Jason A. Martin asked:

I don’t know about you, but when I hear about Sapporo, the first thing that comes to mind is beer. I’m a long time Sushi eater and Sapporo is my beer of choice when eating. What you might have not known is that there’s an actual city in Japan called Sapporo. In fact, that’s where the beer comes from. Sapporo is a perfect place for making beer. The hops are excellent and it’s cold.

Sapporo is the capital of Hokkaido Island—located in the West. It’s the fastest growing city in Japan. At last check, there were more than two million living in Sapporo. It is the 5th largest city in Japan.

When many think of Japan, they think of the over crowded life in Tokyo. Life in Sapporo is much different. First of all, the island of Hokkaido is covered with forests. Many Japanese escape to the island and Hokkaido attracts millions of visitors annually. The summer is the peak time.

Earlier I mentioned the beer they make here. Sapporo has been making beer since 1891. If you visit Sapporo, you can take a tour of the facility. It’s one of those must-see attractions. There’s nothing like a fresh Sapporo beer.

Sapporo is also famous for its snow festival, Yuki Matsuri. It takes place for one week each year in February. It continues to grow each year. It started out as a couple of snow sculptures and has now grown to a main event held at multiple sites. Many come for the international snow sculpture competition.

Perhaps the most interest aspect of the Yuki Matsuri is the community effort given to one giant statue each year. If you arrive in Sapporo just before the festival, you can participate in the creating of this statue. It’s advised that you book your stay ahead too. More than two million tourists flood into Sapporo for the Yuki Matsuri.

Another aspect I find interesting about Sapporo, as someone that doesn’t speak fluent Japanese, is the fact that the tourist information centers are English-friendly. They are always staffed with personnel that speak English well. At the International Information Corner, they have maps and information handouts in English. This makes any English-speaking traveler—that doesn’t speak Japanese—at home.

Another great first stop is the Sapporo International Communications Plaza. It’s just across the street from the Tokeidai Clocktower and right by City Hall. It has more literature in English, including newspapers and magazines. You are bound to meet Japanese people there who know English as well. There is so much more to talk about, but this article was meant to wet your whistle for Sapporo, Japan.

Teresita Buenaventura asked:

I always go to forum and message boards and have a good read, and common sentences are “If Filipinos spoke Spanish…”, “Filipinos don’t speak Spanish” “If Filipinos spoke Spanish today…” “Only old Filipinos speak Spanish.” “The only kind of Spanish in the Philippines is Chabacano…”

I’m 24 years old. When I was in Manila two years ago, I visited my great aunt, who I was told was becoming senile, so I assumed that she probably wouldn’t recognize me since it’s been 13 years since she had seen me, but I was amazed that the moment I arrived, walked up the steps to our old Spanish colonial style home, and entered the sala, she called me by my first name and began telling me about how tall I became and how I look so “mestizo” with my brown hair combined with my facial features. I told my great aunt, “No, you look mestiza!” And she laughed and said, “No, I’m an indio!”, the irony being of course that these words were coming out of my great aunt standing there with her porcelain white skin, striking green eyes, sharp pointed nose, and wavy hair that used to be black but is now a beautiful snow white.

Of course, we’re just using the word mestizo in Philippine vernacular referring to appearance. Referring to my previous articles on our blog about the word mestizo, far be it for me to give a lecture to my great aunt about how the word mestizo is being used in a different way in the Philippines and is spreading miseducation among Filipinos about our actual racial ancestry as a country, especially when she’s the one who speaks perfect Spanish and learned it as her first language. But at the same time, it’s also understandable that words change meanings in different countries, and it’s just a natural part of language evolution.

I never thought that I looked Spanish or Latin, but it seems everybody else I ever met that wasn’t a family member or family friend in my entire life always did. But that same thing always happens to my mom and my aunts and uncles, since we don’t have features that are typically Malay. My Filipino friends always told me, “You know you don’t look Filipino…” a comment which is intended to praise you, but at the same time, also made makes one feel excluded. And I always thought it was ironic because I’m not that white looking, there are a lot of Filipinos especially celebrities that have a lot more and stronger European features than I do, compared to the rest of my family, I’m practically an Aeta, hehe. But of course, that’s okay, because Aetas are beautiful people.

