Mission Unaccomplished: Japan's Anti-Bôryoku-Dan Law

Abstract

Concern over the growing involvement of yakuza groups in business enterprises and political and administrative decision-making in Japan led to the introduction of the Law to Prevent Unjust Acts by Organized Crime Group Members1 which came into operation on March 1, 1992 (also known as the Anti-bôryoku-dan Law, or Bôtai-hô). At the heart of the legislation is the proscription (or ‘designation’) of criminal organizations. After nearly twenty years of operation, opinions about the Anti-bôryoku-dan Law remain fiercely divided. This article reviews the available evidence of the achievements and failures of the Anti-bôryoku-dan Law and explores the key objectives and provisions of the Act in the light of contemporary patterns of organized crime in Japan.

Keywords: organized crime, Japan, Botaiho, Yakuza

JEL Classification: K14