Featured Usagi the Yakuza Gangster

I deeply feel that God has sometthing great for Usagi to accomplish. He has great potential for the Lord.

 

As Bob has noted, Usagi was (and still is) being tested.

One day there came a knock at his door of his tiny apartment. When he opened it, there stood a police detective and several other policemen. (The yakuza slang word is satsu, which is a shortened form of the regular word for police, keisatsu.)

"We have a warrant to search this apartment," said the detective. "You are suspected of dealing in drugs, and we believe there are drugs hidden here.

"Come right in," said Usagi, deeply surprising the policemen. This was not their usual response from a known drug dealing yakuza gangster when presented with a search warrant. Usagi continued, "I don't sell drugs any more. I'm a Christian now. I go to church every Sunday!" And the surprise on the face of the hardened policemen, used to dealing with a completely different kind of yakuza.

They searched the entire apartment, which didn't take long. As you enter, you take your shoes off in the genkan, then step up to the main floor. You look left and see a small furo room with the traditional bath tup in which you sit up, unlike an American tub. You take another step and there is the tiny toilet room, separate from the furo room. Already on your right is the kitchenette, really nothing more than a hallway to the main room, which is about 8' by 8'. There was Usagi's futon bed, just a mat on the floor. To the left on the front wall is a ladder to a tiny loft, which can be used for sleeping or storage.

The policemen left empty handed that day, shaking their heads in wonder. A yakuza turned Christian? How had that happened? But Usagi was filled with joy. Though still on the yakuza rolls, he was one with them no longer. He would never again sell drugs. He had clearly come out for Christ.

 

Now, what was the good and bad news previously mentioned that Usagi received? In November he came to me at church with his news. "Pastor, I'm all better. The doctor says the interferon treatments have succeeded and my hepatitis is virtually gone."

"That's wonderful," I said, wondering why he brought this great news, this tremendous answer to prayer so glumly. After all, hadn't we been praying for this ever since we met him?

"No, it's not so good," Usagi replied seriously. "It means I'll lose my government stipend for hepatitis patients. What will I do for money? Where will I live? How can I get by?"

I suggested getting a normal job. However, being a member of the yakuza made that very difficult. At one time since we had met he tried working on a road crew in a legit company run by the yakuza, but in his weakened condition it turned out to be too difficult for him. What was the answer? Deep down I knew, and I think that deep down he knew too, that in order to live a normal life he would have to take the legal route to quit the yakuza. This meant going to the police.

 

So, what's a poor yakuza to do when he wants to reform? He must go to the police and ask for what is called a hamonjo (破門状), or a "certificate of separation." To Usagi, though, this would be a betrayal of friends he's known for 40 years, people who have done big favors for him. He would then be a "back-stabber," the Japanese word for traitor. However, he knows they are wicked people, and he is now traveling a new path, following the Lord. So he is very conflicted.

Recently I told him that he was eventually going to have to choose either the yakuza or the Christian life, quoting the Scripture to him, "No man can serve two masters." He replied with a wry grin, "You know, that's what the godfather said to me recently."

He has come so far. Recently he said to me that he would die for Jesus Christ. Then as he went out the door of the church after the service he said, "Pastor, I really respect you."

The story is not over, but I've now brought you up to today in the saga of Usagi the yakuza gangster. I believe he'll make the right choices, but he certainly needs prayer. Please pray for him to make the right decisions, and for me to give the right counsel to him.

I'll let you know how things turn out.

 

Thanks, men. I just got a call from him a little while ago. He wants counseling but didn't say what about. He's moved, and apparently no longer has a car, which is a good sign since the car was being provided by the godfather. I'll probably be able to visit and counsel him on Saturday.

 

I believe Usagi just turned 60, meaning he thinks he can get Japanese social security payments to help him out.

 

Sorry to hear about your situation, brother. I'll pray for you and Mrs. Vicki.

 

Hi, Bob. Thanks for asking.

I was looking on my Japanese computer at the church and found a file from when he told me about his childhood and youth, and will post that information maybe Sun. afternoon.

Also, I met him for coffee and counseling last Tuesday, and plan to post about that session soon. In the mean time, thank you for your prayers. He and I really need them right now.

 

Well, I've been working to get Usagi out of his jam. For two Tuesdays I've taken him for counseling to a nice little snack shop I know where they have wonderful cinnamon coffee. They make a cup of good, strong java, add some cinnamon and whipped cream. They know me there and always know what I want. Delicious!

The yakuza godfather won't give Usagi a "certificate of separation." The police won't recognize him as quitting the yakuza. They say he's always at the yakuza office, which they keep a watch on, so he must be a full member, even though he assures them his name is not on a "fuda" (wooden plaque) on the list of first tier yakuza, of which there are only about thirty in this gang. But he is a second tier man--which he divulged to me in our first session of cinnamon coffee two weeks ago. This was truly disappointing, since he was promoted to the second tier 1 1/2 year ago, which was after I baptized him. But he says they took advantage of him in a weak moment. (Until then he was a third tier man, meaning he ran his own little affiliated gang of six to eight drug pushers--which no longer exists.)

He feels his only option now is to flee the city. I have been working on a possibility for that in a small town in N. Hokkaido where a missionary friend of mine ministers. There are none of his gang there--but also few jobs and precious little else to do. But that of course means there are fewer ways for Usagi to get into trouble.

I've not yet heard from my missionary friend. I wouldn't blame him at all if he refused the assignment. But as I've told Usagi, the will of God is best, whatever that is. I've also told him that God can do miracles, and the godfather could be made by God to give him a certificate of separation. Still praying!

 

Thanks for the concern, but:

(1) The local yakuza are not generally savvy in either the Internet or English. Those things take actual work and study!

(2) I have changed the name, of course.

(3) The leadership of this particular yakuza gang is fully aware of Usagi's faith (they mock him all the time for loving the Bible and going to church) and his desire to leave the gang. There are not secrets there. They also know who I am, as I've met and witnessed to the 2nd in command. Also, most Japanese (including yakuza) are nervous around foreigners. They won't bother me.

(4) The Japanese yakuza and the "New Joisey" type of mafia have a different social structure. They don't execute their own over here--though they may cut off a joint of the little finger and beat you up as punishment.

 

Thanks for the prayers, Greg and Bob. I need to call him later today to find out what's going on in his head. He couldn't come to church Sunday because we had a huge snowstorm and he had to shovel the godfather's walk for him.