I remember I worked for Fuji, the Japanese photo company in New York, and I’d speak in my broken Tagalog to our Filipino clients, “Oh! You’re Filipino!” And a funny thing is because I was used to speaking with my Spanish speaking clients and they always greeted me with “¿Como esta?” whenever they entered my office, so I was used to saying “Bien!”. Well, one day, I was busy doing some work, a woman walked in and she said “¿Como esta?” and I said, “Bien, gracias!”, and I looked up from my work, and realized that it was that nice Filipina woman I knew who was our repeat client, so I scrambled and said, “I mean, mabuti!” Hehe. It was when I looked up at her face I realized that she had said “Kumusta?” not “¿Como esta?”, since to the discerning ear, the way Filipinos and Latinos say this common greeting in our culture is indistinguishable, and it certainly was for me that day and I’ll never forget it, hehe.

So I’m at my great aunt’s house, which is actually the former house of my grandfather, which she inherited when he died. One time, I visited by myself, and after merienda, she sat me down at the window, and we had a long talk in Spanish, about a lot of things, and I kept thinking to myself, why is everybody saying she’s becoming senile when her memory is still there? And in Spanish, I asked her about her life growing up, because I realized that since I hardly visit the Philippines and this is my last connection to my grandparents and to my family history, I have to soak up everything, and I have to find out as much as possible before the inevitable happens. She would speak to our maids in Tagalog, and speak to me in Tagalog and English also, and I’d reply in my broken Tagalog, but mostly in English since my Tagalog is so broken, hehe. But when I switched to Spanish, she spoke only in Spanish to me, and proceeded to scold me in Spanish, saying that I need to do good in school, and do something good with my life, and work hard, etc. which became really irritating since she began to say the same things over and over again. And then I asked her about her childhood, and she told me all kinds of stories, still in Spanish since it was her first language, about World War II, and how my great uncle died in the war, and all kinds of great things that I scrambled to write in a piece of newspaper so I could save it for later.

The thing I noticed was that she seemed okay but a little exasperated when she would conversate with her maids in Tagalog, and it was nice, but when I spoke to her in Spanish, it’s like an entire section of her memories just flooded back to her, and her eyes lit up, and I soon realized that it was because a great portion of her entire childhood and youth was lived in the Spanish language, and to have someone awaken that in her now, it was just an amazing thing to feel. It felt like when I looked into her green eyes and she told me all these stories about her childhood and her university life and the war and about my grandparents, I was literally stepping back in time to a Manila that no longer exists today, I was stepping back in time to my family’s own history, and it was just surreal.

My uncle also visited the house, and we had a short chat in Spanish also. And my aunt, who works in Canada for IBM as…something really high paying, I don’t remember the job title, but I do know it’s a really good position that has to do with the executive level, hehe, I hate that when Filipinos hear that a Filipino works overseas, they always assume that it’s either maid or caretaker or something like that, not that there’s anything wrong with those jobs since they’re very dignified jobs, but not all Filipinos come from the same background, and there are also many Filipinos in this world that are highly educated and entered the U.S. or Canada through scholarships, and that proudly includes my mom and my aunts, anyway, she always tells me how this Spanish woman always likes to chat with her during lunch, because my aunt and uncles also grew up with Spanish (not Chabacano) as their first language, before they learned Tagalog or English.

I hate also when some Filipinos realized that I spoke Spanish, they’d say “Ah, Chabacano?” No, didn’t I just tell you when you asked where I was from that my family is from Manila (and has been for generations ever since our family history has been recorded), not from Zamboanga or Ermita and certainly not from Cavite, although those are beautiful places. And we have family members that speak Spanish, not Chabacano. There are Spanish speakers that are Filipinos that are not from those two provinces, but the miseducation about this topic seems to be deep among Filipinos.

But Chabacano is a beautiful creole language, and I love hearing it being spoken since it’s extremely easy to understand, at least for me, since it’s a mix of Tagalog and other local dialects with Spanish, and I understand Spanish and Tagalog fluently, so put it all together, it’s Chabacano, and I love it, I love hearing it.

