Yakuza Crime gangs among first to deliver Japan earthquake aid

[RamboLiberal]

TOKYO — Tons of relief goods have been delivered to victims of Japan's catastrophic earthquake and tsunami from a dark corner of society: the "yakuza" organized crime networks.

Yakuza groups have been sending trucks from the Tokyo and Kobe regions to deliver food, water, blankets and toiletries to evacuation centers in northeast Japan, the area devastated by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, which have left at least 27,000 dead and missing.

Yakuza are better known for making money from extortion, gambling, pornography and prostitution, as well as for the often-elaborate tattoos covering much of their bodies.

But disasters bring out another side of yakuza, who move swiftly and quietly to provide aid to those most in need.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42268837/ns/world_news-asiapacific/

Interesting.

[Robb]

1. Never let a crisis go to waste, indeed. (nt)

[Poll_Blind]

2. I really haven't studied it much, but it seems like organized crime tends to...

...court the people they intend to prey upon like this. I remember reading similar stories about the Mafia in Italy during WW II. Can't say I've ever heard of Mexican drug cartels doing anything this apparently altruistic, but I believe I've read an article or two about the Russian mob working this angle.

As far as my admittedly-limited understanding of organized crime goes, they essentially try to wheedle in and have the people turn to them instead of the local government, essentially in hopes of replacing it.

On the other side of the coin, this calamity has affected so much of Japan it's hard to imagine even Yakuza haven't been personally affected by this. The destruction, in some way, must have touched everyone's life in Japan.

PB

[RamboLiberal]

4. I remember reading a lot of people would turn to John Gotti

instead of local authorities.

And certainly this was shown in The Godfather movies & book.

[Poll_Blind]

5. Just out of curiosity- do you know if that kind of "Mafia" stil exists in New York anymore?

I live waaaaaay out on the West Coast and, man, it's like a whole different country over here. Would be weird to imagine the Mafia is still doing business like one sees in the movies but I can imagine stranger things, I guess.

PB

[RamboLiberal]

7. Sorry - not really - just something I remembered reading

[madaboutharry]

3. For a fascinating look into the Yazuka crime world

read "Yazuka Moon: Memoir of a Gangster's Daughter" by Shoko Tendo. It is a wonderfully written book and she has a wild story to tell.

[AsahinaKimi]

6. That almost sounds like

The Jdorama~ Gokusen (I,II, and III)


The story of a teacher who is secretly the daughter of a very powerful Yazuka Crime Family. She is assigned to some of the worst students in school, and finds a way to turn them around. One of the more popular dramas in Japan during its time.

Nakama Yukie plays the character of Yamaguchi Kumiko, a self-righteous high school teacher who wants to make her mark on the Japanese educational system. Unfortunately, the school she teaches has its share of troublemakers. But fortunately, she’s trained to handle them because her secret life in the past was that she was a membr of a major crime syndicate.

[conspirator]

8. In a world where nations are being run by organized crime this makes sense n/t