u/roomofbruh

Touch (1985-1987), Maison Ikkoku (1986-1988)

Context: In the 1960s, the islands of Okinawa is rocked by numerous yakuza gang conflicts that saw bloodshed being spill among different gangs during the time when Okinawa was under US occupation. These warring yakuza clans would later merge in the early 1970s to form the Okinawa United Kyokuryu-kai yakuza group.

When Okinawa was eventually returned to Japanese administration in 1972, Mainland yakuza groups, primarily those of the Yamaguchi-gumi, would later set their sights on the Okinawan island next. However in 1974, one of the Kyokuryu-kai lieutenant, Yukichi Uehara dissatisfied with the treatment of his faction in the group, would later breakaway from the Kyokuryu-kai to form his own yakuza group, The Uehara-gumi.

The Uehara-gumi would later find itself an ally and backing from the Ohira-gumi, a Yamaguchi-gumi affiliated group from mainland Japan. As tensions erupted from both side, Kyokuryu-kai members would strike first by abducting seven members of the Uehara-gumi and brutally beating them. In response, on October 24 of 1974, two members of the Uehara-gumi shot and killed Kyokuryu-kai chairman, Yoshifumi Shinjo at a club in Ginowan City, Okinawa, Japan, officially starting the war.

This would set the Fourth Okinawan yakuza war, one of the most violent gang conflicts in modern Japanese history, which saw incidents such as the abduction and killing of 3 gangster after being forced to dig their own grave in 1975, the stabbing and murder of a rival yakuza boss, the lynching and murder of a rival gangster, and so on. The conflict is also noted for the heavy use of automatic weapons, which is considered a rarity in Japan.

The Uehara-gumi would later officially become an affiliate group with the Yamaguchi-gumi in 1976. The Uehara-gumi would later change leadership, with Yukichi handing down his position to his younger brother, Hideyoshi Uehara, instead while Yukichi went into hiding and became a fugitive, with his whereabouts remaining unknown to this very day.

The conflict would continue despite police crackdowns on it and despite numerous attempts at peace negotiations. In 1981, after much bloodshed, the Yamaguchi-gumi and Kyokuryu-kai would mediate a peace settlement and exchange brotherhood vows that would bring an end to the Fourth Okinawa Yakuza Conflict.