It is absolutely true that Spanish is no longer widely spoken in the Philippines, and one step out of the airplane, it doesn’t take long for anybody to realize that, however, the Philippines does have it’s own unique version and accent of Spanish that is not Chabacano, it’s proper Spanish meaning that it’s not a creole, but it’s a Spanish that has it’s own influences from Tagalog, including dental stops between vowels that are influenced from the Malay languages. However, the only people that seem to be researching this very important and endangered part of our heritage are not Filipinos, but are American university scholars, and while Filipinos speaking Spanish today might seem like a grand myth to many young Filipinos, especially those overseas many of whom seem to be completely clueless about it among other things related to Filipino culture, it is in fact real. And it’s real in my own family.

So, the point is, always take everything you read on Filipino forums and message boards with a grain of salt, because all the statements above that I’ve read before, and I’ve heard repeated over and over by other Filipinos, I certainly know for a fact aren’t true considering that I am living proof of it, and so is my family, and I experience it and see it with my own eyes, and I live it everyday.

And don’t forget about the Filipinos celebrities in the public eye who do speak Spanish: Pilita Corrales, Junior, Isabel Preysler, Enrique Iglesias, Julio Iglesias Jr., Shaila Durcal, Tamara Falco, Ana Boyer, Chabeli Iglesias, Carmen Morales, German Moreno, Jaime Fabregas, and many many more.

Just because a Filipino speaks Spanish doesn’t mean that he/she’s not proud to be Filipino. If you consider all of the Filipinos you ever met in this world, sometimes some Filipinos who speak Spanish are even prouder to be Filipino than many Filipinos who don’t.

10x Marketing asked:

If you’ve been putting off taking your website global, think of the income you are missing; Untapped markets await your business. The concept of multiple languages on your website is daunting at first, I know. But thankfully, new technology allows an easy transition to many languages and global accessibility.

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Some businesses focus overwhelmingly on the bottom line; they make expansion a low priority. But if not now, when? If expanding your website is a far off hope, consider making a plan. Set a goal date for when you want to go global. After you find out how easy it is, you may bump up that date.

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It comes down to hiring a professional translation c ompany. The best translation companies use highly advanced software and skilled professionals. Investing in a translation company (rather than using do-it-yourself tools) may be one of the best choices you ever made.

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Make sure the company you choose uses translation software such as a localization tool , which analyzes the dialects of the country to which you aim. Localization is the term for customizing a language to fit specific cultural, legal and technical requirements of a targeted market. For instance, if you geared your business to attract punk rockers in Thailand, you would want a hip, slang-driven linguistic style, totally different from the reverent, spiritual style preferred by elderly Thai.

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Difficulty with localization is one of the leading reasons that businesses give up on taking their product global. But the solution is simple: Hire a professional translation team to take care of it for you.

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Since I assume you do not speak the 14 or so languages that you feature on your website, you’ll have to trust the translation company. This can be the hardest part. To see your website and not have absolute understanding of what it says can be scary, and off-putting. That’s why you need to be sure that the translation company is verified by several big and small businesses. Not only do you want to see that they work with big businesses, but you want evidence of smaller projects, too. If your project is small, ask whom you will be working with, and what specific websites they have translated. Remember, even if the translation company has done big business, it doesn’t mean the translation team they give you has worked on the same big businesses. You’ll want to be sure that even if your project is small, that you’ll be working with experienced professional translators who are familiar with all the best translation software.

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Besides having current software, ask the translation company about individual backgrounds of the translators. What is their level of proficiency in each language? If one of the team is a japanese translator, is he Japanese? If not, how did he come to be fluent in Japanese?

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A key thing to remember is fluency. Non-native speakers, no matter what they claim, rarely attain fluency. It is a fact that most Americans who speak a foreign language overrate their skills. They may say they are fluent, but actually be at a barely conversational level. However, a professional translation company knows this and is usually careful to hire only native speakers or highly talented linguists.

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You will have many questions for the translation company. After you verify their credibility, and the backgrounds of the individual translators you will work with, you’ve got to let them do their thing and trust that it will end well. In the process, don’t be afraid to ask “stupid” questions. After all, you can’t understand all these languages, and you shouldn’t be expected to. So if something looks odd to you, speak your mind.

