Kazuo Taoka

Kazuo Taoka (田岡 一雄, Taoka Kazuo, March 28, 1913 – July 23, 1981) was one of the most prominent yakuza godfathers.

Known as the "Godfather of Godfathers" and "The Japanese Godfather", Taoka was third kumicho of the Yamaguchi-gumi, Japan's largest yakuza organization, from 1946 to 1981.

Biography

Early life

Taoka, an orphan, grew up as a young street fighter in Kobe under the guidance of Noboru Yamaguchi, the Yamaguchi-gumi's boss. He earned his lifelong nickname "Kuma" ("the Bear") due to his signature attack of clawing at an opponent's eyes.

Career

He was imprisoned for murder from 1937 to 1943, and assumed the role of kumicho three years later at the age of 33. In his time as boss, Taoka expanded the Yamaguchi-gumi from a small strikebreaking gang on the Kobe docks to the world's largest criminal syndicate, with over 10,000 members during its peak. Notoriously suspicious and wary of rival yakuza clans, he notably refused to join the Kanto-kai, an inter-yakuza confederation in 1963. In 1972, Taoka forged an alliance between the Yamaguchi-gumi and the Inagawa-kai at a sakazuki ceremony at his home.

He had survived a 1978 assassination attempt when he was shot in the back of the neck by a member of the Matsuda-gumi (松田組), a rival gang to the Yamaguchi-gumi, during a limbo dance exhibition at a nightclub in Kyoto. His attacker was found dead several weeks later in some woods near Kobe.

Death

He led the Yamaguchi-gumi until his death from a heart attack in 1981. His wife, Fumiko, briefly filled the gang's leadership role until a new kumicho, Masahisa Takenaka, was chosen in 1984.

Personal life

From 1983 until 1990, his daughter, Yuki, was married to Kitarō, a noted Japanese new-age musician.