Yamaken-gumi
Founded1961 (1961)
FounderKenichi Yamamoto
Founding locationKobe, Japan
Years active1961–present
TerritoryKobe, Japan
EthnicityJapanese
Membership (est.)~800

The Fourth Yamaken-gumi (四代目山健組, Yondaime Yamaken-gumi) is a yakuza gang based in Kobe, Japan. It was the largest affiliate, followed by the Nagoya-based Kodo-kai, of the largest known yakuza syndicate in Japan, the Yamaguchi-gumi until 2015.[1] From 2015 to 2020, it was under the umbrella of the Kobe Yamaguchi-gumi.[2] In July 2021, the group split from the Yamaguchi-gumi, with a large number of their members opting to stay with the Yamaguchi-gumi.[3]

Before the split, the Yamaken-gumi was estimated to have between 3,000 and 7,000 members. Following the split the number dropped to around 800.[4]

Yoshinori Watanabe was kumicho (Godfather) of the Yamaken-gumi from 1982 to 1989 before becoming kumicho of the Yamaguchi-gumi.[5] Watanabe retired from that post in July 2005, but the Yamaken-gumi remains largely loyal to him. Many of its members were upset that the sixth Yamaguchi don was not chosen from their ranks, instead, the Nagoya-based Kenichi Shinoda was chosen.

The Yamaken-gumi's current president (kumicho) is Kunio Inoue (born 1948 in Oita, Kyushu). The number-two (wakagashira) is Kuniharu Yamamoto (born 1949 in Oita, Kyushu).

On 16 September 2021, the Yamaguchi-gumi announced that it will be welcoming back Yamaken-gumi members who had disunited from them in 2015.[6]

Leadership

  • 1st kumicho (1961-1982): Kenichi Yamamoto (山本 健一) who was a eldest son (若頭, wakagashira) of the Third Yamaguchi-gumi. He was a former member of Yasuhara-kai (安原会).
  • 2nd kumicho (1982-1989): Yoshinori Watanabe (渡辺 芳則) who was wakagashira of the Fourth Yamaguchi-gumi. He was 1st kaicho (会長) of the Kenryu-kai (健竜会), and would later become kumicho of the Fifth Yamaguchi-gumi.
  • 3rd kumicho (1989-2005): Kaneyoshi Kuwata (桑田 兼吉) who is a eldest son's assistant (若頭補佐, wakagashira-hosa) of the Fifth Yamaguchi-gumi. He was kaicho of the Second Kenryu-kai.
  • 4th kumicho (2005-): Kunio Inoue (井上 邦雄) who is a kambu (幹部) of the Sixth Yamaguchi-gumi. He was kaicho of the Fourth Kenryu-kai. He is an adopted son of Kuwata.

Current Top Leaders

  • kumicho - Kunio Inoue
  • wakagashira - Hideyuki Senoo (kumicho of the Senoo-gumi)

References

  1. ↑ "Police wary as Yamaguchi-gumi prepares to fete sixth don", August 19, 2005, The Japan Times
  2. ↑ "新組織、文書で「神戸山口組」周知 「山菱」も使用 拠点は淡路市の侠友会本部か". sankei.com. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  3. ↑ "神戸山口組に残留した山健組が新人事に着手…名門組織が分裂し、2つが並行する混沌状態に". biz-journal.jp. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  4. ↑ Mizoguchi, Atsushi (2011). 暴力団 ("Boryokudan: Twenty-two Designated Boryokudan"). p. 19. ISBN 978-4-10-610434-3.
  5. ↑ "Yamaguchi-gumi don celebrates a decade at the top", July 19, 1999, The Japan Times
  6. ↑ "Yakuza group Yamaguchi-gumi welcomes back gang that split". The Asahi Shimbun. 17 September 2021. Retrieved 21 December 2021. According to sources, Yamaguchi-gumi executives notified members on Sept. 16 that they were welcoming back returning Yamaken-gumi members. The same day, executives of Yamaken-gumi met to confirm they were rejoining.
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