Yakuza (ヤクザ or やくざ ?), also known as gokudō (極道), are members of traditional organized crime groups in Japan. Outside of Japan, the term also refers to traditional Japanese organized crime in general. Today, the Yakuza are one of the largest crime organizations in the world. Nationwide, there were some 84,700 known members of Yakuza. In Japanese legal terminology, yakuza organizations are referred to as bōryokudan, literally "violence groups" -- and is considered an insult to Yakuza members as it can be applied to any violent criminal. Often as a misnomer in Western press, Yakuza groups are refered to as the "Japanese mafia" with reference to Italian-Sicilian organized crime.