Editing Yakuza (section)

===Three largest syndicates and six major syndicates===
As of 2024, the National Police Agency has designated [[Yamaguchi-gumi]], [[Kobe Yamaguchi-gumi]], [[Kizuna-kai]], [[Ikeda-gumi]] ([[:ja:池田組|ja]]), [[Sumiyoshi-kai]], and [[Inagawa-kai]] as {{nihongo3|major organizations|主要団体|Shuyō dantai}} among the designated yakuza. These six organizations have a total of 7,300 members and 6,100 quasi-members, for a total of 13,500 members, or 71.8 percent of the total 18,800 yakuza members and quasi-members in Japan.<ref name="npa"/>

Kobe Yamaguchi-gumi split off from Yamaguchi-gumi in August 2015, Kizuna-kai split off from Kobe Yamaguchi-gumi in April 2017, and Ikeda-gumi split off from Kobe Yamaguchi-gumi in July 2020. These Yamaguchi-gumi and the three organizations that split from them are fighting each other.<ref name="npa"/>

In recent years, the three major yakuza syndicates have formed a loose alliance, and in April 2023, [[Kiyoshi Takayama]], the ''wakagashira'' (second-in-command) of the [[Yamaguchi-gumi]], [[Shuji Ogawa]], the ''kaichō'' (chairman) of the [[Sumiyoshi-kai]], and [[Kazuya Uchibori]] ([[:ja:内堀和也|ja]]), the ''kaichō'' of the [[Inagawa-kai]], held a social gathering.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20230413190640/https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/4c71daee00fcb74790d31282c0b1db1c85db69ba 六代目山口組髙山清司若頭、住吉会＆稲川会トップと"ヤクザサミット"開催　緊張感漂う内部写真公開.] Yahoo Japan News. 13 April 2023</ref>

{| class=wikitable
! Principal families
! Description
! [[Mon (crest)]]
|-----
| {{Nihongo|[[Yamaguchi-gumi]]|山口組}}
| The Yamaguchi-gumi is the largest yakuza family, accounting for 30% of all yakuza in Japan, with 3,300 members and 3,600 quasi-members as of 2024.<ref name="npa"/> From its headquarters in [[Kobe]], it directs criminal activities throughout Japan. It is also involved in operations in Asia and the United States. [[Kenichi Shinoda|Shinobu Tsukasa]], also known as Kenichi Shinoda, is the Yamaguchi-gumi's current oyabun. He follows an expansionist policy and has increased operations in [[Tokyo]] (which has not traditionally been the territory of the Yamaguchi-gumi.)

One of the best-known bosses of the Yamaguchi-gumi was [[Kazuo Taoka]], the "Godfather of all Godfathers", who was responsible for the syndicate's massive growth and success during the 20th century.<ref name="Taoka Kazuo, a Japanese organized crime boss">{{cite web |last1=Britannica |first1=Encyclopedia |title=Taoka Kazuo, Japanese crime boss |url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Taoka-Kazuo |website=www.britannica.com |publisher=The editors of Encyclopedia Britannica |access-date=4 May 2022}}</ref>
| [[File:Yamabishi.svg|120px]]
<!--"The meaning of the samurai sword is in the warrior and the sword as one it could be a dangerous opponent"-->
"Yamabishi" (山菱)
|-
| {{Nihongo|[[Sumiyoshi-kai]]|住吉会}}
| The Sumiyoshi-kai is the second-largest yakuza family, with an estimated 2,100 members and 1,100 quasi-members as of 2024.<ref name="npa"/> Sumiyoshi-kai is a confederation of smaller yakuza groups. Its current head (会長 kai-cho) is Shūji Ogawa. Structurally, Sumiyoshi-kai differs from its principal rival, the [[Yamaguchi-gumi]], in that it functions like a [[federation]]. The chain of command is more relaxed, and its leadership is distributed among several other members.
| [[File:Sumiyoshi-kai.svg|120px]]
|-
| {{Nihongo|[[Inagawa-kai]]|稲川会}}
| The Inagawa-kai is the third-largest yakuza family in Japan, with roughly 1,600 members and 1,100 quasi-members as of 2024.<ref name="npa"/> It is based in the Tokyo-Yokohama area and was one of the first yakuza families to expand its operations outside of Japan.
| [[File:稲川会代紋.svg|120px]]
|}