Yakuza groups have so far dispatched at least 70 trucks to the quake zone loaded with supplies worth more than $500,000 (311,000 pounds), according to Jake Adelstein, an expert on yakuza who lives in Tokyo and is writing two books on the Japanese syndicates.
The gangs’ charity is rooted in their “ninkyo” code, Adelstein says, which values justice and duty and forbids allowing others to suffer. “In times such as earthquakes, they put their money where their mouths are,” he said.
Atsushi Mizoguchi a freelance writer and yakuza antagonizer who has written about organized crime for 40 years, also gives the yakuza the benefit of the doubt.
“Rather than a PR effort, I think it’s actually good intentions,” said Mizoguchi, who has angered the yakuza so much that he has been stabbed twice in attacks by gang members.
Reported by Reuters. Hat tip to Josh Keating.
2 Responses
The gesture is surely nice but the amount seems really small given the size of this crime organization and the country’s income level.
Of course, those goods they’re sending are stolen goods, and they’ve probably killed people in order to get them, but hey, any PR is good PR right?