Summer Fire: Assassination at the Shin-Kobe Tea Lounge, 1997.

Summer Fire: Assassination at the Shin-Kobe Tea Lounge, 1997.

On August 28, 1997 (Heisei 9), an unprecedented incident took place at a tea lounge on the fourth floor of the Shin-Kobe Oriental Hotel in Kobe City, where Masaru Takumi, a young Yamaguchigumi V leader, was shot dead. Shortly after 2:00 p.m., Takumi appeared in the hotel's tea lounge and was chatting with Saizo Kishimoto, head of the Yamaguchigumi General Headquarters, and Tetsuo Nogami, deputy head of the Yamaguchigumi General Headquarters. Then a group of four assailants appeared and shot Takumi twice in the head and five times in the chest, for a total of seven bullets, killing him instantly.

The shooting also resulted in a civilian dentist who was present being hit by a stray bullet and would lose his life six days later. The incident sent shockwaves throughout Japan, not only because of the deaths and injuries of the organization's executives, but also of civilians.

Behind the assassination was a power struggle within the Yamaguchigumi. In particular, the focal point was the serious conflict between Taro Nakano, the chairman of the Nakano Kai, and Masaru Takumi, a young leader of the Nakano Kai. 1996, when Takumi moved to settle a dispute over the shooting of a Nakano Kai official in Kyoto, without consulting Nakano, the rift between the two became decisive. In addition, Mr. Takumi's proximity to the Sixth Generation's seat further intensified Nakano's opposition.

After the incident occurred, the Yamaguchigumi executive board ruled out involvement by the Nakanokai. Only three days later, on August 31, they took the unusual step of excommunicating Taro Nakano. This meant that the incident was no longer regarded as the death of just one executive, but as a blood purge within Yamaguchigumi.

Although General Director Kishimoto, who was sitting right next to him at the moment of the attack, escaped with his life, the shock of seeing the young leader fall in front of him was immeasurable. Mr. Kishimoto had been working with Mr. Takumi to rationalize the organization and curb the fighting, and he was the one who maintained a delicate balance within Yamaguchigumi, which was wavering between the conservative and reformist factions.

Masaru Takumi was known as an economic yakuza, and was the number two in Yamaguchigumi's financial strength, but he died at the age of 61 in the midst of internal strife. The gunshot that echoed through the Shin-Kobe tea lounge signaled the end and beginning of the power struggle in Japan's largest gang.

Related information
Masaru Takumi: Fifth-generation Yamaguchigumi leader in charge of fund management and corporate negotiations, nicknamed the "economic yakuza.
Taro Nakano: Chairman of the Nakano-kai, he was at odds with Takumi after a shooting incident in 1996, and was excommunicated after the incident. He was excommunicated after the incident.
Saizo Kishimoto: General manager of the Yamaguchigumi. At the time of the incident, he was sitting next to Takumi but was unharmed. He was seated next to Mr. Takumi at the time of the incident but survived. He was instrumental in maintaining balance within the organization.
Impact of the incident: It was a serious incident involving the death of a civilian and had a great impact inside and outside of Yamaguchigumi. Nakanokai was virtually destroyed.