Yoshiyuki Yamaguchi

Himuro (Yasukaze Motomiya) and Tamura (Yoshiyuki Yamaguchi) return to Kobe, where the Kyowakai executives—still without a clear successor—expect Himuro to become the fourth chairman. Himuro refuses, causing unrest. After meeting Ueki, Himuro decides to respect Kawatani’s wishes and announces only his retirement. At the same time, the Marugami-kai appoints Sakota as chairman following Mita’s death. Meanwhile, Sunaga of the Keihin Alliance approaches Shinjo and Komiya again. Although the information reaches Himuro through Kuroiwa, Himuro rejects it, saying he does not want the Marugami-kai to split. Himuro admits he wanted to make Kawatani the number-one boss in Japan and to unite the yakuza world, but Tamura encourages him to be honest with his own feelings. Elsewhere, the Yamazaki Ichimon learns of Shinjo and Komiya and tries to handle things themselves. During this, retired Kyowakai member Nakajima appears, and his new business becomes the spark for a new conflict.

The first installment in the Yakuza/Like a Dragon franchise, which has shipped over 30 million copies worldwide, has been adapted into a live action work that remains almost faithful to the original. Produced by the cast and staff of the hugely popular franchise Unification of Japan, which depicts the Japanese underworld, the adaptation is fully supervised by Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio. The story follows the events leading up to the video game Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties.

Kawatani (Hitoshi Ozawa) leaves Kyowakai, naming Himuro (Yasukaze Motomiya) as the 4th Chairman. But with Himuro hospitalized and Tamura (Yoshiyuki Yamaguchi) stuck in Kobe, the leadership seat remains empty. Unease spreads among the executives, and tensions rise between Baba and Hirakawa. The Special Investigation Unit intensifies its crackdown on Kyowakai and Marugami-kai, arresting Kawakami for the hospital attack. Learning the police still can’t reach Shinjo and Komiya, Nakajima heads to the Fujishiro-gumi, but struggles with his failing physical condition. Meanwhile, a new scheme emerges, and drugs once again flood Yokohama. Amid growing chaos, Nakajima makes a critical decision—

Ryūichi and his small gang of Triad vie for control of the Japanese underworld in a crime-ridden Shinjuku quarter while Detective Jojima tries to bring it down.