Yakuza (ヤクザ or やくざ , Yakuza), also known as gokudō (極道, gokudō?), are members of traditional organized crime groups in Japan, and also known as the "violence group". Today, the Yakuza are one of the largest crime organizations in the world. In Japan, there are some 84,712 known members of Yakuza. In Japanese legal terminology, yakuza organizations are referred to as bōryokudan, literally "violence groups", which Yakuza members consider an insult as it can be applied to any violent criminal.