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| Despite appearances, Yakuza are mainly about self-preservation |
The members of the Yamaguchi-gumi gangs loyal to Tsukasa ostensibly outnumber those of the Kobe Yamaguchi-gumi gangs seven to three. Rumors are circulating, however, that about 1,000 Yamaguchi-gumi gang members in Kyūshū formerly aligned with Tsukasa have gone over to the Kobe Yamaguchi-gumi.
I asked a senior member of a Kyūshū-based gang unaffiliated with the Yamaguchi-gumi about the outlook for relations between the rival syndicates. He opined that the two are likely to opt for peaceful coexistence.
"Some minor run-ins occurred after the split," explained the gangster, "but nothing serious. The mass media are playing this up as if a full-blown gang war were about to break out. But that strikes me as impossible. If a war broke out, the leaders of both sides would get hauled off as the perpetrators. The authorities could dig up old stuff about the top bosses and use even small-time infractions to put them away. That would screw things up in a big way for the syndicates.
"Once, the crack up of a big syndicate would put everyone around on edge. But this time, people are staying cool. And why not? Nearly everyone knows it would be dumb to make a fuss. I figure that the two organizations will get along."
http://www.nippon.com/en/currents/d00205/?pnum=2
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