日本知名暴力團伙“住吉會”的會長小川修，近日因涉嫌三年前闖入前任會長住宅竊取現金5000萬日元，並恐嚇知情人而被千葉縣警方逮捕。事件發生在12月6日，引起日本社會對黑道內部權力鬥爭的關注。

住吉會是日本第二大指定暴力團，也是日本最大的幫派組織之一。其歷史可以追溯到17世紀，當時的武士常受土地主或官僚僱用，負責看守賭場或刺殺敵對勢力。在明治時期（1866年至1911年），一名名叫伊藤松五郎的人在東京芝浦地區集結一群賭徒，組成住吉會的前身組織——“住吉一家”。伊藤松五郎出生於東京日本橋的住吉町，當時的日本早期黑道有將創始者姓名或地名加上“一家”作為組織名稱的習慣，因此“住吉一家”這一名稱應運而生。隨後，住吉一家由二代目倉持直吉繼承發展，逐步演變成今日的住吉會。

住吉會在日本黑道中地位顯赫，多年來涉及各類非法活動，包括賭博、勒索與暴力衝突。小川修作為現任會長，涉嫌的竊盜及威脅事件再次暴露了組織內部的權力鬥爭與財務矛盾，也讓外界對日本大型幫派的運作和監管情況產生關注。警方的逮捕行動表明，儘管暴力團具有一定的社會影響力，但在法律面前仍可能面臨嚴格追責。

此次事件不僅涉及高額現金的竊取，也牽動住吉會的內部秩序和未來權力結構。對日本社會而言，這起案件再次提醒公眾，黑道勢力雖然存在悠久歷史，但其內部糾紛和違法行為仍會受到警方打擊與司法制裁。

The leader of Japan’s notorious yakuza group, the Sumiyoshi-kai, Osamu Ogawa, was recently arrested by Chiba Prefectural Police for allegedly breaking into the residence of the former leader three years ago, stealing 50 million yen in cash, and intimidating witnesses. The arrest, made on December 6, has drawn attention to the ongoing internal power struggles within Japan’s organized crime circles.

The Sumiyoshi-kai is Japan’s second-largest designated yakuza organization and one of the country’s largest criminal syndicates. Its history dates back to the 17th century, when samurai were often employed by landowners or government officials to guard gambling houses or assassinate rivals. During the Meiji period (1866–1911), a man named Matsugoro Ito gathered a group of gamblers in the Shibaura area of Tokyo and formed the precursor to the Sumiyoshi group, known as the Sumiyoshi-ikka. Matsugoro Ito was born in Sumiyoshi-chō, Nihonbashi, Tokyo. In early Japanese yakuza tradition, the name of the founder or the place of origin was often prefixed with “ikka” (family) to denote the organization, which is how the name “Sumiyoshi-ikka” came about. The group was later succeeded by the second-generation leader Naokichi Kuramochi, evolving over time into today’s Sumiyoshi-kai.

The Sumiyoshi-kai has long held a prominent position within the Japanese underworld and has been involved in various illegal activities, including gambling, extortion, and violent conflicts. The alleged theft and intimidation by Osamu Ogawa highlight ongoing internal disputes over power and finances within the organization, drawing public attention to the operations and regulation of large yakuza syndicates. The police arrest demonstrates that, despite their social influence, yakuza members are still subject to strict legal accountability.

This incident involves not only the theft of a large sum of money but also potential disruptions to the internal order and future leadership structure of the Sumiyoshi-kai. For Japanese society, the case serves as a reminder that, although yakuza organizations have a long historical presence, their internal conflicts and illegal actions continue to be targeted by law enforcement and judicial authorities.