NHK Documentary

Han-gure: An Emerging Threat to Society

Han-gure, or informal gangs, present an all-new breed of criminal group without the close-knit organization or traditional code of the yakuza. Conforming neither to the rules of society, nor to those of the yakuza, these new groups inhabit a gray zone. Police are still struggling to get a grip on Han-gure activities, with current laws targeting only designated crime syndicates. As Han-gure encroach ever deeper into the lives of ordinary people, we take a peek into the dark abyss of their world.