Yakuza help with quake releif efforts

[David43515]

http://www.businessinsider.com/japan-yakuza-mafia-aid-earthquake-tsunami-rescue-efforts-2011-3

I knew that the yakuza are often seen as a kind of local "2nd police force", keeping street crime and undesirables away because they`re bad for business. But I was suprised to read about the well organized relief efforts that some of the big gangs are behind. I guess it really does all come down to "knowin` a guy who knows a guy".

 

[Big Don]

I read an article about this this morning. Gee, the MS13 doesn't do stuff like this.

 

[Bruno@MT]

Yep. Yakuza is very different from western style gangs.
They have done great work several times already when there were natural disasters a couple of years ago. They got around to organizing help quickly while the official channels were still in disarray. Yakuza is a part of Japanese society and its role is much more complex than simply 'organized crime, bad'

 

[elder999]

Yep. Yakuza is very different from western style gangs.
They have done great work several times already when there were natural disasters a couple of years ago. They got around to organizing help quickly while the official channels were still in disarray. Yakuza is a part of Japanese society and its role is much more complex than simply 'organized crime, bad'

Same used to be true here of La Cosa Nostra.30 years ago you couldn't find anyone in Bensonhurst who had something bad to say about John Gotti, mostly because of the apparent generosity of him and his men.

 

[Xue Sheng]

Same used to be true here of La Cosa Nostra.30 years ago you couldn't find anyone in Bensonhurst who had something bad to say about John Gotti, mostly because of the apparent generosity of him and his men.

I don't know how it is these days but why do you think the North End of Boston was so safe back then as well

 

[Big Don]

You all do remember hearing about how respected Bin Laden is/was in some quarters, he built schools, hospitals, remember?

 

[Xue Sheng]

You all do remember hearing about how respected Bin Laden is/was in some quarters, he built schools, hospitals, remember?

I also know Japanese people who are afraid to ride the train with Yakuza, and rightly so. Heck I got nervous about 30 years ago setting in a Japanese Restaurant in the states with a table full of Japanese guys that seemed to be overly tattooed from what little I observed from the table I was at.

However if they are helping now, let them help, the country needs it. However I do not believe this absolves them form past wrongs nor do I feel it gives them a free pass in the future.