Gendo Sonoda was an under-boss of the
Four Winds crime cartel and was assigned the task of securing the Alpine Amusement Park from owner
Paul Steinen, who refused to sell the property. Sonoda reported to
East Wind (Higashi) that he would handle the acquisition of the property, but Higashi decided to make an example of Sonoda by having his lieutenant,
Ryoko Saguri, kill the slow moving under-boss, sending a powerful message to the rest of the cartel.