The Kobe Yamaguchi-gumi yakuza organization included Kobe-based Yamaken-gumi, Osaka-based Takumi-gumi, and Kyoyu-kai (ja). They broke away from The Sixth Yamaguchi-gumi in 2015 and formed a new group called Kobe Yamaguchi-gumi.[2] The authorities closely monitored this split to try and relax tensions that exist between the groups. Since August there has been a slight increase in crimes throughout the country ranging from shootings to office attacks.[3] It was not until 15 April 2016, when authorities designated the Kobe Yamaguchi-gumi as a crime syndicate.[3]
At the time of its formation in 2015, Kobe Yamaguchi-gumi had 2,800 members, about half of the 6,000 members of Yamaguchi-gumi. However, as Yamaken-gumi, the core organisation of Kobe Yamaguchi-gumi, rejoined Yamaguchi-gumi, Kizuna-kai, Takumi-gumi and Ikeda-gumi (ja) split, and Masaki-gumi (ja) and Kyoyu-kai disbanded, by 2023 Kobe Yamaguchi-gumi had only 140 members, 4% of Yamaguchigumi's 3,500 members.[4][5]