James Sherard asked:

Meeting members of the opposite sex in Japan is usually not a complicated process, as more often than not the nature of the job, whether it be a businessman or English instructor, will bring you into contact with Japanese in the workplace who would like to get to know you better outside of the office or school. English instructors in particular have an advantage in regard to being able meet Japanese, as many students will let you know indirectly if they are interested in establishing a relationship beyond the classroom, and depending on the school’s policy toward dating students it’s quite easy to meet at a later date for dinner or a drink. For those who don’t want to mix business with romance, one of the best alternatives to meeting Japanese are the many salsa schools that have recently become popular in Japan. Women in these classes usually out number the men, and the lively atmosphere makes it relatively easy to meet someone looking for a dance partner. Yoga classes are also gaining popularity in Japan for both men and women, and are another possibility for meeting people who share the same interests.

For those looking for a more mainstream approach, the large number of gaijin bars that are frequented by both Japanese women and men hoping to meet foreigners are one of the most popular choices, but keep in mind there are usually more foreigners than Japanese present, and the competition can often be fierce. Another method of bringing Japanese and foreigners together are “International Parties” that are often advertised in magazines and newspapers. For a set fee of approximately 5,000 yen you’re able to attend a prearranged party in a restaurant or lounge where you have an opportunity to mingle with others interested in cultural exchange. In a similar venue are international hiking clubs that are now a popular form of meeting people, as most day hikes in the countryside are arranged with an equal number of men and women in mind. Sport clubs still appeal to many people who hope to meet others between workout sets, and the recent influx of Starbucks coffee shops in Japan are usually packed with Japanese women and men who are alone and receptive to conversation.

It’s difficult to discuss cross cultural differences without making generalizations that may or may not be accurate as each case is different, but for the most part Japanese are usually approachable in a social setting even if they appear to be a bit shy or reticent at first meeting. Foreigners who speak Japanese well are obviously going to have an advantage over those whose language skills are limited, and many relationships in Japan fall to the wayside eventually because of this lack of communication. Though mutual attraction is sometimes enough to keep a couple together, those looking long term usually have a better chance of success if one or both partners can speak the other’s native language well. As is the case in most Asian countries, age difference between men and women in Japan is not looked upon as an issue, and you often see couples together whose presence would no doubt turn heads in other parts of the world.

The Japanese view of sex is also quite different from that of the west, and they usually approach it with a more relaxed attitude, as can be witnessed by the large number of “Love Hotels” found in all major cities of Japan which provide a temporary haven for couples in need of privacy. This cavalier attitude can also sometimes be confusing for foreigners, who after becoming infatuated after the first or second date will suddenly find their email and phone messages going unanswered. Though definitely not pleasant for the ego, once it’s understood the Japanese are uncomfortable with direct confrontation and this is their way of letting you and themselves off the hook, it’s usually a bit easier to comprehend and accept. This approach often pertains to long term relationships as well, and there have been many foreigners who after years of being in a relationship suddenly found themselves in the cold for no apparent reason and with no explanation forthcoming. Society’s view of international relationships in Japan seems to be that of resigned acceptance, but don’t be surprised if there is resistance on the part of many Japanese parents in regard to their son or daughter marrying a foreigner. Although this attitude has gradually begun to change over the years, most traditional Japanese still want their children to marry Japanese.

H.silistre asked:

Yakuza images reveal the hierarchy that structures the organization. An obsequious flunky lights a cigarette for a gang leader, who poses with the self-conscious cool of a Hollywood villain; a human pit-bull stands with a bandana tied round his melon-shaped head. Punctuated by gaudy street posters covered in Japanese kanji, the background landscape reveals aged prostitutes, nervous salary men, and the occasional badly beaten victim: in a key image, a major altercation has evidently broken out over a game of Go.

“In terms of operating style the yakuza are not back-alley outfits; they function like large corporations. Like any major business enterprise the crime groups maintain offices that prominently display each group’s logo. Members sport lapel pins and carry business cards identifying their positions within the syndicate. Some gangs even publish their own magazines and internal telephone directories. The almost 9-to-5 normalcy of a typical yakuza member’s day contrasts with that of American ethnic crime groups, which often conduct business in out-of-the-way places and at unusual hours”. Like their counterparts in the legitimate business world, Japanese crime groups appear to be highly profitable entities. While estimating income is difficult given the largely covert nature of yakuza activities, NPA speculated that in 1989 Japanese organized Crime groups earned at least Y1.3 trillion ($9.6 billion at Y135=$1.00). Of this total, Japanese police estimate that about one-third comes from the sale of drugs (primarily amphetamines), another third derives from gambling, extortion and intervention in civil affairs and the remainder comes from miscellaneous activities. Like the Mafia, the yakuza power structure is a pyramid with a patriarch on top and loyal underlings of various ranks below him. The Mafia hierarchy is relatively simple. The capo (boss) rules the family with the assistance of his under boss and consigliore (counselor). On the next level, captains run crews of soldiers who all have associates (men who have not been officially inducted into the Mafia) to do their bidding.

