchen knife, but it was too thick. He eventually had to use a hammer and scissors.

Reintegration: A Difficult Path

After this sacrifice, you hope to return to a normal life, but it’s not that simple. You need a prosthesis to hide your missing finger, as otherwise, everyone will know you were a yakuza. Artists who create these prostheses make them very realistic, but it costs around 2000 euros.

Additionally, anti-gang laws prevent you from having a bank account for five years after leaving a yakuza clan. You also won’t receive any government assistance, no unemployment benefits, no health insurance, and no pension. These measures make reintegration into society extremely difficult for former yakuza.

Today, this precarious life awaits those who chose to join a yakuza clan. These measures successfully deter especially young people from pursuing a gangster career. Entire clans are disappearing, making way for possibly more savage but less structured criminality.

To Read : The Fascinating Differences of the Japanese Human Body: Between Myths and Realities

Thank you for reading this article. I hope it has helped you see beyond the clichés about yakuza. Feel free to like this article and subscribe for more. See you next time!