Word: taoka
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Dates: during 1970-1979
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...since the first of the year in gun battles that terrorized whole communities. Worse, one innocent bystander and two police officers were wounded in gross violation of the ancient code. According to police undercover agents, the warfare erupted because of the waning health and authority of Crime Czar Kazuo Taoka, 64, leader of the 11,000-member Yamaguchi-gumi, the biggest yakuza gang in the country...
Like his competitors, Taoka gained his donhood by organizing dock workers and setting up legitimate businesses, behind which flourish such illegal activities as gambling, prostitution and extortion. His estimated net revenues last year: $10 million. But Taoka, who is suffering from a heart condition, is no longer strong enough to prevent his fiery young lieutenants from trying to expand Yamaguchi-gumi power into territories held by rival yakuza. As the suspected aggressors in the internecine gangland warfare, Tao-ka's organization has been selected by police as their primary target in the cleanup. Says Seitaro Asanuma, director general...
That is a task the police have been trying vainly to accomplish for years. Last year the cops jailed no fewer than 2,000 of Taoka's men for brief periods. "But," admits Masaru Sawada, the policeman who commanded the operation, "kicking them endlessly in the seat of the pants didn't work." The sudden turn-around in public opinion just may. The citizens of Kobe have already held three mass demonstrations, chanting "Down with the yakuza!" Taoka's men, according to police, were stunned by such a massive outburst of hostility after years of public passivity...
...affliction from which Taoka obviously does not suffer. Asked about the Yamaguchi-gumi, he replied softly: 'It's simply a shimboku dantai [friendship and mutual-assistance society]. And incidentally, the number isn't 10,000-it's 100,000.' How does he earn the money to pay for his high living? 'Why,' he answered with a smile, 'it comes from my wife's hesokuri [secret savings on her household allowance...
...Clearly, Taoka has come a long way since that day in 1937, when, as a small-time hoodlum on the Kobe docks, he finished off a rival gang member with one downswing of his samurai sword -the first step in his rise to the position of Japan's No. 1 oyabun...