Aizukotetsu-kai
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The Fifth Aizukotetsu-kai (五代目会津小鉄会 Godaime Aizukotetsu-kai?) (sometimes written Aizu-Kotetsukai or Aizu Kotetsu-kai), based in Kyoto, is Japan's sixth-largest yakuza organization. Its name comes from "Aizu", a traditional name for the region, "Kotetsu", a type of Japanese sword, and the suffix "-kai", or society.
Rather than a stand-alone gang, the Aizukotetsu-kai is a federation of approximately 100 of Kyoto's various yakuza groups, comprising an estimated 4,500 members.
In 1992 the Aizukotetsu-kai became one of the first yakuza syndicates named under Japan's new anti-boryokudan legislation, which gave police expanded powers to crack down on yakuza. Its chairman at the time, Tokutaro Takayama, campaigned publicly against the new laws, and the group launched a lawsuit challenging their constitutionality. In September 1995 the Kyoto District Court threw out the lawsuit.
Its current kaicho (Godfather) is Toshitsugu Zukoshi. In October 2005, the group formed an alliance with the Sixth Yamaguchi-gumi, Japan's largest yakuza gang.
[edit] Successive kaichos
- 3rd (1975-1986) sosai: Riichi Zukoshi (図越 利一) who was kaicho of the Second Nakajima-kai.
- 4th (1986-1997): Tokutaro Takayama who was kumicho of the Second Nakagawa-gumi.
- 5th (1997-): Toshitsugu Zukoshi who was kaicho of the Fourth Nakajima-kai. He is the son of Riichi Zukoshi.
