Takashi Nihara (二井原 隆, Niihara Takashi) is a character featured in Yakuza 0. He is the acting second chairman of the Tojo Clan.
Profile[]
Appearance[]
He wears a dark green double-breasted suit over white dress shirt and light gray tie, with a matching pair of dress pants and a pair of black leather shoes. His hair is gray, and donned in a slicked-back style. Due to age, he uses a cane to enable himself to walk.
Personality[]
Nihara reigns over eastern Japan's most powerful criminal organization. As such, despite him needing a cane, he stands as a god among men, especially to the rank-and-file members of the clan's great families. He is good under pressure and wishes to limit the power of the Dojima Family. He is a composed and confident negotiator, as shown during his tense negotiation with Tetsu Tachibana. Despite his position in a criminal organization, Nihara is not blind to reason as shown by him accepting Tachibana's request, but not without sending men to attack in order to test their physical strength.
Background[]
At some point between 1985 and 1988, Nihara became the Acting Second Chairman of the Tojo Clan after the second chairman's term ended without a captain to succeed him.
Involvement[]
Yakuza 0: 1988-1989[]
Nihara first appears at the Tojo Clan Headquarters when Tetsu Tachibana, Jun Oda and Kazuma Kiryu all arrive to visit him. Tachibana requests that Nihara prevent the Tojo subsidiary, the Dojima Family led by Sohei Dojima, from hunting down Kiryu. Despite Nihara's status, Tachibana is able to remain calm and composed during the tense negotiation. He offers a billion yen (with 500 million yen upfront), as well as a cut of Tachibana Real Estate's profits going forward, shall Nihara agree to his terms.
Tachibana states that Kiryu is being hunted in order for Dojima to get to Tachibana, who possesses key intel on the Empty Lot needed to complete the lucrative Kamurocho Revitalization Project. He urges Nihara to agree to his terms to ensure the Dojima Family not acquire the lot, in order to keep a counterbalance on their power, as men like Dojima are better subordinates than leaders who would be unlikely to pay deference to men like Nihara upon gaining such power. Although Tachibana is insistent and blunt, Nihara sees the reason in his proposal and accepts.
As the three exit the room Nihara states that Kiryu reminds him of Kiryu's foster father; Shintaro Kazama, a legendary assassin for the Tojo, who even Nihara admired due to his strength and fearlessness. He states that he would buy back Kazama (relating to his then-imprisonment) for a billion yen in a heartbeat if he could, and wonders if Kiryu is also worth that much. He then sends the men of Tojo HQ to attack the trio as a test of strength; they pass and depart, with Nihara and Kiryu exchanging a stare before the latter leaves. Nihara wonders if Kiryu would turn into a monster like Kazama did afterwards.
In January 1989, an officer's meeting is held among the Tojo Clan members. Citing his approval among the clan's patriarchs, Nihara instates Masaru Sera, President of the clan's Nikkyo Consortium, as the clan's Captain, and appoints Dojima as his guardian. With this, Nihara states that his work in the clan is nearly at an end.
1993[]
Nihara retires, and Sera succeeds him as the Third Chairman of the Tojo Clan.
Gallery[]
