| Inagawa-kai | |
| Founded: | 1949 |
| Founder: | Kakuji Inagawa |
| Founding Location: | Shizuoka, Japan |
| Years Active: | 1949–present |
| Membership: | 1,700 members[1] 1,200 quasi-members |
| Leaders: | Jiro Kiyota (Korean name: Shin Byong-Kyu, 신병규) |
| Allies: | The Sixth Yamaguchi-gumi |
| Rivals: | Kobe Yamaguchi-gumi |
The is the third largest of Japan's yakuza groups, with approximately 1,700 members.[1] It is based in the Kantō region, and was one of the first yakuza organizations to begin operating overseas.
The Inagawa-kai was founded in Atami, Shizuoka in 1949 as the by Kakuji Inagawa.[2] Most of its members were drawn from the bakuto (traditional gamblers), and illegal gambling has long been the clan's main source of income. It has also expanded into such fields as drug trafficking, blackmail, extortion, and prostitution.
The Inagawa-gumi was renamed the Inagawa-kai in 1972.[2] After Kakuji Inagawa, the gang was led by Susumu Ishii, who led it to unprecedented financial prosperity during the 1980s Japanese bubble economy. At one point the clan's assets were estimated to be over $1.5 billion. After Ishii's death in 1990, Inagawa's son Toi Inagawa took over as kumicho and led the clan until his death in May 2005. Yoshio Tsunoda took up the mantle in 2006, heading the clan until his death in February 2010.[3] Kazuo Uchibori may be next in line to lead the clan, but his status as a kyodaibun (blood brother) to Takeuchi Teruaki, a senior member of the Yamaguchi-gumi, may complicate things.
February 2009 saw the Inagawa-kai 'Honbu' (Head Office) relocate from the Roppongi district of Tokyo to Akasaka. There is currently strong resistance from the local political groups and residents of Akasaka meaning that the location of the new Honbu may change yet again.
The Inagawa-kai quietly helped to provide relief in the wake of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami by sending supplies to affected areas. As a whole, the group shipped over 100 tons of supplies, including instant ramen, bean sprouts, paper diapers, batteries, flashlights, tea and drinking water, to the Tōhoku region.[4]
Inagawa-kai's renowned figures in the 20th century include Tatsuo Deguchi (known as the "Moroccan Tatsu" or "Tatsu of Morocco"), Kingo Yoshimizu, Kijin Inoue, Takamasa Ishii, Haruki Sho, and Kiichiro Hayashi.[5]
On April 7, 2019, Jiro Kiyota retired from kaicho and assumed the position of sosai, but remains the leader according to the National Police Agency.[1]