### Haruo Ishima, Leader like a Beast: The Frozen High Road of Haruo Ishima (1930-1990)

### Haruo Ishima, Leader like a Beast: The Frozen High Road of Haruo Ishima (1930-1990)

Haruo Ishima (March 19, 1930 - January 4, 1990), a native of Naganuma-cho, Yubari-gun, Hokkaido, was the first president of the Seiyukai and a protege of the fifth Yamaguchigumi. He was called the "Lion of the Hokkai" for his fierce temperament and leadership skills.

In 1965, Ishima became the second head of the Hokkaido branch of the Yanagawa-gumi, and emerged as a prominent figure in the Hokkaido underworld. The Yanagawa clan was a militant gang founded by its first leader, Jiro Yanagawa (Yang Won Suk), that had many Korean and Korean members living in Japan, and expanded its power nationwide from its base in the Kansai region during the 1950s and 1960s. It was known for its hard-line behavior and different spirit from the Hakko-kei gangs, but was disbanded in 1969 when Jiro Yanagawa retired.

After the dissolution of the Yanagawa clan, a new order was sought in Hokkaido, led by Ishima, and the Hokkaido Seiyukai was formed. This was a reorganization of the remaining members of the Yanagawa clan, and Ishima served as its advisor. Although initially strongly independent, Ishima's emphasis on reconciliation and coordination in order to avoid conflict within Hokkaido became prominent, and he began to play a balancing role among the gangs in Hokkaido. The Hokkaido Seiyukai maintained a certain degree of power in Hokkaido, expanding its branches from Sapporo to other regional cities.

In 1977, HOKKAIDO SEIYUKAI and HOKKAIDO SEIYUKAI merged and reestablished themselves as Seiyukai. Ishima became its first president and the head of its representative organization in Hokkaido, both in name and reality. Seiyukai was deeply entrenched in the local economy through gambling, real estate, construction, and other interests.

In April 1985, Seiyukai officially joined the Yamaguchigumi. Ishima was welcomed as a prefect of Yamaguchigumi V, and the Seiyukai became part of the national organization as a direct Yamaguchigumi affiliate. This marked the birth of Yamaguchigumi's first direct affiliate in Hokkaido, and the yakuza map of the region was largely redrawn.

Ishima's final days were sudden: on January 4, 1990, he was shot to death by a member of the right-wing Ishin Tenchukai in Sapporo, ending his tumultuous life at the age of 59. His death sent shock waves through the Hokkaido underworld, and although political motives were discussed, the details are still shrouded in mystery. Seiyukai was succeeded by Takeshi Tamura, who maintained the vitality of the organization as a direct member of the fifth Yamaguchigumi.

Haruo Ishima is known within Yamaguchigumi for his trustworthy relationship with Yoshinori Watanabe, the fifth head of Yamaguchigumi. He also had a close relationship with his protege Takeshi Tamura (later the second head of Seiyukai) and Masaru Takumi (assistant head of Yamaguchigumi V), a renowned martial artist in the Kansai region, and functioned as a liaison between the north and the south. Locally, he was also a respected figure among the old bosses of Sapporo and Asahikawa.

The Yanagawa clan's militancy, the zainichi network, and Haruo Ishima's strong centripetal force in Hokkaido intersected to create the legend of the Lion of the North Sea. Even today, his presence is indispensable in the story of Hokkaido's underworld.