Leader of the Tsukasa Shinobu Clan Leads Crew in Surprise Visit to Kanto Amid Tense Situation | FRIDAY DIGITAL

Leader of the Tsukasa Shinobu Clan Leads Crew in Surprise Visit to Kanto Amid Tense Situation

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More than 20 investigators were on alert when Leader Tsukasa made his appearance. What could his purpose be?

“Four cars are coming in!”

In early September, as dusk fell, a deep male voice echoed in a corner of Yokohama City. Around 20 investigators from the Tokyo Metropolitan Police and Kanagawa Prefectural Police were on guard. Amid the police and yakuza mingling together, a convoy of black luxury cars appeared. Stepping out was Shinobu Tsukasa, the 82-year-old leader of the Sixth Yamaguchi-gumi, dressed in a jet-black suit and a bright red tie, his expression stern.

As the deputy boss of the Sixth Yamaguchi-gumi, Teruaki Takeuchi, who was at the front of the welcoming line, rushed over, greetings of “Good morning” and “Thank you for your hard work” filled the air. Amid this, Boss Shinobu was escorted by Takeuchi into a building, where Kiyoshi Takayama, the 77-year-old deputy boss of the Sixth Yamaguchi-gumi, was waiting eagerly for the arrival of the top leader.

 

Encounter Between Leaders of the Inagawa-kai and the Sixth Yamaguchi-gumi

In a residential area of Yokohama City, bustling with dinner shoppers and commuting salarymen, what was the purpose of the gathering of the leaders of the Sixth Yamaguchi-gumi?

“On this day, the funeral for Masayuki Yamazaki, the head of the Fourth Masuda-gumi, a secondary organization of the Sixth Yamaguchi-gumi, was taking place. This group is one of the prestigious yakuza organizations based in Kanagawa Prefecture and has historically served as the vanguard for the Yamaguchi-gumi’s expansion into Kanto. Given the significance of the funeral for its leader, Boss Shinobu Tsukasa and Deputy Boss Kiyoshi Takayama personally attended to pay their respects. Leaders from influential groups in Kanto, including Kazuya Uchibori, the president of the Inagawa-kai, also attended the funeral,” said a journalist familiar with Yamaguchi-gumi affairs.

Boss Tsukasa stayed for more than an hour, exiting the funeral hall just after 5 p.m. as the sun began to set. Accompanied by Deputy Boss Takayama, his expression, which had been tense upon arrival, appeared to soften somewhat. He may have reconnected with members of the Inagawa-kai, relatives, and friendly organizations within the funeral hall. After being seen off by Deputy Boss Takeuchi and others, he left the venue.

The paid version of FRIDAY SUBSCRIBE features even more unpublished photos. Additionally, it provides detailed reports on the trajectory of the “Yamaguchi-gumi Split Conflict,” which marks its tenth year this summer, as well as the shooting incident that occurred in Miyazaki Prefecture on September 9.

On the tenth anniversary of the conflict, the special circumstances surrounding the sudden visit of Boss Shinobu Tsukasa to Kanto have been revealed.

Mr. Takeuchi (center) waits for leader Mr. Shinobu’s arrival at the funeral hall.
As the afternoon progressed, executives from various organizations continuously arrived at the funeral hall.
Inside the hall, officials connected to the Fourth Masuda-gumi were preparing to welcome the attendees.
Before Mr. Shinobu’s arrival, there was a moment where Mr. Takayama and Mr. Takeuchi were engaged in conversation.
The leader of the Tsukasa, Mr. Shinobu, finally appeared at the funeral hall.
His expression was stern. Guided by his members, he proceeded directly into the hall.
After a stay of about an hour, Mr. Shinobu left the funeral hall, followed closely by Mr. Takayama.
His expression appeared more relaxed than when he had arrived.
A few hours before attending the service, Mr. Shinobu had arrived at Shin-Yokohama Station via the Shinkansen.
He got into a car and headed straight to the funeral hall.
A few hours later, Mr. Shinobu reappeared at Shin-Yokohama Station. Given the evening rush hour, there were many general commuters, and the station was bustling.
Accompanied by his crew, he walked through Shin-Yokohama Station. After successfully attending the funeral, Mr. Shinobu boarded the Shinkansen.

  • PHOTO： Takero Shintai, Hikaru Ogawa

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