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What Gen-Z wants might change the system

How Gen Z Killed the Yakuza Louis Zhao (34.9K subscribers) 1,072,973 views Apr 14, 2025

The video explains that the Yakuza have declined, partly due to changes in laws and policing practices, but also because of a cultural divide between the Yakuza’s strict hierarchical structure and Gen-Z values. As a result of the latter, the Yakuza may struggle to recruit as many new members as they would like. The video also mentions a rise in decentralized crime carried out by digital natives.

However, I don’t find the video entirely convincing in proving that Gen-Z culture is a major factor in the Yakuza’s decline, especially when compared to the decreasing profitability of the Yakuza’s traditional business schemes. The video further argues that the influence of Gen-Z culture extends beyond organized crime: even legal businesses may face difficulties attracting employees unless they adapt their traditional work culture.

The comment below reinforces the cultural aspect of the story.

@amayamarian6657 2 months ago \ It's quite an interesting take, even though I'm actually from Bulgaria and not Japan. I believe it is a worldwide phenomenon about Gen-Z seeking more personal growth or instant gratification, because all of us have seen how overworked and tired our older family members are and how the constant excuse of 'save up for later' consumes them to a point they no longer take time for themselves, they don't seek new opportunities and come to fear change overall which has led to the realization that the overall system isn't made with the individual as the centerpiece but rather for the corporation/institution to keep control over everyone. Not forgetting the significant contribution of technology bringing information from the whole world into a single device for free and creating a culture of sharing the experience of one with all online has interestingly enough created a whole new dimension to multiculturalism where each person's goal is to experience as many things as possible from everywhere while they are alive. \ We are now trying to find hacks in the system to make it work for us and at some point I think that will force a foundational change on all levels even if they don't want to do them, because those high up the hierarchy will be left with no choice as their workforce will simply refuse to work at all otherwise and they will be the ones in a rat race of trying to keep personnel from leaving and seeking what they want elsewhere. Before, the idea of getting fired from someplace would cause panic but now it just causes a shrug of the shoulders because alternatives exist and we are willing to take our chances. The new work saying seems to be along the lines of - If they don't care for me, why should I care for them?

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