Heisei Yakuza: Burst Bubble and Botaiho

This paper explores developments in the business activities of the yakuza/boryokudan (Japan's organized crime syndicates) following the end of the Showa period in 1989. Since then, the yakuza have had to contend with two events which have had profound effects on their economic environment: the collapse of Japan's bubble economy right at the beginning of the new era, and the introduction of the boryokudan countermeasures law (Botaiho) in 1992. Whilst post-bubble economic stagnation has deprived the yakuza of many lucrative opportunities, it has compensated them with others.The Botaiho ,b y imposing new restrictions on formerly legal yakuza activities, made these sources of income more costly and thereby similarly forced gang-members to develop new sources of income. In particular, amphetamine dealing and organized theft rings have grown in response to the 'double punch' of the bubble and the Botaiho.The paper concludes by suggesting that the continuing economic hardship faced by the yakuza is weakening the intra- and inter-organizational mechanisms by which they have tried to stabilize their world.