Ranks and Structure within the Yakuza

The ladder that leads up in the Japanese syndicate is hard and arduous. Non-Japanese aren´t often allowed into it´s ranks, the main exception being Korean-Japanese applicants. At the head of the organization stands the Oyabun (literally: father role). He alone decides if new inductees are accepted into the family or not. Those who join the Yakuza sever all ties to their former families, their main loyalty is forever with the Oyabun.

The Oyabun and the new kobun (literally: child role) drink sake mixed with salt and fish scales together, while the kobun announces his loyalty to the Yakuza and his Oyabun´s clan. The kobun is expected to serve as his oyabun´s teppodama (bullet) from now on and forever. Most kobun start out at low ranks, but that´s entirely up to the Oyabun. Traditional ranks are:

Kumicho (Supreme Boss)

Saiko Komon (Senior Advisor)

Sohonbucho (Headquarter´s chief)

Wakagashira (A regional boss supervising many gangs)

Fuko-honbucho (Supervisor of several gangs)

Shateigashira (Lesser regional boss)

Shateigashira-hosa (Assistants to the Shateigashira)

Wakashu (Junior leaders)

Shatei (Younger brothers)

Still, if confronted with the Oyabun, even the highest ranking Yakuza is no more or less than a kobun and expected to be loyal in all things. The basozuku, with their tendency to resemble American biker gangs more than anything else, are the main source of dissonance in this strict hierarchy. They are also the main source of new ideas introduced to the syndicate.