Battles Without Honor and Humanity: Police Tactics

In fall 1963, police intensify their assault on yakuza networks across Japan as the government prepares for the 1964 Summer Olympics. The Yamamori Family and the Shinwa Group widen their conflict against an Uchimoto–Hirono–Akashi alliance, each side recruiting reinforcements. The crackdown signals a turning point that will intensify the war.

Noburo Uchimoto, Shozo Hirono, and Shinichi Iwai bring in Kawada and Okajima to expand their coalition. The added bosses are meant to balance Yamamori and Shinwa’s advantages, escalating the war across major cities. With new leadership, the alliance gains more resources for future confrontations.

One of Hirono's officers is killed by men from the Makihara Family, prompting Hirono to vow revenge. His vow is tempered by advisors who urge restraint, highlighting the tension between personal vengeance and political calculation. The incident sets the tone for a protracted vendetta within the broader war.

Akira Takeda threatens Okubo’s life if he fails to keep Hirono in Kure, using it as leverage to control the field. The pressure demonstrates how assassination plays a strategic role in the power struggle. The move tightens Yamamori’s grip on the Kure front.

Yamamori flees to Hiroshima City while Makihara’s faction continues fighting elsewhere, keeping the war alive across regions. The escape signals a strategic shift and a surge in police pressure nationwide. The fighting persists as both sides consolidate territory.

Police begin squeezing gang rackets and business interests as the public turns against the yakuza. Newspapers publish stories that demonize the gangs, fueling calls for action. The crackdown adds legal and social pressure to the violence already underway.

A constant police stakeout on Hirono’s office effectively paralyzes him, given his parole status keeps him under surveillance. The tactic shows how law enforcement can neutralize a powerful player even without a direct arrest. Hirono fights to maintain influence under the watch.

Hirono learns Yamamori will travel to Kobe, and he leaves his base in disguise to kill him personally. The planned strike risks a fierce counterattack that could redraw the regional balance. Meanwhile, Yamamori’s men attempt to move covertly to avoid detection.

The two men escorting Yamamori’s target plan to execute the hit themselves, but Akashi intercepts them to preserve honor. Iwai masterminds a large memorial service as a pretext to bring hundreds for an attack on Hiroshima City. The double move blends ritual mourning with strategic violence.

Uchimoto is abducted at gunpoint by Takeda and Yamamori and betrays his partners in the process. Yamamori tips the police to a year-old crime by Hirono, triggering arrests that reshape the balance of power. The crackdown unsettles Hirono’s allies and strengthens the hands of his adversaries.

Takeda forges a coalition of Hiroshima-area yakuza to counter the Akashi-led alliance. He orders a bombing of Boss Akashi’s house in Kobe to frame the Shinwa Group, provoking retaliation and a widening cycle of violence. The actions heighten police action and regional tensions.

Kawada manipulates Yazaki to drive Fujita into murder, resulting in Yazaki’s 20-year sentence. The scheme shows how lower-ranking members are pulled into the power struggle. The repercussions ripple through the Gisei and Kawada factions.

Iwai visits Hirono in jail and explains that Akashi’s backing is fading as police pressure increases. The shifting alliances threaten the cohesion of the Akashi-led faction. Prosecutors continue to press charges to solidify the case against the yakuza leadership.

Prosecutors assemble charges that accelerate the legal process, revoking Hirono’s parole and sending several leaders to prison. Hirono receives seven years, Makihara three, Eda five, and Yamamori about a year and a half. Uchimoto negotiates a retirement from the yakuza to go on probation.

Waiting to be booked into prison, Takeda jokingly mentions turning his family into a political committee once released. The line underscores how crime and politics shade into each other in this world. The film closes with its captains facing long futures behind bars or in political shadows.