TOKYO (TR) – It was not always this way.
A seismic shift is occurring within Japan’s criminal underworld, as two historically warring yakuza syndicates appear to be burying the hatchet following a series of highly secretive meetings, reports Shukan Shincho (Aug. 27).
The annual summer Obon greeting rituals for the Yamaguchi-gumi, Japan’s largest and most feared syndicate, took place more than a month earlier than for non-gangsters this year.
Over three days beginning July 1, the heads of 10 designated crime groups traveled to Shizuoka and Aichi prefectures to pay their respects to Yamaguchi-gumi godfather Shinobu Tsukasa.
Standing out among the visiting dignitaries were top executives from the Sumiyoshi-kai, a major Kanto-based syndicate. Observers noted that Tsukasa, clad in a crisp, all-white suit, personally emerged from his headquarters to see off the Sumiyoshi-kai delegation as they departed — a striking display of mutual respect.
“Tokyo War”
The warm farewell marks a stark contrast to the late 2000s, when the two organizations engaged in the bloody “Tokyo War” and Saitama conflicts, shedding blood over lucrative turf in the capital.
The thaw in relations began in 2016 during an unprecedented “East-West Summit” at a Yokohama Chinatown restaurant. Brokered by the Inagawa-kai, another major syndicate, the meeting brought together the top bosses of the three groups to present a united front against increasingly strict anti-yakuza police crackdowns. A subsequent meeting of the “Big 3” took place in Yokohama in 2023.
However, the budding three-way alliance recently hit a massive roadblock. Sumiyoshi-kai Chairman Shuji Ogawa was arrested and indicted late last year on theft charges for allegedly embezzling succession funds intended for his predecessor’s bereaved family.
The scandal sent shockwaves through the underworld. With the Sumiyoshi-kai operating as a loose coalition of factions — some of which are deeply opposed to moving closer to the Yamaguchi-gumi — the “Big 3” alliance was suddenly on the verge of fracturing.
Now, the Yamaguchi-gumi and Inagawa-kai appear to be stepping in to control the damage and quietly endorse the next Tokyo boss.
Top-secret dinner
According to investigative sources, a top-secret dinner took place in late May at an exclusive Tokyo restaurant. In attendance were Inagawa-kai Chairman Kazuya Uchibori, Yamaguchi-gumi number-two Teruaki Takeuchi, and Keio-kai Chairman Hideki Kojima, who is widely viewed by police as the presumed heir to the Sumiyoshi-kai throne.
Kojima had recently been released on bail for a minor charge. Investigative sources noted that it is incredibly rare for top executives from rival syndicates to attend a minor bail celebration, indicating the dinner was a highly calculated political move.
“It is believed that the Inagawa-kai and Yamaguchi-gumi are implicitly showing their support for Kojima’s promotion to fill the power vacuum within the Sumiyoshi-kai,” an investigative source reveals to Shincho.
If Kojima, who is known to be pro-Yamaguchi-gumi, formally assumes the role of chairman, the former bitter rivals may finally cross the divide and formally tie the knot as allied “relatives.”
However, because the Sumiyoshi-kai is notoriously factional, internal consensus takes time. Underworld observers are watching closely to see if this “summer thaw” will result in a historic and permanent yakuza alliance, or if it will simply fade away.
