The Guardian reports that more than a decade of police crackdowns on major gangs and economic uncertainty are making it harder for the yakuza to tempt young men with promises of easy money.
For the first time since records began in 2006, 51% of regular yakuza members are aged 50 or over, according to a new report by the national police agency. Less than 15% are under 40, and those over 70 account for just over 10% of total membership.
Stricter laws, including those targeting businesses with links to gangs that had once operated with near-impunity, have made a life of crime increasingly unappealing. Yakuza members are forbidden from opening bank accounts, obtaining a credit card, taking out insurance policies or even signing a contract for a mobile phone.
“My generation dreamed about becoming high-ranking gang members who were popular with women, had money and drove fancy cars,” a former gangster who retired in his 70s told the Asahi Shimbun. “But the times have changed. Young people today don’t like the idea of being tied down to a gang.”