How will the “semi-gres” groups, which are gaining momentum, move in 2023?
While the number of gangs in Japan is on a downward trend due to increased restrictions on their activities as a result of the Anti-Boryokudan Law and the Gang Exclusion Ordinances that have been established nationwide, there are concerns about the activities of anti-social forces known as “semi-gres,” or “semi-gres” groups. The police authorities have positioned the “semi-gres” groups as “quasi-boryokudan” and are making efforts to understand their organizations and members, but they are not organized enough to be called an organization, and members move freely in and out of the group. Most are young people in their 20s to 40s. A senior law enforcement official said, “The members are fluid and elusive, but when they band together as a group, they are as violent and dangerous as the Yakuza.
In the case of gangs, the organization is structured in the form of a pyramid with a clan leader at the top, and young members are welcomed as members of the organization after receiving a sake cup from the leader. Once they become a member, the hierarchical relationship is strong and absolute obedience is required. A senior official of a designated gang said, “When you are a youngster, you live in the boss’s house and office and take care of the cleaning, laundry, and meals. When the boss goes out, they also serve as chauffeurs.
He also pointed out, “Young people these days probably don’t like these yakuza rules and customs. That is why there are few who want to become yakuza. But if they still want to live like yakuza, many of them become semi-gres.
The law regulating gangs as organizations is the Anti-Boryokudan Law, which was enacted in 1992. The Anti-Boryokudan Law designates organized crime groups as “designated boryokudan,” prohibits the collection of bouncer fees from downtown restaurants and the collection of unjustified debts, and also includes provisions such as restrictions on the use of offices during conflicts. In the event of a violation, a cease and desist order is issued. Further violations may result in arrest.
The following three conditions are necessary for designation: (1) “obtaining funds through coercive activities as a gang,” (2) “having a certain percentage or more of members with criminal records,” and (3) “having a hierarchical organization in the form of a pyramid with a clan leader at the top. Currently, 25 organizations have been designated, including Yamaguchigumi VI, Sumiyoshi-kai, and Inagawa-kai.
A senior police investigator explains the actual situation of the semi-gres in light of these requirements of the Violence Against Boryokudan Law.
The organizational structure of the semi-gres is not a pyramid, nor is it clear, and there does not appear to be a hierarchy. The members of the group are always in flux and cannot be determined. However, it is true to say that they meet the requirements of the Violence Prevention Law in that they are funded by coercive activities with a background of violence. ……
