In September 1947, SCAP’s Controls Coordinating Committee established the Oyabun-Kobun Subcommittee. Although established primarily to look into criminal activity, the subcommittee found itself exploring the larger structure of Japanese society. Oyabun-kobun was a structure that included many legitimate relationships, such as owner-manager, editor-reporter, and others. SCAP was surprised. The subcommittee issued a full report on the oyabun-kobun within two weeks, perhaps a peacetime bureaucratic record. Some of the findings were startling.
According to the report, of the 14-million-person labor force in Japan, 3 million were part of the oyabun-kobun system. Two-thirds of these were construction gangs, and the rest mainly casual labor. However, it was discovered that a 20,000-man workforce was kept confined in the Hokkaido coal mines under terms that hovered between indentured servitude and slavery. A Tokyo newspaper concluded that workers were held in virtual slavery and would be freed when their contracts ran out. The subcommittee also found that the oyabun were engaged in anti-union activity, controlling the black market rice and using it as an economic weapon to force new kobun to join and remain outside of any labor union.
Yakuza: Japan’s Criminal Underworld
by David E. Kaplan and Alec Dubro
In September 1947, SCAP’s Controls Coordinating Committee established the Oyabun-Kobun Subcommittee, composed of representatives from fourteen major and minor SCAP staff sections. Although established primarily to look into criminal activity, the subcommittee found itself exploring the larger structure of Japanese society. Oyabun-kobun was, as pointed out, a structure that included many legitimate relationships, such as owner-manager, editor-reporter, and others. SCAP was surprised. The subcommittee issued a full report on the oyabun-kobun within two weeks, perhaps a peacetime bureaucratic record. Some of the findings were startling.
According to the report, of the 14-million-person labor force in Japan, 3 million were part of the oyabun-kobun system. Two-thirds of these were construction gangs, and the rest mainly casual labor. However, it was discovered that a 20,000-man workforce was kept confined in the Hokkaido coal mines under terms that hovered between indentured servitude and slavery. A Tokyo newspaper concluded that workers were held in virtual slavery and would be freed when their contracts ran out. The subcommittee also found that the oyabun were engaged in anti-union activity, controlling the black market rice and using it as an economic weapon to force new kobun to join and remain outside of any labor union.
A related report by the Public Safety Division analyzed the three major oyabun-kobun groups — bakuto, tekiya, and gurentai — observing that “political pressure often prevented effective action on the part of the police.” In summation, the analysis concluded that the oyabun-kobun system “extends into politics, controls the price of everyday commodities, controls the flow of goods through regular channels, and performs local government functions in the issuance of licenses and collection of taxes. In addition to these functions the Gurentai terrorize a large portion of the large cities who are engaged in the restaurant business and other public amusement enterprises.”
経済・文化・社会 GHQ民政局資料「占領改革」 第10巻
丸善／2000.9
http://rnavi.ndl.go.jp/mokuji_html/000002945802.html
I． 親分子分制度・隠退蔵物資問題
（1） 親分子分割度
1． 「親分子分制度撲滅に関するGSの計画」 1947．9．9． 3
2． 「親分制度に関する中間報告」 1947．9．11． 4
3． 親分乾分の歴史的研究 日付不明 7
4． 「親分子分制度に関するクロノロジカル・チャート」 日付不明 9
5． 「CISの親分制度に関する調査書」 1947．9．15． 11
6． 「親分制度と政党」 1947．9．16． 27
7． 「親分子分制度：尾津事件に関する経過報告（1）」 1947．9．17． 28
8． 「尾津事件に関するケーディスと三淵最高裁長官らとの会談」 1947．9．17． 31
9． 「新憲法と黒幕」 1947．9．19． 35
10． 「親分子分制度：尾津事件に関する経過報告（2）」 1947．9．22． 40
11． 「GHQ親分子分制度小委員会報告」 1947．9．25． 43
12． 「ダレル・ベリガンの『東京のアルカポネ』」 日付不明 52
13． 「親分子分制度に関わる法改正」 1947．10．2． 56
14． 「親分子分制度に関する各課の進捗状況」 1947．10．10． 57
15． テキヤについて 日付不明 60
16． 「10月3日の親分子分制度小委員会の会議録」 1947．10．16． 63
17． 「尾津事件に関する民政局（ケーディスら）と最高裁代表との会談」 1947．10．30． 64
18． 片山首相談話：封建的勢力を一掃 1947．11．30． 71
19． 「親分子分制度：尾津事件に関する経過報告（3）」 1947．12．4． 72
20． 「尾津組マーケット事件」 1947．12．16． 74
21． 「聴濤事件」 1947．12．17． 76
22． 「日本の裁判所による裁判の不十分な進行」 1947．12．17． 79
23． 「親分子分制度：関根事件」 1947．12．18． 80
24． 「親分子分制度：尾津事件に関する経過報告（4）」 1948．3．2． 82
25． 「尾津、平野、世耕事件における裁判の遅滞」 1948．6．5． 84
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12． 「ダレル・ベリガンの『東京のアルカポネ』」:
Al Capone of Tokyo
by Darrell Berrigan
New York Post