The yakuza system is similar but more intricate. The guiding principle of the yakuza structure is the oyabun-kobun relationship. Oyabun literally means, “Father role”; kobun means “child role.” When a man is accepted into the yakuza, he must accept this relationship. He must promise unquestioning loyalty and obedience to his boss. The oyabun, like any good father, is obliged to provide protection and good counsel to his children. However, as the old Japanese saying states, “If your boss says the passing crow is white, then you must agree.” As the yakuza put it, a kobun must be willing to be a teppodama (bullet) for his oyabun.

The levels of management within the yakuza structure are much more complex than the Mafia’s. Immediately under the kumicho (supreme boss) are the saiko komon (senior adviser) and the so-honbucho (headquarters chief). The wakagashira (number-two man) is a regional boss responsible for governing many gangs; he is assisted by the fuku-honbucho, who is responsible for several gangs of his own. A lesser regional boss is a shateigashira, and he commonly has a hateigashira-hosa to assist him. A typical yakuza crime family will also have dozens of shatei (younger brothers) and many wakashu (junior leaders). A successful candidate for admission into the Mafia must participate in a ceremony where his trigger finger is pricked and the blood smeared on the picture of a saint, which is then set on fire and must burn in the initiate’s hands as he swears his loyalty to the family.

“In the yakuza initiation ceremony, the blood is symbolized by sake (rice wine). The oyabun and the initiate sit face-to-face as their sake is prepared by azukarinin (guarantors). The sake is mixed with salt and fish scales, and then carefully poured into cups. The oyabun’s cup is filled to the brim, befitting his status; the initiate gets much less. They drink a bit, and then exchange cups, and each drinks from the other’s cup.” The kobun has then sealed his commitment to the family. From that moment on, even the kobun’s wife and children must take a backseat to his obligations to his yakuza family.

The yakuza is an all men’s society. They do not trust women. The only visible woman in the group is the boss’ wife, called ane-san. Ane-san means “older sister.” All members give her the same respect as the boss because she is his wife. However, she does not get involved in the business. Her position in the group is the boss’ wife, and not a member of a group.

The yakuza do not trust women because they believe that women are e weak. They believe that women cannot fight like men, that women are not born to fight. To a yakuza member, the most important thing is courage. If there is a battle, you must be ready to fight to the death, rather than lose the battle. Yakuza members must be willing to die for their boss. They feel women are born to be mothers and to take care of their husbands. This may sound old-fashioned, but all yakuza members believe that women should stay home and take care of the children and not meddle in men’s business.

Another reason the yakuza do not allow women in their organization is that no one can talk about the group to outsiders. The yakuza do not believe that women are strong enough to keep silent if interrogated by the police or their enemies. If anyone speaks out, that will be the end of the group. For all of these reasons, the yakuza are a man’s society.

The yakuza have their own unique way of apologizing when they make a mistake, or do something wrong. It is called “Yubizume. ” Yubizume is the act of cutting off their little finger and giving it to the person they are apologizing to. In the yakuza society, if an m ember is jailed for any reason, he gains prestige when he is released from police custody

The yakuza mainly make their living through unlawful b businesses, such as gambling, drugs, prostitution and loan-sharking. Most of the money comes from gambling, most often from dice games. Each group has its own gambling room, which is usually behind a bar or restaurant. Food and drinks are served, but the e main purpose is gambling. The group chooses the gamblers. If they do not know them, they cannot gamble. The yakuza do not want the police to know about their business.

The yakuza also make money from prostitution. They hire young girls whose are younger than eighteen years old. There are many ways to make a profit from this business, but the most popular one is the “date club.” Some groups make more than a million dollars a month from this business. The date club is a men’s club. There is a membership fee of at least one thousand dollars to join. Most of the customers are the rich middle-aged men, such as doctors, lawyers, and company presidents. Club members are shown young girls’ pictures to choose from, and a date with the chosen girl is arranged. The men then have to pay a fee of about two hundred dollars for the date, and all expenses. After the date, the customer calls the club and tells them whether they liked the girl, and whether or not they would like another date. To have sex with the girl can cost at least one thousand dollars. The hiring of high school students as prostitutes is against the law. However, some high school students are willing to work as prostitutes as they can earn much more money than from any other part-time job.

