View source for Toa-kai

{{Short description|Yakuza syndicate of mainly Koreans}}
{{Infobox Criminal organization
| name = Toa-kai
| image = Toua_Yuai_Jigyo_Kumiai.svg
| caption = The [[Mon (crest)|daimon]] of the Toa-kai
| founded = 1948
| founding location = [[Ginza]], [[Tokyo]], [[Japan]]
| founded by = [[Hisayuki Machii]]
| years active = 1948–present
| territory = 
| leaders = Yasushi Hayano
| membership est = 20<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20220515172947/https://www.fnn.jp/articles/-/360162</ref>
| criminal activities = 
| rivals = 
}}
The {{nihongo|'''Toa-kai'''|東亜会|Tōa-kai}} is a [[yakuza]] syndicate based in [[Tokyo]]. Originally named the {{nihongo|Tosei-kai|東声会|Tōsei-kai|"Voice of the East Gang"<ref name="Kaplan_228">''Yakuza: Japan's criminal underworld'', p.228, 2003, [[David E. Kaplan (author)|David E. Kaplan]] and Alec Dubro, {{ISBN|0-520-21562-1}}</ref>}}, with its historic leader [[Hisayuki Machii]], the Toa-kai was deeply involved in the history of [[Tokyo]]'s [[South Korea]]n community and Japan's [[anti-communist]] circles in the 20th century.

==History==
The group was formed by [[Hisayuki Machii]], a [[Zainichi Korean]] mob boss,<ref name="facta">[http://facta.co.jp/article/200904059.html "Overview of a 'heretic' of post-war history"], April 2009, ''The Facta Magazine'' {{in lang|ja}}</ref> as the Tosei-kai in 1948.<ref name="Kaplan_228"/> The Tosei-kai was originally a reported [[far-right]] organization of [[anti-communist]] activism<ref name="facta"/> led by Machii as a sympathizer of [[Kanji Ishiwara]],<ref name="sano">[http://www.shinchosha.co.jp/shinkan/nami/shoseki/313731.html "Review : The Man Called the Wild Bull : 'Tosei-kai' Hisayuki Machii's Post-war History"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927000814/http://www.shinchosha.co.jp/shinkan/nami/shoseki/313731.html |date=2011-09-27 }}, March 2009, Shin'ichi Sano, ''[[Shinchosha]]'' {{in lang|ja}}</ref> which was in conflict with the [[North Korea]]-associated [[General Association of Korean Residents in Japan]].<ref name="facta"/>

The Tosei-kai quickly became one of [[Tokyo]]'s most powerful gangs,<ref name="Kaplan_228"/> and had significantly expanded during the [[Japanese post-war economic miracle|time of the post-war economic growth]]. Membership reached 1,500 in the 1960s.<ref name="facta"/> As the leader of the syndicate, Machii became an essential "fixer" between Japan and [[South Korea]].<ref name="time">[https://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2043575_2043788_2043553,00.html "Hisayuki Machii - Top 10 Real-Life Mob Bosses"], 20 January 2011, ''[[TIME]]''</ref>

Increasing police crackdowns by 1965 forced Machii to disband the Tosei-kai and establish a new gang, the {{nihongo|Toa Yuai Jigyo Kumiai|東亜友愛事業組合|Tōa Yūai Jigyō Kumiai}}, or "East Asia Friendship Enterprise Association". He also formed a "legitimate" company called the {{nihongo|Toa Sogo Kigyo|東亜相互企業|Tōa Sōgo Kigyō}}, or East Asia Enterprises Company, and named power-broker [[Yoshio Kodama]] as chairman of the board.<ref name="Kaplan_229">''Yakuza: Japan's criminal underworld'', p.229, 2003, [[David E. Kaplan (author)|David E. Kaplan]] and Alec Dubro, {{ISBN|0-520-21562-1}}</ref> Afterwards, the Toa Yuai Jigyo Kumiai changed the name as {{nihongo|Toa Yuai|東亜友愛|Tōa Yūai}} and Toa-kai.

