Yoshinori Watanabe

Biography

Yoshinori Watanabe

Yoshinori Watanabe (渡辺 芳則 Watanabe Yoshinori, January 8, 1941 - ) was the Fifth Kumicho (chairman or Godfather) of the Yamaguchi-gumi, Japan's largest yakuza organization.

On Friday July 29, 2005 Yoshinori Watanabe stepped down as Kumicho. He was the first Kumicho of the Yamaguchi-gumi to be succeeded while alive. He was replaced by by his second-in-command Kenichi Shinoda.

On his retirement, he was quoted as saying "I've been kumicho for 16 years, but been sick for the past four years and can no longer fulfill my responsibilities."

Watanabe is reportedly in poor health.

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