Most of the money that the yakuza make is spent on the purchase of weapons. Each group has its own territory. The territory is very important to the yakuza. When they do business, they cannot break into each other group’s territory. If one group tries to break into another’s territory it must be protected, usually through violence.

In Japan, the general public cannot have a weapon without a permit, but the yakuza do not respect the law. Many citizens become victims of the yakuza’s battles. When they are fighting, each group tries to kill the boss of the other group, because a group without a boss is weak and has no power to fight. For all members, the boss is God. Without him, they cannot do anything. Whoever wins the battle takes over the group that lost and their territory.

It is easy to see why the yakuza are so famous in many countries, and feared and hated by many people. The yakuza do not follow the law. They also have illegal businesses, and have had many battles, which have killed innocent citizens. This continues to be one of the biggest social problems in Japan.

If a yakuza member displeases or severely disappoints his boss, the punishment is often yubizume, the amputation of the last joint of the little finger. A second offense will require the severing of the second joint of that finger, and additional offenses might require moving on to the next finger. A man knows that he must commit yubizume when his immediate superior gives him a knife and a string to staunch the bleeding. Words are not necessary. The origin of this practice dates back to the days of the samurai. Removing part of the smallest finger weakens the hand for holding the sword. When a katana (the samurai long sword) is gripped properly, the pinkie is the strongest finger. The ring finger is the second strongest, middle finger third strongest, and the index finger does almost nothing. With a damaged hand, the swordsman became more dependent on his master for protection. Today this ritual maiming is entirely symbolic, but it serves to make a point with delinquent kobun, and it shows that the yakuza, like their Mafia counterparts, abide by the old saying: “Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.”

Like the Mafia, the yakuza in recent years have been forced to lower their standards when recruiting new members, and as a result some feel that they are neither as organized nor as powerful as they once were. In the past, choice recruits came from the traditional bakuto (gambler) and tekiya (peddler) classes, but today a rebel spirit and a willingness to commit crime for an oyabun is all that is necessary to join the yakuza ranks. Most new members currently come from the bosozuku (speed tribes), street punks known for their love of motorcycles.

This lowering of standards has led to the Japanese National Police Agency adopting the term boryokudan ({the violent ones}) for the yakuza, lumping them in with other criminal groups. The yakuza, which treasure their ancestral ties to the old samurai, reject the term and consider it an insult.

The origin of the yakuza is a matter of some debate. Some feel that its members are descendents of the 17th-century kabuki-mono (crazy ones), outlandish samurai who reveled in outlandish clothing and hairstyles, spoke in elaborate slang, and carried unusually long swords in their belts. The kabuki-mono was also known as hatamoto-yakko (servants of the shogun). During the Tokugawa era, an extended period of peace in Japan, the services of these samurai were no longer needed, and so they became leaderless ronin (wave man). Without the guidance of a strong hand, they eventually shifted their focus from community service to theft and mayhem.

Modern yakuza members refute this theory and instead proclaim they to be the descendents of the machi-yokko (servants of the town) who protected their villages from the wayward hatamoto-yakko. The official yakuza history portrays the group’s ancestors as underdog folk heroes who stood up for the poor and the defenseless, just as Robin Hood helped the peasants of medieval England.

Current yakuza members fall under three general categories: tekiya (street peddlers), bakuto (gamblers), and gurentai (hoodlums). The peddlers and gamblers trace their roots back to the 18th century while the hoodlums came into existence after World War II when the demand for black market goods created a booming industry. Traditionally the tekiya, medieval Japan’s version of snake-oil salesmen, worked the fairs and markets while the bakuto worked the towns and highways. The gurentai, by contrast, modeled themselves on American gangsters of the Al Capone era, using threats and extortion to achieve their ends. After World War II, in the governmental power void caused by the Occupation, the gurentai prospered, and their ranks swelled. They also brought organized crime in Japan to a new level of violence, replacing the traditional sword with modern firearms, even though guns were now officially outlawed in the country as a result of the surrender.

