Yamaken-gumi
Encyclopedia
is a yakuza
gang based in Kobe
, Japan
. It is the largest affiliate of the largest known yakuza
syndicate in Japan, the Yamaguchi-gumi
, followed by the Nagoya-based Kodo-kai
. It takes its name from its founder, Kenichi Yamamoto
.
The Yamaken-gumi is estimated to have between 3,000 and 7,000 members.
Yoshinori Watanabe
was kumicho (Godfather) of the Yamaken-gumi from 1982 to 1989 before becoming kumicho of the Yamaguchi-gumi. Watanabe retired from that post in July 2005, but the Yamaken-gumi remains largely loyal to him. Many of its members were upset that the sixth Yamaguchi don was not chosen from their ranks, instead, the Nagoya-based Kenichi Shinoda
was chosen.
The Yamaken-gumi's current president (kumicho) is Kunio Inoue (born 1948 in Oita
, Kyushu
). The number-two (wakagashira) is Kuniharu Yamamoto (born 1949 in Oita, Kyushu).
Yakuza
, also known as , are members of traditional organized crime syndicates in Japan. The Japanese police, and media by request of the police, call them bōryokudan , literally "violence group", while the yakuza call themselves "ninkyō dantai" , "chivalrous organizations". The yakuza are notoriously...
gang based in Kobe
Kobe
, pronounced , is the fifth-largest city in Japan and is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture on the southern side of the main island of Honshū, approximately west of Osaka...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. It is the largest affiliate of the largest known yakuza
Yakuza
, also known as , are members of traditional organized crime syndicates in Japan. The Japanese police, and media by request of the police, call them bōryokudan , literally "violence group", while the yakuza call themselves "ninkyō dantai" , "chivalrous organizations". The yakuza are notoriously...
syndicate in Japan, the Yamaguchi-gumi
Yamaguchi-gumi
is Japan's largest and most infamous yakuza organization. It is named after its founder Harukichi Yamaguchi. Its origins can be traced back to a loose labor union for dockworkers in Kobe pre-WWII....
, followed by the Nagoya-based Kodo-kai
Kodo-kai
The Kodo-kai is a yakuza criminal organization based in Nagoya, Japan. It is a secondary organization of the Sixth Yamaguchi-gumi, the largest known yakuza syndicate in Japan...
. It takes its name from its founder, Kenichi Yamamoto
Kenichi Yamamoto (yakuza)
was the founder of the Yamaken-gumi yakuza gang, who were based in Kobe, Japan. It is the largest affiliate of the Yamaguchi-gumi.Yamamoto was the eldest son in his family. His father was an engineer working for Kawasaki Heavy Industries...
.
The Yamaken-gumi is estimated to have between 3,000 and 7,000 members.
Yoshinori Watanabe
Yoshinori Watanabe
was a yakuza, the fifth kumicho of the Yamaguchi-gumi, Japan's largest yakuza organization. He became kumicho in 1989. He was known for a more low-key approach than his predecessors, partly due to an Anti-Gang law passed in 1992...
was kumicho (Godfather) of the Yamaken-gumi from 1982 to 1989 before becoming kumicho of the Yamaguchi-gumi. Watanabe retired from that post in July 2005, but the Yamaken-gumi remains largely loyal to him. Many of its members were upset that the sixth Yamaguchi don was not chosen from their ranks, instead, the Nagoya-based Kenichi Shinoda
Kenichi Shinoda
, also known as , is a yakuza, the sixth and current kumicho of the Yamaguchi-gumi, Japan's largest yakuza organization. He was released from prison on April 9, 2011, after serving a six-year sentence for firearms possession....
was chosen.
The Yamaken-gumi's current president (kumicho) is Kunio Inoue (born 1948 in Oita
Oita Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan on Kyūshū Island. The prefectural capital is the city of Ōita.- History :Around the 6th century Kyushu consisted of four regions: Tsukushi-no-kuni 筑紫国, Hi-no-kuni 肥国, and Toyo no kuni...
, Kyushu
Kyushu
is the third largest island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands. Its alternate ancient names include , , and . The historical regional name is referred to Kyushu and its surrounding islands....
). The number-two (wakagashira) is Kuniharu Yamamoto (born 1949 in Oita, Kyushu).
Leadership
- 1st kumicho (1961-1982): who was a of the Third Yamaguchi-gumi. He was a former member of .
- 2nd kumicho (1982-1989): who was wakagashira of the Fourth Yamaguchi-gumi. He was 1st of the , and would later become kumicho of the Fifth Yamaguchi-gumi.
- 3rd kumicho (1989-2005): who is a of the Fifth Yamaguchi-gumi. He was kaicho of the Second Kenryu-kai.
- 4th kumicho (2005-): who is a of the Sixth Yamaguchi-gumi. He was kaicho of the Fourth Kenryu-kai. He is an adopted son of Kuwata.
Current Top Leaders
- kumicho - Kunio Inoue
- wakagashira - Hideyuki Senoo (kumicho of the Senoo-gumi)