Yamaguchi-gumi Split Feud: Power Gap Surpasses 25 Times on 10th Anniversary
The latest number of gang members by the police has been revealed. According to the data, the power gap between the Yamaguchigumi VI and the Kobe Yamaguchigumi, which continue their "split war," has further widened. Nonfiction writer Masahiro Ojima approaches the latest situation.
Arson incident by a former member of the Sixth Yamaguchi-gumi
The most intense escalation in the split feud over the past 10 years occurred in the fall of 2019, when a top executive of the Kobe Yamaguchi-gumi was brutally killed by dozens of gunshots from a highly lethal automatic rifle known as the “M16.” The arrested individual was a former member of the Sixth Yamaguchi-gumi. Additionally, two members of the Kobe Yamaguchi-gumi were simultaneously shot and killed in a separate incident.
In response to these continuing incidents, both the Sixth Yamaguchi-gumi and Kobe Yamaguchi-gumi were designated as designated violent groups under specific conflict in January 2020, which severely restricted their activities.
In October 2022, an incident occurred where Ikeda Takashi, the head of the Ikeda-gumi, was attacked with an 18-centimeter survival knife while getting a haircut in a barbershop in Okayama city. Subsequently, the Sixth Yamaguchi-gumi also became designated as a specific conflict group with Ikeda-gumi.
The Kizuna-kai also caused incidents involving the Sixth Yamaguchi-gumi. In January 2022, the boss of the Isshin-kai faction, affiliated with the Sixth Yamaguchi-gumi, was shot and killed at their office in Mito City, Ibaraki Prefecture. In April 2023, a Sixth Yamaguchi-gumi executive, who also served as the manager of a ramen shop, was killed in Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture. In both incidents, the arrested individuals were senior members of Kizuna-kai. The police have classified the Sixth Yamaguchi-gumi as being in a state of conflict with Kizuna-kai as well.
Given these incidents, the Sixth Yamaguchi-gumi is currently designated in a triple conflict situation with the Kobe Yamaguchi-gumi, Ikeda-gumi, and Kizuna-kai.
Conflicts have continued into this year. On January 19, a fire broke out at the residence of Inoue, the leader of the Kobe Yamaguchi-gumi, in Kobe City. The arrested suspect was a former member of the Sixth Yamaguchi-gumi. A senior police official noted, “Although incidents are no longer occurring as frequently as before, attacks on Inoue’s residence, the main base, are still happening. The conflict is far from resolved. It’s uncertain when a major incident will happen. Moving forward, continuing the specific conflict designation is necessary to severely limit their activities.”
PHOTO： Takeo Shintai
