An Inside Look At Organized Crime In Japan

http://www.npr.org/blogs/pictureshow/2012/08/20/159404527/an-inside-look-at-organized-crime-in-japan

In the West, there's the mafia. In Japan, it's the yakuza.

The yakuza is an integral part of society but — unlike other crime organizations — it doesn't operate entirely in secret. Yakuza are often well-known in their neighborhoods and have plainly marked public offices. In fact, Business Insider has reported how they quickly offered aid in the wake of Japan's recent natural disasters — faster than even the Japanese government.

But it has a heavy hand in all the obvious things — like crime and prostitution. And The New York Times estimated in 2010 that it controlled approximately 22 trillion yen (back then, about $242 billion).