### "Saiba's Deadly Bullets - A Chronicle of the 2001-2003 War."

### "Saiba's Deadly Bullets - A Chronicle of the 2001-2003 War."

August 15, 2001--The voices of sutra chanting and the smoke of incense wafted quietly through the air at the Yotsugi Saiba in Tokyo's Katsushika Ward. Here, a wake was being held for Kunio Kumagawa, president of the Sumiyoshi-kai Mukogo Mutsumi Kai. Among the mourners were not only those involved but also those from opposing organizations.

However, as if to break the silence, two shadows crept into the funeral hall. Two executives of the Inagawa-kai-affiliated Omaeda family - they intended to settle the matter right here, right now.

A moment of silence.

The next moment, a gunshot rang out. Kunio Kumagawa collapsed, blood spreading on the tatami mats. Another bullet was fired at Koji Endo, the head of the Takinogawa family of the Sumiyoshi-kai. The scene at the wake was transformed, and screams and shouts were exchanged. The attackers quickly left the scene.

This incident was considered "out of character" in the gang world. It was an unwritten rule not to interfere with "formal affairs" such as wakes and funerals. However, the attack that broke this rule created a deep rift between the Sumiyoshi-kai and the Inagawa-kai.

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### Sumiyoshi-kai Mukago Mutsumi Kai

The Mukogo Mutsumi Association, a member of the Sumiyoshikai, had its headquarters in Kabukicho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, and was an influential organization in the Kanto region. The founder, Taira Mukogo, was succeeded by Shigeo Nishiguchi, a leading figure in the Sumiyoshikai. His younger brother, Masao Daigo, is the current fifth head of the organization.

Kunio Kumagawa's death, which occurred at his wake, was an unforgivable humiliation for the Muko Mutsukai. The members vowed revenge, but the Inagawa-kai immediately punished the gang members involved and attempted to deal with the Sumiyoshi-kai. However, there were those who were not satisfied with this.

---The Inagawa-kai was not satisfied with this, however.

### Inagawa-kai Omaeda Family

The Omaeda family, whose founder was Eigoro Omaeda, a chivalrous man at the end of the Edo period, has been a major organization of the Inagawa-kai throughout the ages. The ringleaders of the Yotsugi Saiban Incident are said to have targeted Kunio Kumagawa's death for the honor of the organization.

Immediately after the incident, the Inagawa-kai proceeded to deal with the case, but many within the Sumiyoshikai were not convinced, and dissatisfaction gradually led to an explosion.

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### "Maebashi Snack Shooting" - January 25, 2003

About a year and a half later, retaliation was carried out by members of the Sumiyoshi-kai gang at a snack bar in Maebashi, Gunma Prefecture. The target was a restaurant associated with the Omaeda family.

There were also ordinary customers in the restaurant who were enjoying drinks without knowing anything about it.

Suddenly, a gunshot rang out. Glass shatters and bullet holes are etched into the walls of the store. It was not only the members of the Omaeda family who were shot. Three innocent civilians were involved and lost their lives.

This incident occurred in retaliation for the Yotsugi Saiban incident, and as a result, the feud became even more intense.

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### "The End of the War

A single deadly bullet fired at Yotsugi Saiban spread like a ripple and resulted in further deaths. The cost was too great, as a sense of honor that should not have been broken even in the world of gangsters was shattered.

After the Maebashi Snack Shooting in 2003, the war between the Sumiyoshi-kai and the Inagawa-kai gradually began to subside, but this was accompanied by the decline of the organization. The rivalry between the two gangs eventually led to tighter social regulations and a weakening of the organization.

Even so, the sound of the gunshot that broke the silence at Yotsugi Saiban is still talked about today as a symbol of the "war without honor and humanity.