
Takashi Nihara (born 1910) was a Japanese yakuza crime boss who served as the acting Second Chairman of the Tojo-kai from the 1980s to 1993, succeeding Makoto Tojo and preceding Masaru Sera.
Biography[]
Takashi Nihara was born in Tokyo, Japan in 1910, and he was involved in the yakuza from a young age before becoming a loyal retainer of Makoto Tojo, who founded the powerful Tojo-kai clan in Kabukicho during the 1960s. He developed a positive opinion of the rising star Shintaro Kazama early on, seeing him as a person who redefined manhood. It is unknown when Tojo retired, although it was likely in the early 1980s, upon which the elder statesman Nihara became the acting Second Chairman. Despite his old age, Nihara was worshipped as a god among men by the rank-and-file of the Tojo clan.
Empty Lot dispute[]

Takashi Nihara at Tojo headquarters, 17 December 1988
In 1988, the Tojo clan was embroiled in the "Empty Lot dispute" with the Omi Alliance and Tachibana Real Estate, with both the Tojo clan and Omi Alliance suffering from factionalism and intrigue in the process. On 17 December 1988, Tetsu Tachibana came to the Tojo clan's headquarters to make peace with Nihara and convince him to spare the life of Kazuma Kiryu, a former Dojima-gumi member who had been framed for murder by his family's lieutenants, and was being subjected to a manhunt by his former family. Nihara was reluctant at first, as he trusted the judgment of Sohei Dojima, but Tachibana warned him that Dojima was an ambitious man who, should he succeed Nihara as chairman (which Dojima was likely to do upon Nihara's retirement, as he was the Tojo-kai's top earner), would become an autocratic leader who would inevitably force Nihara into "a retirement spent impotent and forgotten". Tachibana offered to ensure that Dojima remained "a competent and loyal subordinate" by foiling his plans to acquire the Empty Lot, which would prevent Dojima from upsetting the balance of power within the Dojima-gumi. Tachibana also gave Nihara a gift of ¥500 million up front, promising another ¥500 million once it was verified that Dojima's pursuit of Kiryu had been called off, as well as 30% of Tachibana Real Estate's future profits. Nihara commended Tachibana for his business acumen and agreed, and he stood by the arrangement after Kiryu proved himself by helping Tachibana and Jun Oda escape from the headquarters after defeating scores of Tojo guards on the headquarters grounds. Nihara came to admire Kiryu, who reminded him of a young Kazama.