The founder Machii retired in the 1980s,<ref name="time"/> and died of heart failure on September 14, 2002, in Tokyo. Also known as a successful businessman, he was 79.<ref>[http://www.47news.jp/CN/200209/CN2002092101000150.html "Mr. Hisayuki Machii passes away"], 21 September 2002, ''47 News, [[Kyodo]]'' {{in lang|ja}}</ref>

==Condition==
The Toa-kai is a member of a [[bakuto]] fraternal federation named the Kanto Hatsuka-kai, along with four other [[Kantō region|Kanto]]-based yakuza syndicates, the [[Sumiyoshi-kai]], the [[Inagawa-kai]], the [[Matsuba-kai]], and the [[Soai-kai]].<ref name="ino">[http://www.alles.or.jp/~inokenji/hyouron.html "The Yamaguchi-gumi Bakuhu theory"], Kenji Ino, 17 December 2007 {{in lang|ja}}</ref> The Toa-kai has aligned itself with the largest known [[Yamaguchi-gumi]] syndicate since the syndicate's [[Kazuo Taoka|Taoka]] era in the 20th century,<ref name="facta"/> and has been closely supported by [[Shinobu Tsukasa]], the sixth-generation godfather of the Yamaguchi-gumi, since 2005 when the sixth era of the Yamaguchi-gumi officially started.<ref name="ino"/>
[[File:Ginza-Dori Avenue at night.JPG|thumb|right|The Toa-kai once took control of [[Ginza]], a large district in Tokyo.<ref name="Kaplan_228"/>]]
=== Okinawa ===
The Toa-kai's notable branch organizations include the {{nihongo|Yoshimi-kogyo|誼興業}}.<ref>[http://www.police.pref.okinawa.jp/anzennakurashi/hanzaihigai/boryokudan01.html "Boryokudan Expulsion Manual"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111228124131/http://www.police.pref.okinawa.jp/anzennakurashi/hanzaihigai/boryokudan01.html |date=2011-12-28 }}, July 2011, ''[[Okinawa Prefecture|Okinawa Prefectural]] [[Japanese police|Police]]'' {{in lang|ja}}</ref>  Yoshimi-Kogyo was dissolved in 2012.

The origin of the Yoshimi-kogyo reportedly traces back to the late 20th century, when Toshio Gibo, an [[Ryukyuans|ethnic Okinawan]] mobster, formed an anti-[[left wing|left]] nationalist organization named the Makoto-kai in Okinawa under influence of [[Yoshio Kodama]]. Gibo met with Machii through Kodama, founding an affiliate of the Tosei-kai in Okinawa.<ref name="sano"/>

Okinawa's underworld has been known for its exclusiveness since the 20th century, where the dominating [[Kyokuryu-kai]] has persistently attacked and violently expelled any yakuza syndicate attempting to enter the island. The reason why the Toa-kai has been able to be active on the island may be because the group has historically been more oriented to legitimate businesses, and of its gentle stance, in contrast to other yakuza syndicates which have attempted to expand their influences into Okinawa with heavy violence, such as the [[Yamaguchi-gumi]] and especially the [[Dojin-kai]]. For example, in 2002 in Okinawa, only one Yoshimi member was arrested, while 56 Kyokuryu-kai members and 95 Okinawa Kyokuryu-kai members were arrested.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ryukyushimpo.jp/news/storyid-119248-storytopic-86.html |title=中止命令24件に/暴対法以来2番目 - 琉球新報 - 沖縄の新聞、地域のニュース |website=ryukyushimpo.jp |access-date=17 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120319214841/http://ryukyushimpo.jp/news/storyid-119248-storytopic-86.html |archive-date=19 March 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Leadership==
[[File:Hisayuki Machii, The Man Called the Wild Bull.jpg|thumb|upright|The founding leader, [[Hisayuki Machii|Machii]], featured on the cover of a biographical book after his death]]
*1st President: [[Hisayuki Machii]]
*2nd president: Fujimatsu Hirano
*3rd president: Morihiro Okita
*4th president: Shohei Futamura
*5th president: Yoshio Kaneumi
*6th president: Yasumi Hayano

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Organizations established in 1948]]
[[Category:1948 establishments in Japan]]
[[Category:Yakuza groups]]
[[Category:Anti-communist organizations in Japan]]
[[category:Yamaguchi-gumi]]
[[Category:Zainichi Korean organizations]]