Nishimura Mako, the only female yakuza in history

The truth is that Yakuza is uncharted territory for any beginner in this field, An area that has apparently escaped the Western gaze, And like everything else you want to know, it requires the time and trust of its protagonists. This is exactly what Baradell did, who had been studying the yakuza from the inside for years and managed to win Nishimura’s friendship. “From a very young age I had a passion for violence” or “I was very good at fighting, I never lost to any man,” These were some of the confessions he made to Barradel. And contrary to what we think or know about other mafias, lYakuza is a legal organization in Japan.

“I met Mako through another researcher Who wrote about him. After chatting with him several times, one day he asked me if I wanted to go to dinner with him. I accept. She seemed alert and not particularly talkative. We had a pleasant evening and exchanged contact information. I visited him on a few occasions and we became close,” Baradell told ABC.

And he says what’s special about the Yakuza is that “they find themselves in a kind of gray zone, in which many of their activities are somewhat restricted, but they can still exist in the light of day. For example, they have offices where I go sometimes and somehow they are recognized as one. Semi-legitimate group that can carry out illegal activities, And belonging to it is like being part of a family with marked traditions, which is why Nishimura’s case is even more fascinating.

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Nishimura came from a family of civil servants with a penchant for strictness and began breaking with established conventions from an early age, passing through several juvenile detention centers. As a teenager “he often joined motorcycle gangs, where CHe met a young Jacob with whom he went about his “errands.”“That’s how he came up with the business idea,” says Baradell.

And he says that one night Nishimura had to come to the rescue of his friend who was being brutally beaten. His success against attackers, attracted the attention of the local mafia. He suggested him to join one of the Yakuza groups. She met a leader she liked, so when he offered her a position, she accepted and took the next step. Baradell says, “Nishimura appreciated the spirit of the yakuza, he was comfortable with violence and had already learned the ins and outs, so he decided to join in.”

Photos of their ‘Sakazuki’ ceremony, which is initiation ritual Yakuza’s, in which she is seen wearing a man’s kimono, supports this. “It is a very long and elaborate ceremony, the boss and the new member drink the same cup or the same sake, symbolizing their relationship as ‘oyabun’ (father figure/boss) and ‘kobun’ (child figure = colleague) “It is formalized,” describes Baradell. This is a pledge of loyalty to the Japanese mafia.

Furthermore, Nishimura insists on saying at all times that there were no differences due to her being a woman. He always treated her like a man, “He never had any connections with the other members and just did what everyone else did,” says Baradell.

His acceptance into Yakuza was a milestone. Baradell tells us that the role of women in Yakuza is generally peripheral. boss’s wife, Aneson’s role is somewhat ceremonial, as she looks after some young recruits or makes communication more fluid with members and her husband. And in case of the boss’s widow, they can also choose a successor. “but usually, They are not involved in business, However, as the Yakuza situation has become more difficult over the past 10 or 15 years, and many cannot earn a living, I believe that women’s contribution is increasingly essential,” Barradel explains.

Nishimura collected loans or patronage money, managed some establishments. And in the process he gained the nickname ‘Master of Finger Biting’, He had cut off his own little finger. And he realized that he had skills with a knife and that he was cold-blooded for this kind of thing. So when his comrades did not dare to amputate one of his limbs, he asked Nishimura to do it for them.

“You can’t force someone to be a yakuza.”

Over time, the Yakuza’s methamphetamine business became addictive to him, to the extent that he created a parallel network outside the organization, and this led to his expulsion. During that time she fell in love with a member of a rival gang and became pregnant. That was his first attempt to leave the organization. But Japanese society does not easily accept the former mafia member and his tattoos highlight that past. So a dejected Nishimura decided to return to his people.

She married the man she had fallen in love with who became Yakuza’s boss. She had a second child with him, but the relationship became strained and they divorced. Her husband kept the custody of both the children. And although he tried to return to his old yakuza group, things were no longer the same, and he eventually left.

“Maybe there is some misunderstanding.” Can you leave Jacob?: In some cases it may be more difficult, you may have to pay something, but in the end it depends on your boss. “They can’t force anyone to become a yakuza,” says Barradel.

Furthermore, the researchers clarify that yakuza are not subject to government control unless they threaten national security or public order and morality. In fact, he clarifies that “the Japanese government chose a communication strategy, that is, traditionally the police and yakuza speak and maybe exchange of requests, rather than criminalization. The low levels of violence displayed by this group, as well as the fact that Yakub have had many ties to the government, particularly in the past, supported this decision. However, with the recent new regulations the situation is changing and the Yakuza has changed Criminalization is increasing rapidlyToIt’s still legal though,” says Baradell.

As for Nishimura, he went to jail for some of his crimes. And the current Mako, Barradel, would be described as a woman who has made some mistakes, but is paying for them. “Their side is tough,” he says, “but I can see their humanity and vulnerability.” However, There are still gaps in its history that remain to be understood. To understand Nishimura Mako in photos 20 years old and thirty years later.