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The Yakuza

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Submitted By jahobo19
Words 1230
Pages 5
Informative Speech
Johnathan Hanson
Com 111
“The Yakuza”
Specific Purpose: To inform my audience about the yakuza, its origin and the role it plays in Japan.
Central Idea: The yakuza has a very complicated origin, a structure very similar to other gangs, and participates in a lot of interesting activities.
Organization: TOPICAL
Introduction
I. (Attention-getter) Looking to escape the nightmarish memories that haunt him day and night, a soldier in the Japanese Imperial Army tries to lose himself in saké and the seductive whispers of lovely women at the most heavenly place in the red light district of Shinjuku, Tokyo: at a hostess club called, "The Bijou." But Soto Tasami’s broken heart makes him vulnerable. He might once have been a predator on the continent where he fought for his empire, but back in Kanto he’s just more prey for a hungry beast: the yakuza. II. The yakuza is one of the largest gangs of today. With more than 100,000 thousand members, intricate tattoos and a fascinating history behind it, it is no surprise that most of the world has heard of the yakuza. III. (Credibility Statement) Ever since I can remember, Japanese culture has been a huge interest of mine. The yakuza being a huge part of Japanese society drove me to want to learn more, so I did a great deal of research about it. IV. (Preview Statement) Today, I would like to talk to you about the origin, structure and activities of the yakuza.
Transition: First I would like to talk about the origin of the yakuza.

Body I. According to Yakuza: Japan’s Criminal Underworld, the origination of the yakuza actually dates back to the 17th century. Most yakuza are believed to have two different origins. The Ronin or the kabuki-mono. A. Ronin, samurai warriors who were master less during the 1600’s, are who the yakuza believe they are most related to. 1. As stated in

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