Daisaku Kuze

Daisaku Kuze is a major antagonist in the video game Yakuza 0. He is a of the Tojo Clan, a lieutenant of the Dojima Family and the patriach of the Kenno Clan.

Yakuza 0
Kuze is first seen when Kiryu goes to the Dojima Family HQ to meet with the three lieutenants regarding the murder he allegedly committed in the empty lot. Kiryu insists he didn't do it and acts confused when the other two lieutenants Awano and Shibusawa bring up the venue in which Kiryu allegedly did the killing. The other two lieutenants storm off in anger while Kuze remains and says he believes Kiryu generally didn't know anything about the venue.

Kuze explains that Sohei Dojima the family's patriach is attempting to buy up the empty lot (the venue) and has promised Kazama's spot as captain in the Dojima Family to whichever one of the lieutenants brings him it.

When Kiryu goes to visit the CEO of the loanshark company that told him to collect a debt from the victim of the murder in the empty lot to ask why he made him do it in that spot Kuze interupts and tells the CEO to leave. He does so leaving just Kiryu and Kuze in the room. Kuze says that he needs information about the empty lot that Kazama has and if Kiryu joins the Kenno Clan and gets him said information from Kazama he will ensure Kiryu doesn't lose his standing in the Dojima Family due to the inconvenience the murder in the empty lot has caused it. Kiryu refuses this deal and walks off.

While Dojima watches TV in the family's HQ Kuze takes over his operations temporarily with some of his minios. Kiryu turns up and requests to see Dojima and be expelled from the family. Kuze offers Kiryu one last chance to take up on his offer or be killed by his minions. Kiryu again refuses the offer. Kuze walks off despite Kiryu insisting that he still wants to talk to him. Kuze says he will listen to what Kiryu has to say if he makes it up alive to meet him.

Kiryu manages to defeat Kuze's minions and meets him on the top floor. Kuze attempts to kill Kiryu but the latter defeats him in combat. After this Dojima, Awano and Shibusawa come into the room and the two lieutenants tell Dojima that Kuze expelled Kiryu from the family without his permission. As punishment Kuze is ordered to cut his pinky finger off, which he reluctantly does. He then storms off angrily and grows obsessed with killing Kiryu, blaming him for his mutilation and humiliation.

Kuze gets a woman working at a strip club to send Kiryu through the club's underground sewer passage so that he may ambush him there and kill him. As Kiryu is running through the sewer Kuze rides a motorbike and whacks Kiryu with an iron pipe. He dismounts the bike and again tries to kill Kiryu, to no success once again. Kiryu decides to spare Kuze's life making him vow he will make Kiryu regret not killing him.

Kuze and the Kenno Clan take part in the manhunt Hiroki Awano leads to kill Kiryu. When the Dojima Family ambushes him Kuze and some of his minions fight Kiryu again trying to kill him but still fail. One of the minions then brings Kiryu to his knees and gives Kuze an iron pipe. About to kill Kiryu, Kuze fails as Tachibana drives in a car and rescues Kiryu. The two drive off.

After the Dojima Family kidnap Tachibana Kuze and the Kenno Clan are given the job of torturing the whereabouts of Makoto Makimura, the owner of the empty lot out of him. Despite this Tachibana does not reveal the information. Kuze eventually gives up and unties Tachibana and tells his minions not to kill him. Despite this one of them whacks Tachibana with a pipe angering Kuze and making him shove his head against the ground.

Kiryu comes in and upon seeing Tachibana's condition punches Kuze in anger. The two fight and Kiryu is victorious. Tachibana dies bringing Kiryu to tears and Kuze attempts to justify his actions by revealing that someone from within the Tojo Clan is leaking information to the Omi Alliance, and unless they obtain the empty lot the Omi Alliance will invade the city and wipe out the Tojo Clan. Kiryu carries Tachibana away.

When Shibusawa arranges to invade and kill everyone in the Kazama family headquarters Kuze heads into the building and warns everyone about this, knowing that Kiryu will turn up. His intent is to fight Kiryu alone with none of the Kazama Family members intervening.

When Kiryu turns up Kuze fights him one last time and fails.

Kuze reveals to Kiryu that Shibusawa has began an operation to kill all associates of Kazama in the Tojo Clan and that the Shibusawa family is about to raid the ship the Nikkyo Consortium are hiding in by the dock to kill the members of it onboard. Nishiki exits the Kazama family office and when Kiryu reveals that Makoto is on board the ship he and Nishiki decide to go to it and save her.

Kuze is revealed to have been arrested at the end of the game.