Yamaguchi-gumi Leader Shinobu Tsukasa and New Wakagashira Attend Inagawa-kai Boss’s Funeral as Yakuza

“It’s opening!”

With a deep voice, the iron gate of the Inagawa Kaikan swung open. At that moment, the tension among the roughly 40 police officers on guard in the area instantly heightened. Amidst tight security, appearing from a chauffeured car alongside top executives including the newly appointed underboss Teruaki Takeuchi (65), who assumed his post on April 18, was Shinobu Tsukasa (83), boss of Japan’s largest designated crime syndicate, the Sixth Yamaguchi-gumi.

Under clear May skies on May 15, a memorial service for the late Jiro Seita, former supreme leader of the Inagawa-kai, was held from 10 a.m. at the Inagawa Kaikan in the suburbs of Yokohama. As it was a final occasion for greetings with affiliated organizations, over 100 yakuza members gathered from across the country.

“Bosses from 25 yakuza groups came to pay their respects. Leading the way was the Sixth Yamaguchi-gumi. Underboss Takeuchi and Inagawa-kai chairman Kazuya Uchibori share a ‘gobu no kyōdaibun’ (equal brotherhood) relationship, so the bond between the two groups is strong. At the venue, Chairman Uchibori personally greeted them at the entrance and respectfully invited Boss Tsukasa and his entourage inside,” said a journalist well-versed in Yamaguchi-gumi affairs.

The advisor’s intentions are subtly at play 

After offering incense, it’s said that Boss Uchibori personally served tea to them in the reception room. Boss Tsukasa stayed for about 10 minutes before departing.

Even after that, mourners continued to arrive without pause — including Sumiyoshi-kai Chairman Shuji Ogawa, representatives from Chugoku’s Kyoseikai, Kyushu’s Kudo-kai, and others. The ceremony proceeded smoothly and concluded shortly after noon. The aforementioned journalist commented, “With top figures from the Sixth Yamaguchi-gumi, Sumiyoshi-kai, and other major groups across the country attending, it’s likely that condolence money reached into the hundreds of millions of yen.”

The Sixth Yamaguchi-gumi visibly demonstrated its strong ties with the Inagawa-kai. And within that condolence visit, one notable change emerged: for years, former underboss Seiji Takayama (77), long the organization’s number two, never missed a formal condolence visit — yet this time, he was absent.

“The Sixth Yamaguchi-gumi issued an effective declaration in early April marking the end of its split conflict with the Kobe Yamaguchi-gumi. I believe the group is now steadily moving toward a leadership transition with Underboss Takeuchi as the Seventh Boss. As part of laying the groundwork for this, it seems Advisor Takayama is beginning to step aside from public appearances, handing ceremonial duties to Underboss Takeuchi.”

In fact, at an early May meeting attended by direct affiliates, it’s said Takayama did not appear and Takeuchi presided. The official reason given for Takayama’s absence from this funeral visit was poor health, but behind the scenes, it seems clear that Advisor Takayama is intent on entrusting such formal obligations to Underboss Takeuchi.

In a world where one major Inagawa-kai figure has passed, the Sixth Yamaguchi-gumi continues steadily moving toward a new leadership era.

From the June 6-13, 2025 issue of “FRIDAY”