RE: yakuza, I agree with you in principle, but in practice, I'm not sure if international capitalism will actually effect yakuza. Japan's the #2 economy in the world- if Japan's participation in global capital markets hasn't crushed Japanese organized crime yet, what would be the evidence that it would be crushed in the future?

In general though, organized crime has been falling in influence around the world, be it in Palermo, in New Jersey or in Akasaka (or Osaka for that matter.)

Well said about the yakuza. While they certainly aren't the only vested interests who stand to lose by better transparency and structural reform, I can see why they fan the anti-foreign capital fires as shrilly as they do.

A sort of old book "Authority Without Power" fell into my lap recently... It takes the yakuza as necessary as an enforcer of contracts that the goverment has failed to enforce for hundreds of years. Owing especially to the very independent muras in japan outside the capital, the yakuza have long provided not just alternate economies, but alternate contract (and law) enforcement.

The government has a very long history of being really soft on debt default. At the same time, the muras, with their distaste for the feds, tended to turn to local powers who could be counted on for quick, uncomplicated and reliable conflict resolution, compared to the governments methods.

Hell, the yakuza's fight against modern economic systems predates the meiji constitution.

Japan's the #2 economy in the world- if Japan's participation in global capital markets hasn't crushed Japanese organized crime yet, what would be the evidence that it would be crushed in the future?

Because we are now talking about partial and full foreign ownership of Japanese companies, not just Japanese companies trading in global markets. Now the actual managers and board members will demand a certain economic behavior that is not best served by partnership with underworld elements.

While they certainly aren't the only vested interests who stand to lose by better transparency and structural reform

Seeing the yakuza in decrepit Akasaka makes you realize how much they are a cornerstone of the old system.

Owing especially to the very independent muras in japan outside the capital, the yakuza have long provided not just alternate economies, but alternate contract (and law) enforcement.

When the general economic system avoids "low context" legal structures, it gives powerful elements the ability to quickly gain control.

n general though, organized crime has been falling in influence around the world, be it in Palermo, in New Jersey or in Akasaka

The worst thing to ever happen to the Mafia was the Cold War ending. The U.S. government liked to use the viciously anti-Red organized criminals for all sorts of jobs.

In the U.S. domestically, however, the Kennedy administration did help push out the Mafia from a lot of their mainstream activities. I'm not sure you can say that there was ever a "Big Break" in Japanese yakuza economic power. Clearly, there's been a slow fade, but certain above-the-ground industries are still built upon a base of underworld types.

You ever heard of this? From the Wikipedia article:

Yakuza frequently engage in a uniquely Japanese form of extortion, known as sōkaiya (総会屋). In essence, this is a specialised form of protection racket. Instead of harassing small businesses, the yakuza harasses a stockholders' meeting of a larger corporation. They simply scare the ordinary stockholder with the presence of yakuza operatives, who obtain the right to attend the meeting by a small purchase of stock. They also engage in simple blackmail, obtaining incriminating or embarrassing information about a company's practices or leaders. Once the yakuza gain a foothold in these companies, they will work for them to protect the company from having such internal scandals exposed to the public. Some companies still include payoffs as part of their annual budget.

I once attended a stock holders' meeting as a "bodyguard" to deal with sokai-ya. Luckily the meeting went smoothly, seeing that the last thing I can physically do is drag people out of rooms.

The view from a restaurant high up in the TBS tower provided a wonderful view of Akasaka's massive dirt crater/construction site.

Check out internet cafe 知・好・楽, with free drink vending machines.

Recently saw a Nationalist "show" near Ikebukuro Parco. The trumpet-laden outro, with the main speechmaker bowing on the top of his truck, was quite effective. But the big hinomaru fluttering behind him was filthy. At least take it to a coin laundry before you go out on the streets with it.

Hey I used to work in Akasaka (up on the hill, in the building next to Akasaka Park Bldg), but I can't really remember seeing any Yakuza... Mustn't have paid enough attention!

Whereabouts in Akasaka do you work, Marxy?

hinomaru fluttering behind him was filthy

recently saw a bunch of those black trucks sleeping under the expressway in some no-man'sland around tennouzu/haneda (needless to say no coin-laundries around) - would be pretty hard to keep groomed under such conditions.

I think filth is sometimes supposed to build or demonstrate strength of character, same rationale for schools lacking soap and toilet paper. Real samurai don't need such decadent foreign accoutrements, real samurai use wood:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Nara_period_toilet_paper.jpg

When I worked between Toranomon & Kamiyacho, we used to get groups of about 30 soundtrucks & busses going down Sakurada Dori. They were either just getting done annoying the Russians or on their way to Nagatacho. Would be so loud that no one in the building could do any work while they were around, the fact that traffic was heavy didnt help either.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Nara_period_toilet_paper.jpg

these are great. very lohas, would be great after taking a slow shit

http://libcom.org/library/worker-insurgency-osaka

http://libcom.org/news/article.php/utsobo-park-report-170206

Greetings from Osaka.

"I think filth is sometimes supposed to build or demonstrate strength of character, same rationale for schools lacking soap and toilet paper. Real samurai don't need such decadent foreign accoutrements, real samurai use wood"

If all it takes to be a real samurai is filth, lack of soap, and improvized toilet paper, I'm in.