with the rest of Japan's penal institution inhabitants (Economist, 1990, p. 20). Clearly, the yakuza are indeed different.
The yakuza is a peculiar symbol for the Japanese. Many Japanese until recently have thought of the yakuza as less than a criminal element. After all, many Japanese regard the yakuza as having samurai values, in that yakuza groups have group loyalty and rules: honor among thieves. For many Japanese, the yakuza represent a link to Japan's romantic past, a past which was represented by honor and dignity in the minds of many Japanese. Perhaps the yakuza seems to conjure up a bit of constancy in the midst of Japan's introspective crisis of the l990s. The yakuza is still seen romantically, at least in popular images on screen, as "Robin Hood" types who rob from the rich and provide for the less fortunate in Japanese society. In addition, the yakuza provides a place for the burakamin (regarded as an untouchable caste in Japan) and for Japanese of Korean descent. Both groups are still regarded as having a social stigma in Japan (Economist, 1990, p. 20).
The yakuza are also well known for their bodily trademarks. Most yakuza sport elaborate tattoos. The tattoos cover the men from head to toe and are distinctively provided by specific tattoo artists. Many of the gangsters have "perm" hairstyles. Perhaps one of the most bizarre rituals of the yakuza is the practice of lopping off digits from their hands. Typically, if a kobun (child in Japanese) makes a mistake or is questioned for his loyalty to the oyabun (boss), then the underling will chop off his little finger above the second joint and send it to the boss as proof of his loyalty. With the rising unpopularity of the yakuza, however, some doctors are making a good living removing tattoos and fitting prosthetic fingers to former yakuza members (Efron, 1997, p. A1).
The yakuza is represented by three major families in Japan. The most prevalent is the Kobe based Yam...