Japanese Gangsters

photo credit: Carley Evans
Christian Caryl and Akiko Kashiwagi write for NEWSWEEK:

If you ever want to see Japanese gangsters at work, look no further than Tokyo's Shinjuku area, which holds a Tori-No-Ichi festival each November. Members of the yakuza, Japan's storied mafia, show up to accept tribute from business owners in the nearby red-light district, who shell out hard cash to ensure the coming year will be free from "difficulties." It's a system that's gone on for decades, if not longer. Except that nowadays the gangsters use computer spreadsheets to track payments and coordinate by text message.

As the scene in Shinjuku suggests, the Japanese mob is still very much alive, and parts of it are thriving. But years of recession, forced restructuring and global competition haven't just changed the way Japan Inc. does business; they've also forced Japan's criminals to adapt. Back when the country's economy was booming, a hood's work was fairly predictable: gambling, protection rackets, and maybe a little drug dealing could ensure a comfortable life. But nowadays, in an age of tougher laws, greater competition and a shrinking, aging domestic market, only those gangsters who can change with the times are flourishing; others are growing poor or dropping out entirely.

Threading the Way through Shinjuku

Shinjuku at night. This is an area of Tokyo that at night is filled with young men in black suits with white shirts standing in the middle of streets talking on cell phones. These men are, according to Kim, either mafia boys or men who are "paid to have conversations."

At any rate, the young men have teased red hair sometimes. Other times, black straight hair to just below the chin.

The young women are dressed in a variety of outfits from baby doll to shorts with black thigh-high tights. Every gal is in high heels.

People are wall-to-wall, like moving through a moving maze.

Liz and Kim

Liz, a friend of my daughter's, and Kim, my daughter. We are on our way to a Chinese restaurant for duck on the bone (yuck!) and other better food choices. Liz is a member of Japan Study at Wasada University along with Kim. She goes to NYU. She gave me a birthday card! Wow.

When we arrived at the Chinese restaurant in Shinjuku, there were tables before us but the hostess said "no table; have to wait 2 hrs." When we agreed to wait for her to call us on Kim's cell phone, she looked so surprised.

Less than 10 minutes after we left, she called to say, "Table ready; we had a cancellation."

So, back we went. Food was good except for the duck on the bone. Bad choice.