Heavy Security as Inagawa-kai and Sumiyoshi-kai Leaders Convene at Takadanobaba Temple
In broad daylight in a town packed with students and businessmen, a succession of powerful gang leaders appeared...
A corner of Takadanobaba in Tokyo, usually bustling with students and office workers, became chaotic.
On May 21, at a Buddhist temple less than a 10-minute walk from the station, nearly 20 investigators were on guard. The atmosphere was tense with unmarked police cars deployed. Around 1 PM, a black luxury car entered the temple grounds. As investigators watched tensely, Shuji Ogawa, the head of the Sumiyoshi-kai, emerged from the car and entered the temple, his large frame swaying as he walked. About an hour and a half later, Kazuya Uchibori, the head of the Inagawa-kai, also appeared.
Why did the top two leaders of Japan’s yakuza world, along with the sixth-generation Yamaguchi-gumi, descend upon Takadanobaba in broad daylight?
“This day was the wake for the third-generation head of the Sumiyoshi-kai affiliated Kobayashi-kai. Kobayashi-kai, based in Ginza, is known as a prominent group within the Sumiyoshi-kai. The significance of the funeral brought out these major figures.
In fact, the leaders of five designated yakuza groups, including Inagawa-kai and Sumiyoshi-kai, attended. Executives from the core organization of the sixth-generation Yamaguchi-gumi, the Kodo-kai, also made an appearance. In recent years, such a large-scale gathering has not been seen in Tokyo.” (journalist knowledgeable about yakuza affairs)
