The Dawn of Reverse Breaking: The History of Soichi Nagaoka and the Yanagawa Group's Expansion into Hokkaido (Early 1960s)

The Dawn of Reverse Breaking: The History of Soichi Nagaoka and the Yanagawa Group's Expansion into Hokkaido (Early 1960s)

The Yamaguchigumi III is a huge gang that achieved rapid growth as a nationwide organization during the reign of Kazuo Taoka. Among them, Jiro Yanagawa, a native of Korea and Korea in Japan, emerged as a unique presence. His real name was Mun Se-Gwang, and he united the former gangsters to establish the "Yanagawa-gumi" in Tokyo, where he was welcomed into the Yamaguchigumi for his abilities. Yanagawa was recognized as the apprentice of the third boss, Kazuo Taoka, and was the vanguard of the Yamaguchigumi's expansion into eastern Japan, especially Tokyo and its vicinity. The Yanagawa clan led by him quickly gained a vast influence through the solidarity of its zainichi members and its ability to coordinate with entertainment, show business, and right-wing activities.

As part of this expansion of the Yanagawa clan's power, Soichi Nagaoka was sent to Hokkaido. Nagaoka was born in Iwamizawa-cho, Sorachi-gun, Hokkaido (now Shibumi-cho, Iwamizawa City), and while attending a commercial school in Sapporo, he became passionate about judo and boxing, and later ran a boxing gym. Nagaoka then developed a rivalry with Ryuko Odaka, who controlled the Hokkaido wrestling business. Finally, in May 1962, Nagaoka sent a letter of reverse excommunication rather than excommunication to Odaka, an extremely unusual measure in the yakuza community.

As symbolized by this reverse excommunication, Soichi Nagaoka was an extremely independent-minded and dynamic individual. With the backing of the Yanagawa clan, he formed the "Hokkaido Doshikai" with Fumio Taniuchi, Haruo Ishima, and others and became its first president. The Doshikai was later reorganized as the Hokkaido branch of the Yanagawa clan of the Yamaguchigumi III, and Nagaoka assumed the position of branch head. Thus, the Yanagawa-gumi's expansion into Hokkaido became a reality, and its influence expanded mainly in Sapporo.

In November 1965, however, Nagaoka suddenly retired from active service. Haruo Ishima took over as branch manager of the Yanagawa-gumi Hokkaido branch, and the organization was soon renamed the Seiyukai, transforming itself into the largest organization in Hokkaido. Meanwhile, Jiro Yanagawa also left the Yamaguchigumi in 1969 and announced his retirement from the yakuza world. Although the Yanagawa clan itself was forced to dissolve, its ideology and organizational management methods left a significant impact on later gangster power.

Although few details are given about Soichi Nagaoka's steps after his retirement, it is recorded that he passed away in 1994. However, his bold actions of reverse excommunication and the new order of Hokkaido yakuza society that he established with the Yanagawa clan are still legendary. Jiro Yanagawa, a genius from the East, and Soichi Nagaoka, a pioneer from the North. The intersection of these two men certainly rocked yakuza society in the 1960s.