Kiyoshi Takayama
Takayama Kiyoshi | |
---|---|
髙山 清司 | |
Born | Tsushima, Aichi, Japan | September 5, 1947
Nationality | Japanese |
Occupation | Yakuza |
Years active | 1967-Present |
Known for | The number-two position (Wakagashira) of Yamaguchi-gumi |
Allegiance | Yamaguchi-gumi |
Criminal charge | Blackmail |
Penalty | 6 years' imprisonment (2014) |
Kiyoshi Takayama (髙山 清司, Takayama Kiyoshi, born September 5, 1947[1] in Tsushima, Aichi[1]) is a yakuza best known as the second-in-command (wakagashira) of the 6th-generation Yamaguchi-gumi, the largest known yakuza syndicate in Japan, and the president of its ruling affiliate, Kodo-kai, based in Nagoya.[2]
Takayama has been considered the key person in the entire history of the Kodo-kai and behind the sixth Yamaguchi-gumi, being kept under close surveillance by the National Police Agency. The National Police Agency once distributed a report on its operations against the Yamaguchi-gumi to every police department across the country, which had a special section devoted to him and even made reference to his personality.[3]
In 2012, the
Career
Takayama entered the underworld in his teenage years,
Road to the Kobe
The sixth wakagashira
Takayama had rapidly been promoted in the headquarters of the Yamaguchi-gumi, and following Tsukasa's assumption of the leadership of the Yamaguchi-gumi, in 2005, he flew the number-two position (wakagashira) at the largest known yakuza syndicate only four months after his entrance into its headquarters.[8] The wakagashira post had been vacant since 1997 when the fifth wakagashira, Masaru Takumi, was assassinated.[9] In 2008, under his dominating influence, the headquarters purged a total of nine "big names" from the syndicate, including Tadamasa Goto as the head of the Goto-gumi, and forced two into temporary suspension, resulting in causing some serious controversies in the entire Yamaguchi-gumi community.[7]
Also in 2008, it was noted that Takayama, as the Yamaguchi-gumi's wakagashira, attended the funeral of Hideo Mizoshita, the third president of the Kudo-kai. The Kudo-kai was a Kyushu-based independent syndicate known as the leading member of an anti-Yamaguchi federation, and he attended this historic funeral as the deputy leader of the Yamaguchi-gumi while the actual leader Tsukasa was in prison.[10]
Meanwhile, in Nagoya, by late 2009, the Kodo-kai's membership had reached 4,000. Originally started with just 25 members, the clan grew to an exceedingly powerful, 4,000-member organization within only 26 years, as noted in the National Police Agency's anti-Yamaguchi strategy report distributed in 2009, and this rapid growth, as an "astounding success", was largely attributed to Takayama.[3]
2010 arrest
In November 2010, Takayama, as the "de facto leader of the Yamaguchi-gumi",
Controversy
At the time of the arrest, the victim was reported to be just a 65-year-old man engaged in the construction business.
Release
Takayama was released on bail of 1.5 billion yen (US$19 million) in June 2012.[20]
In prison
Takayama was held in Fuchū Prison from 2014 but was released in 2019.[21][22][23][24]
References
- ^ a b "Pre-Notification For Upcoming Designation Of Transnational Organized Criminal Elements : Identifying Information : Yakuza : Entity 1 : Yamaguchi-gumi : Person 2 : Kiyoshi Takayama" (p. 2) Malta Financial Services Authority
- ^ "Yamaguchi-gumi's No. 2 to go free on ¥1.5 billion bail during extortion trial" Archived 2012-06-22 at the Wayback Machine, 13 June 2012, The Japan Times
- ^ a b "The "Top Operations" for destroying the Yamaguchi-gumi Kodo-kai, arresting from the kumicho to the number 3" Archived 2011-10-02 at the Wayback Machine, December 17, 2010, Weekly Friday (in Japanese)
- ^ "US steps up offensive against Japan's yakuza gangs", 24 February 2012, The Guardian
- ^ "US moves to isolate Russian, Japanese crime groups", 23 February 2012, AFP
- ^ Gendai Business(in Japanese)
- ^ a b c d "Kiyoshi Takayama" Archived 2017-06-23 at the Wayback Machine, Yakuza Wiki (in Japanese)
- ^ ISBN 978-4-480-06463-9(in Japanese)
- ^ "Into the Yamaguchi-gumi's 'total domination' of the underworld" Archived 2012-03-26 at the Wayback Machine, September 10, 2008, Monthly Central Journal, Central News Bank (in Japanese)
- ISBN 978-4-86201-358-3(in Japanese)
- ^ "Osaka Police Nab Another Yakuza Boss as Crackdown Continues", December 1, 2010, The Wall Street Journal
- ^ "'Top gangster' arrested in Japan", November 18, 2010, BBC
- ^ "Yakuza chief arrested in Japan", November 18, 2010, The Guardian
- ^ "Top Yakuza crime boss arrested in Japan", November 18, 2010, The Daily Telegraph
- Asahi Shimbun
- Sydney Morning Herald
- Gendai Business(in Japanese)
- Gendai Business(in Japanese)
- Gendai Business(in Japanese)
- ^ "Yakuza leader offered $19m bail", 13 June 2012, Herald Sun
- ^ Tokyo Reporter (2019-10-18). "Yamaguchi-gumi number-two boss released from prison". Retrieved 2020-02-10.
- ^ Day Day News (2019-10-19). "Kiyoshi Takayama, the second in command of the Yamaguchi gang in Japan, was released from prison and spent five years in jail". Retrieved 2020-02-10.
- ^ Nippon.com (2019-10-18). "Yamaguchi-gumi Second-in-Command Released from Tokyo Prison". Retrieved 2020-02-10.
- ^ Thet, Nyi Nyi (2019-10-21). "Largest Yakuza group's 2nd-in-command steps out of jail with S$10,134 jacket & S$1,656 shirt". Retrieved 2021-02-10.
See also
- List of crime bosses convicted in the 21st century