Kazuo Nakanishi (中西 一男, Nakanishi Kazuo, October 25, 1922 – September 1, 2003) was briefly the leader of the Yamaguchi-gumi yakuza syndicate in the chaotic years of the Yama-Ichi War. He was also the founder and 1st kumicho of the Nakanishi-gumi.

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Nakanishi accepted the temporary leadership position after the assassination of Masahisa Takenaka, but was never considered an official kumicho (supreme Godfather) of the Kobe-based gang, despite heading it from 1985 to 1989. In 1989, Yoshinori Watanabe was elected as fifth kumicho.

After Watanabe's accession, Nakanishi continued to work for the gang as a senior advisor and leader of 15 sub-gangs in Osaka. He died in September 2003.