Yakuza no longer Japan's top crime group

Figures from Japan’s National Police Agency (NPA) have revealed that the yakuza are no longer considered the countries top crime group.

The National Police Agency (NPA) announced on Thursday 3rd April that in the preceding year, over 10,000 individuals were apprehended for criminal activities associated with “anonymous and fluid criminal groups,” commonly referred to as ‘tokuryū’, which encompass offenses such as fraud and or illicit part-time employment, referred to as ‘yami baito’.

The term ‘tokuryū’ was specifically coined by the NPA to define a novel form of criminal organization that has emerged as a substitute for traditional yakuza syndicates.

These ‘tokuryū’ groups are characterized by anonymous masterminds who generate profits by recruiting individuals to execute criminal acts through social media platforms, thereby concealing the direct link to the criminal enterprise.

‘Tokuryū’ groups operate under anonymity by exploiting platforms such as social media to target individuals without the need for a face-to-face meeting

These groups are deeply implicated in a range of illicit activities, including fraud, scams conducted through social media, crimes related to host clubs, and the ‘yami baito’ robberies that occurred with notable frequency within the Tokyo metropolitan area during the past year, whereby unsuspecting victims looking for employment were exploited.

Out of the 10,105 individuals taken into custody, 2,655 were arrested for fraud-related offenses, 991 for theft, 917 for drug-related offenses, 348 for robbery, and 292 for violations of the adult entertainment business act.

You’re now less likely to run into yakuza in areas like Tokyo’s Kabukicho, but this doesn’t mean that crime in Japan doesn’t exist

Among those arrested, 1,011 were identified as ringleaders or individuals who issued instructions.

Approximately 90% of those apprehended were perpetrators, including individuals who received fraudulently obtained funds, and roughly 40% were recruited into these criminal activities via social media platforms.

In a contrasting trend, the NPA reported that the number of arrests involving members of traditional organized crime groups totaled 8,249 in the preceding year, reflecting a decrease of 1,361 from the previous year, marking the lowest recorded number.

Arrests of members of traditional crime groups, including the yakuza, are now at the lowest ever recorded

The power and influence of traditional organized crime groups continue to diminish, as evidenced by the total number of full members, which stood at 9,900 as of the end of 2024, a reduction of 500 from the preceding year.

When so-called quasi-members are included, the total figure was 18,800, representing a decrease of 1,600, and marking the first time that the total number has fallen below 20,000 members.

However, there are confirmed instances of ‘tokuryū’ funds being transferred to traditional organized crime groups, and the NPA suspects that some organized crime groups may be directly controlling these ‘tokuryū’ groups.

Source: Jiji