Society

Yakuza Gang Boss Shows Me The Dark Side of Japan

Sep 16 (Go With Ali) - In this video, I meet with Yuyama Shinya, a former Yakuza gang boss who spent over eight years behind bars in Japan. Yuyama shares his experiences as a high-ranking member of the notorious Japanese mob, having been arrested 11 times before leaving the Yakuza in 2012.

We dive deep into the dark side of Japan, discussing how the Yakuza operates, including their methods of making money through extortion, protection rackets, and their connections with other criminal organizations like the Triads and Russian mafia.

Yuyama gives me an exclusive tour of an actual Yakuza headquarters, revealing the rituals, initiation ceremonies, and strict rules that govern this secretive criminal world. Afterward, we visit Japan's most famous girl hostess bar, where we continue our conversation about the Yakuza's influence on Japanese society and the complexities of leaving the underworld behind.

Since leaving the life of crime, Yuyama has reformed, now running a YouTube channel and advocating for prison reform in Japan. This is an unmissable insight into the hidden world of the Yakuza, straight from a man who lived it.

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