The Shadow that Bloomed in Jusan: Nakagawa Inosaburo and the Intersection of the Showa Underworld (1945-1984)

The Shadow that Bloomed in Jusan: Nakagawa Inosaburo and the Intersection of the Showa Underworld (1945-1984)

Nakagawa Isaburo was an exporter based in Juso, Osaka in the late Showa period and is known as the leader of the "Nakagawa-gumi," a direct leader of the Yamaguchigumi III. Juso was an area where a thriving and black market was formed in the postwar confusion, and Nakagawa built a bridgehead for Yamaguchigumi's entry into northern Osaka by organizing local gangsters and war-displaced vagrants. He joined the Yamaguchigumi as a protege of the third boss, Kazuo Taoka, and was a powerful figure who took control of the territory in Osaka while coordinating with the local organization.

What is particularly noteworthy is his strong collaboration with Yukio Jido, a young Yamaguchigumi leader who was renowned as a martial artist. At the order of Jido, Nakagawa built a bridge with the Yanagawa clan led by Jiro Yanagawa, which had emerged in the "Kita" area of Osaka, and absorbed it. This entry of the Yanagawa clan into the Yamaguchigumi was a milestone in the later nationwide expansion of the Yamaguchigumi, and a landmark case in the expansion of the Yamaguchigumi organization. Nakagawa is said to have been in charge of the negotiations and coordination, and was a trusted advisor to Jidou.

In the "Myoyukai Incident" of 1960, a large-scale war broke out between Yamaguchigumi and Myoyukai, a Korean-affiliated group in Japan. The conflict began when Inosaburo Nakagawa was assaulted by Meiyukai officials at a club in Osaka's Minami district, and Yamaguchigumi immediately retaliated. With Yukio Jido as the general commander, the various Yamaguchigumi affiliated groups launched an operation to clean up the Meiyukai in Osaka City. The Nakagawa-gumi joined the operation headquarters established in Juso and played a central role in the actual battle force. The war lasted about half a month, and the Meiyukai was finally destroyed. The Yamaguchigumi consolidated its long-sought expansion into Osaka, but at the cost of more than 100 people, including Nakagawa, being arrested and indicted.

During this period, "anti-communism" was emphasized as a national policy in Japan under the influence of the Cold War structure. The ruling party and right-wing forces were trying to use the power of the underworld to oppose communism. Inosaburo Nakagawa is believed to have been a member of this movement. In particular, in the "Toa Doyukai" concept proposed by fixer Eijio Kodama, Kazuo Taoka of the Yamaguchigumi and Hisayuki Machii (Toseikai) of the Kanto Inagawa-kai announced their participation, aiming to unite all the expo organizations in Japan as a bulwark against the anti-communist movement. Nakagawa's presence was also noted as an important figure on the Kansai side of this plan. In fact, Machii and Taoka exchanged brotherly drinking cups, which led to the deepening of cooperation between the Kanto and Kansai expositories.

Inosaburo Nakagawa retired in the 1980s, but the late Showa period in which he was active was a time when Hakka society and politics/ideology were deeply intertwined. As a key figure in the Yamaguchigumi's expansion strategy, Nakagawa was not just a gang leader, but also a player in the political and ideological axis of conflict. His life embodies the chaos and order of postwar Japan, and the intersection of surface society and underworld.

Related information (references):

- MIZOGUCHI Atsushi, "Yamaguchigumi Document: Blood and War" Sanichi Shobo, 1985
- Eiji Oshita, "Shuryo Showa Yami no Ruler," Yamato Shobo, 2006
- Shigeki Yamahira, "The man called Kissinger of Yamaguchigumi, Akira Kurosawa" Tokuma Shoten, 2024
- Wikipedia "Meiyukai Incident", "Kodama Eishio", "Jido Yukio", "Toseikai", "Yamaguchigumi" each section
- goo blog "Kanto/Kansai Yakuza War History
- Bunshun Online "Showa War Incidents that Spilled Blood in Juso, Osaka