Quote:
Originally Posted by kyp275
They are? in what way? I think you have a rather peculiar and romantic view on organized crime there.
I suggest you travel down to Mexico and see just how those not-as-tough-as-Yakuza cartels are quivering in fear of Mexico's strict gun control laws. Alternatively you can also try Hong Kong, or Taiwan, or Columbia etc.
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Don't underestimate the yakuza. They may not carry guns around to assert their power, but they are more insidious and effective when it comes to corruption than most forms of known mobs. Even Chinese triads don't need guns to use their power and they usually act with subtle methods. So, John Woo stuff is pure fiction.
BTW, where do you think those Mexican cartels got guns in the first place? Looking North of the US/Mexico border (notably Texas
) is self-explanatory.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Roger Rambo
To be fair, not everyone lives in a city. At least in the United States, there are places where it wouldn't surprise me to hear that 9/11 responders might take up to an hour to arrive. For someone living under those conditions, keeping a shotgun for home defense isn't all that outrageous
Isn't that more of an argument that the Yakuza really AREN'T that powerful? I mean, it sounds like they're more semi tolerated by the Japanese government cause they're not as openly violent as other organized crime syndicates. I'm not sure the Yakuza would be much different (or numerous) than the American mafia if Japanese law enforcement hammered down on the Yakuza in the same way that the FBI does organized crime in America.
Really. The Yakuza aren't afraid of gun control laws. They're afraid that if they're too violent, that law enforcement will stop turning a blind eye to their open existence.
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Oh, dear. There are also Japanese farmers living quite some distance from law enforcement units, but I haven't heard much from THEM needing a gun to protect their landlots from whatever comes in as an intruder.
The yakuza are still powerful because they are part of the Japanese culture and are involved a big lot into human/drug trafficking, gambling, and extortion. However, the recent legislation since 2009 and recent anti-yakuza laws are hammering down organized crime. Since then, it has become harder for the yakuza to maintain their activities. In other words, they are starting to be forced into the underground (like in the West) PLUS the yakuza can't carry guns considering the average jail time for being caught.
Here's the article I mentioned:
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/fd20130106ja.html