Template:Character infobox
Jiro Kawara (瓦 次郎, Kawara Jirō) is a hard-boiled veteran detective known as "Killer Kawara" (Kawara the Demon in Yakuza Kiwami 2), who is on the trail of a Korean crime gang, which is later revealed to be the secretive Jingweon Mafia.
Personality
Kawara's hardened cop side is especially prevalent through his trigger-happy attitude. Despite this, he does have an otherwise good side of morality, but frequently overshadowed by his bitter side.
Appearance
Kawara wears a gray suit over white shirt. He has a graying hair due to his age. Karawa's likeness was drastically changed for Yakuza Kiwami 2 compared to the original Yakuza 2, being based off his voice actor Susumu Terajima. His hairstyle is also different in the two respective games.
History
Background
In 1980, Kawara was a detective with the Organized Crime division of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police. On Christmas night, while tailing a suspect through a nightclub, Kawara wound up at the Jingweon Mafia offices in time to witness the Dojima family massacre the Jingweon's leadership. Kawara managed to avoid detection and wound up saving the Jingweon Boss' wife, Suyeon Jung, and her baby.
Since Suyeon's desertion from the Jingweon made her and her child targets due to the Jingweon's iron creed, which mandated "death before dishonor", Kawara convinced Suyeon to give her son away to an acquaintance of his and then go into hiding. Kawara would periodically check in on Suyeon while she lived under her new identity and the two soon fell in love, married and had a daughter together.
Tragically, while Kawara was in Hong Kong for an assignment, Jingweon assassins tracked down Suyeon and killed her. However, her and Kawara's daughter survived. Grief-stricken, but certain that it was the best way to ensure his daughter's survival, Kawara gave his baby away to Tamiyo Sayama in the hopes of hiding her true identity.
In the years that followed, Kawara would go on a personal revenge mission against the Jingweon. While partnered with Makoto Date in the TMPD, Kawara would track down Jingweon operatives working in Japan and murder them under the guise of them being suspects killed for "resisting arrest". This series of extrajudicial executions disguised as on duty shootings would net him a reputation as a trigger-happy, cold blooded police detective and eventually earn him the nickname "Killer Kawara" ("Demon Kawara" in Yakuza Kiwami 2).
Yakuza 2/Yakuza Kiwami 2
Jiro Kiwara during 1980's massacre.
He was present at the 1980 Jingweon massacre, and saved the boss's wife and son. After taking care of the woman, called Suyeon Jung, he later married (at which point Jung changed her name to Shoko Kawara) and had a child with her. Kurahashi revealed that the child is none other than Kaoru Sayama, mere moments before Kawara's death in Kaoru's arms having been shot by Wataru Kurahashi.
Trivia
- Kawara appears to be an audiophile, as he is seen at the beginning of the game sitting in front of an expensive-looking hi-fi.
Gallery
Yakuza 2
Yakuza Kiwami 2
