Gangsters sometimes hide in plain sight. The Tosei-kai’s history is a shadowy tale. It involves yakuza, politics, and a hidden Korean influence in Japan.
This group’s story begins in 1948. Hisayuki Machii founded the Tosei-kai. He was a Zainichi Korean mob boss. The group was known as the Voice of the East Gang.
Machii was anti-communist. He was a sympathizer of Kanji Ishiwara. The Tosei-kai clashed with North Korea supporters in Japan.
The Tosei-kai quickly gained power in Tokyo. By the 1960s, it had 1500 members. Machii became a fixer between Japan and South Korea.
Police crackdowns forced Machii to change things. In 1965, he disbanded the Tosei-kai. He created the Toa Yuai Jigyo Kumiai. It means East Asia Friendship Enterprise Association. He also started Toa Sogo Kigyo. This was the East Asia Enterprises Company. Yoshio Kodama became chairman. Later, Toa Yuai Jigyo Kumiai became Toa Yuai and then Toa-kai.
Machii retired in the 1980s. He died in 2002. He was 79. He was also known as a successful businessman.
The Toa-kai is part of the Kanto Hatsuka-kai. It is a fraternal federation. Other members include Sumiyoshi-kai, Inagawa-kai, Matsuba-kai and Soai-kai. The Toa-kai has ties with the Yamaguchi-gumi. Shinobu Tsukasa supports them. He is the sixth-generation godfather of the Yamaguchi-gumi.
The Toa-kai headquarters has been in Ginza, Tokyo since its beginning. They have five branches in Tokyo. They have one branch outside Tokyo.
One notable branch is Yoshimi-kogyo. It is in Okinawa. It is one of the major yakuza groups there. Toshio Gibo founded Makoto-kai in Okinawa. He was influenced by Yoshio Kodama. Gibo met Machii and created an affiliate of the Tosei-kai in Okinawa.
Okinawa’s underworld is exclusive. The Kyokuryu-kai often attacks outsiders. The Toa-kai has been able to operate there. They focus on legitimate business. They are less violent than other groups.
Hisayuki Machii was the president of Tosei-kai. Fujimatsu Hirano was the first president of Toa Yuai Jigyo Kumiai. Shohei Futamura was president of Toa Yuai and first president of Toa-kai. Yoshio Kaneumi was the second president of Toa-kai.
The Toa-kai’s story shows the complex world of the yakuza. It is a world of power, politics, and hidden connections. Their influence in Tokyo and beyond is a reminder of their lasting legacy. Even today, the Toa-kai remains a significant player in Japan’s underworld.