Kazuo Taoka: The Godfather of Japan

On this day in 1981, Kazuo Taoka died of a heart attack. He is called the “Godfather of Godfather” in Japan, and he is the third and most terrifying To this point Yamaguchi-Gumi, the largest Yakuza organization in the country. He brought the group from a union of a family-run dock workers to Japan’s largest crime network, and under his command, there was a stage of more than 10,000 Yakuza. This is his story.

Establishing the rise of Yamaguchi Gumi and Taoka Kazuo

Taoka was born in Tokushima Prefecture in 1913, just two years before Harukichi Yamaguchi founded Yamaguchi-Gumi, initially a labor dispatch service established on Kobe Docks. The organization’s future leaders experienced a difficult upbringing when their father died before he was born, and their mother died of exhaustion when she was a child. After her death, Taoka moved to Kobe to live with his aunt and uncle, who were described as neglect of him.

As a teenager, Taoka met Noboru Yamaguchi, who inherited his father as Yamaguchi-Gumi’s Kumicho in 1925 and became his protein. During this time, he has earned numerous reputations as a Street Fighter. His signature move was to grab his opponent’s eyes, which earned him the nickname “kuma”, meaning “bear”.

In February 1937, he was sentenced to eight years in prison one year after being officially launched by Yamaguchi-Gumi blood member. He was released earlier in 1943 and was quickly welcomed to return to the organization. Noboru Yamaguchi died a year ago, which means the organization needs new leaders. Taoka established a vigilant group targeting the people of South Korea and Taiwan and other ethnic minorities “maintaining order” after World War II, which was seen as an ideal choice to replace him. In 1946, he finally started the mantle at the age of 33.

Expand operation

At that time, the country was in ruins, bringing challenges and opportunities to Taoka. He took over the organization with only 33 members, but he believes it has the potential to go far beyond its foundation on Kobe Pier and become a major force in organized crime. To this end, he believes it is important to maintain the organization’s illegal activities while investing in legal businesses such as real estate and construction. In addition to making a lot of money, this also makes the organization look more respectable.

Taoka is not only a mob boss, but also a shrewd businessman who encourages his subordinates to read financial newspapers and study the stock market. He also ventured into the entertainment industry, launching Kobe Geinosha in 1957 (Bryant Performing Arts Promotion). The company represents several prominent entertainers, including the legendary Enka Singer Morsora Hibari.

Interestingly, Taoka was on the national wanted list four years before the establishment of Koobe Geinosha. The star’s manager reportedly showed disrespect for him, accused of ordering an attack on actor and singer Koji Tsuruta. Taoka ended up handing over himself, but was not prosecuted.

Taoka has great power and a host of influential colleagues, including Ichiro Kono, the Japanese Deputy Prime Minister, and Seigen Tanaka, a far-right businessman and politician known as the “Tiger of Tokyo.” In April 1963, Taoka and Tanaka co-founded the alliance to eliminate drug trafficking. Although the group openly opposes narcotics, some in the media speculated that this is actually the smoke screen that Yamaguchi-Gumi extended to Tokyo.

Six months later, Tanaka was shot dead by Haruo Kinoshita, a member of the Tokyo-based Tosei-kai group.

Taoka Kazuo, with Ono Mitsuru (left) and Tsuruta Koji (right) | Wikimedia, edit TW

Gang Competition and Alliance

The attack highlighted the growing friction between rival gangster factions. By then, Tosei-kai (now known as Toa-kai) had become one of the most powerful gangs in Tokyo. To get Yamaguchi-Gumi to gain influence in the capital, Taoka had to negotiate with Tosei-kai Boss Hisayuki Machii, a Korean-Japanese figure with deep political and criminal ties. Tanaka’s shooting was reportedly linked to concerns within Tosei-kai that Machii was too closely aligned with Taoka, and Tanaka’s actions disturbed Kanto’s balance of power.

That same year, super-large power broker Yoshio Kodama tried to unify Japan’s main Yakuza group under a coalition. Taoka refused to join and decided to retain Yamaguchi-Gumi’s independence. Nevertheless, he remains open to strategic partnerships. In 1973, he formed an alliance with Inagawa-kai, eased long-term tensions between the two groups with their territory and resources.

Even as Taoka struggles to maintain order within the underworld, he faces increasing legal pressure. Police crackdowns in the 1960s and 1970s resulted in arrests of many gang leaders. Taoka himself was prosecuted several times, including a charge of extortion, but avoided prison. Although the national Yakuza membership gradually declined, under his leadership, Yakuza became stronger and stronger. By the mid-1970s, the organization had more than 11,000 members, and Taoka, who was in his 60s, seemed to be invincible.

Kazuo Taoka dies

On July 11, 1978, Taoka participated in a limbo dance exhibition at a nightclub in Kyoto, and the invincible atmosphere collapsed. Kiyoshi Narumi, a member of rival Matsuda-Gumi, found him in and decided to take the opportunity and fired his .38-caliber pistol. The first shot hit Tayka in the neck. The second attacked another client. It was a revenge attack by his former boss, who was murdered after clashing with Yamaguchi-Gumi. Narumi escaped, but a few weeks later his body was found in the Rokko mountain area of Kobe.

Taoka survived the incident and was taken to the hospital by his bulletproof black Cadillac. He continued to lead Yamaguchi-Gumi until his death on July 23, 1981.You’ve received it), Yamamoto Kenichi, is generally expected to inherit him. But Yamamoto died of liver disease six months later, putting the organization in a leadership crisis.

During this uncertain time, Taoka’s legacy Fumiko briefly acted as the fact that the group was. In June 1984, at the inheritance ceremony, she presented Masahisa Takeaka with a ritual dagger, symbolizing his successor and fourth place as his late husband. To this point Yamaguchi-Gumi.

However, this decision triggered a major internal crack. Hiroshi Yamamoto is another high-ranking figure and strong contender in the highest position – separated from rival group Ichiwa-kai. On January 26, 1985, the Ichiwa-kai killer ambushed Takeaka at his mistress’s home. Takeaka and his two lieutenants were shot dead while he was waiting for the elevator.

The assassination inspired the infamous Yama-ichi War (1985-1989), a violent hatred between Yamaguchi-Gumi and Ichiwa-kai, resulting in more than 200 armed conflicts and the deaths of at least 36 Yakuza members.

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