Yakuza also satisfy the desire of would-be gun owners in Japan, where guns of all kinds are prohibited. Yakuza members themselves are the prime market for firearms, and they favor the sleekest automatic handguns from Europe and America, often trading drugs for weapons. The yakuza specialize in the production and sales of met amphetamine (given the frenetic pace and competitive atmosphere of Japanese society, speed is the national drug of choice) and the yakuza frequently use it to barter with Western arms suppliers.

The yakuza also make millions of dollars a year through corporate extortion, and the sokaiya (shareholders’ meeting men) are the masters of this enterprise. Sokaiya will buy a small number of shares in a company so that they can attend shareholders’ meetings. In preparation for the meeting, the sokaiya gather damaging information about the company and its officers; secret mistresses, tax evasion, unsafe factory conditions, and pollution are all fodder for the sokaiya. They will then contact the company’s management and threaten to disclose whatever embarrassing information they have at the shareholders’ meeting unless they are “compensated.” If management does not give in to their demands, the sokaiya go to the shareholders’ meeting and raise hell, shouting down anyone who dares to speak, making a boisterous display of their presence, and shouting out their damaging revelations. In Japan, where people fear embarrassment and shame much more than physical threats, executives usually give the sokaiya whatever they want.

Organized crime groups in Japan — known loosely as the yakuza — in recent years have proven to be far more than gangs of thugs that oversee extortion, gambling, prostitution and other “traditional” gangster activities. Developments during the past year have revealed that the yakuza, having bought up real estate and stocks in the late 1980s, are playing a bigger hand in the Japanese economy. While organized crime groups for much of the postwar period have enjoyed an unusual degree of tolerance by the Japanese public as well as the police, recent scandals involving billions of yen linked to yakuza-related firms or individuals have sounded alarms in Tokyo. There is increasing concern in some business and government quarters that the Japanese underworld is developing the sort of financial muscle that could threaten the economic order.

“The exotic appearance of yakuza members and their peculiar samurai-type rituals (the top of a gang member’s smallest digit is severed and presented to his leader as atonement for a grievous error) certainly distinguish the Japanese mob from underworld syndicates based in the United States and Europe. The yakuza in recent years have diversified their portfolio of illegal activities to include loan sharking, company racketeering and extortion-type intervention in civil disputes and real estate transactions.”

“Possibly buying into the yakuza’s Robin Hood image, ordinary Japanese citizens at times turn not to lawyers and the courts but to mobsters to help them resolve civil disputes that would be extremely difficult, time-consuming and expensive to pursue through the Japanese legal system. These disputes primarily concern private and commercial debts and personal injuries, although organized crime experts also believe that the mob is involved in the settlement of most automobile accident cases. While the yakuza in these instances may be regarded as filling a need created by the dearth of lawyers in Japan, gangsters — being outside the law — also have been known to initiate traffic accidents as one means of extorting money from people.”

The yakuza’s motives rarely are above reproach. One could argue that gangsters, in fact, have learned how to exploit effectively the Japanese tendency to utilize personal relations, rather than legal measures, to resolve disputes.

This is not to suggest that Japanese police completely look the other way when it comes to the mob. Over the years Japanese law enforcement officials, who have been admired the world over for their high standard of discipline, have staged numerous raids on various yakuza offices. These assaults have tended, however, to be more a show of police muscle than a genuine attempt to shut down gangster operations.

One of the main reasons that the yakuza can operate “aboveground” is because the groups are not illegal. There are no statutes in Japan comparable to this country’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act of 1970. RICO authorizes U.S. law enforcement officials to investigate and to ultimately arrest any individual, partnership, corporation, association or other legal entity as well as any union or group of individuals “associated in fact” for engaging in a pattern of criminal activities in furtherance of racketeering. Organized crime experts also note that weaknesses in Japan’s criminal law also have made it difficult to prosecute the perpetrators of bribery, extortion, money laundering or other yakuza lines of business.

Public Acceptance - Until recently there has been an unusually high degree of tolerance by the Japanese public for the yakuza. As long as mobsters did not prove too disruptive, the police, in particular, stayed out of their way. Some analysts attribute this acceptance to the yakuza’s skill at public relations and the fact that the public has come to rely on gangsters to satisfy certain economic, political, legal or societal needs that the government cannot, or will not, address.