Yamaguchigumi to Nippon Kessei 103 Nen No Tsushi Kara Kindai Wo Yomu (Shodensha Shinsho)

[Machine Translation] Yamaguchigumi was founded in Kobe in 1915 as an organization of dockworkers. The famous "rhombus and mountain" crest has been in place since its formation. In the 103 years since then, Japan's largest and most powerful yakuza organization, which at its peak was reputed to have "40,000 members including associate members," has split into three groups: Yamaguchigumi, Kobe Yamaguchigumi, and Ninkyo Yamaguchigumi. During this period, the organization has changed with the times, including the expansion of power by the third head, Kazuo Taoka, large-scale internal conflicts (Yamaichi War), and the enforcement of the Anti-Boryokudan Law and the Ordinance on the Elimination of Boryokudan. The author carefully traces the footsteps of the Yamaguchigumi and depicts "another image" of Japan before, during, and after World War II.

1915(大正4)年、港湾荷役労働者の組織として神戸に誕生した山口組。有名な「菱形に山」の代紋は、この結成当時からのものである。それから103年―最盛期には準構成員を含めて「4万人軍団」と評された日本最大・最強のヤクザ組織は、「山口組」「神戸山口組」「任侠山口組」と三分裂するに至る。この間、三代目組長・田岡一雄による勢力拡大、大規模な内部抗争(山一抗争)、暴力団対策法と暴力団排除条例の施行など、組織の姿は時代とともに移ろってきた。著者は山口組の足跡を丹念に辿り、戦前から戦中、戦後にわたる日本の“もうひとつの姿”を描き出す。