Yakuza Woman full body tattoos
This is a story I have been following for some time since I learned that some of the rescue groups going into the Exclusion Zone are from the Yakuza. Literally the Japanese Mafia. The truth was that the first time I heard their name in association with a rescued dog I thought it was some sort of publicity stunt on their part and paid someone or strong armed someone to do it for them. In fact I couldn't really believe that it was put out there for the public to see. The truth is actually quite the opposite. The Japanese Mafias have all been actively helping to provide supplies and food to the people in need starting the very same day the Earthquake and Tsunami struck and they are doing it because they want to. In fact they are not even delivering the goods and saying they are from the Yakuza as they are worried that the aid supplies would be rejected because of the association. In fact they have gone so far as to say to media "Please don't say any more than we are doing our best to help. Right now, no one wants to be associated with us and we'd hate to have our donations rejected out of hand."
To honor their request I am not going to point out specifically which dogs they rescued or point you to the videos they made of the animals being rescued. I am also purposefully not using any pictures of animals rescued in Japan in this post or reporting which cities and towns they have delivered aid and supplies to. The Yakuza have delivered hundreds maybe even thousands of tons of food and supplies to the worst hit areas in Japan. As one members said, “There are no yakuza or katagi (ordinary citizens) or gaijin (foreigners) in Japan right now. We are all Japanese. We all need to help each other.” Social status is not a factor, skin color is not a factor, even the language barrier is not a factor they are helping everyone in Japan who is in need of supplies and aid. In fact an executive in one of the groups, even offered refuge to members of the foreign community—something unheard of in Japan before the Tsunami.
Close up of Yakuza Tattoos
I will say that they have been in the Exclusion Zone several times to help bring animals out. They are helping in whatever ways they see a need that is not being met or hasn't been met yet and stepping up to do so. They have saved the lives of many people and animals after the Tsunami and they are still helping. Ninkyo(do), according to yakuza historical scholars is a philosophy that values humanity, justice, and duty and that forbids one from watching others suffer or be troubled without doing anything about it. This is exactly what the Yakuza are doing right now in Japan valuing humanity and not sitting idly by while others suffer whether human or animal. For that they deserve some praise for putting everything else aside and just helping their country. They want to help and are making things happen, period. They obviously know that the only way for the entire country to be able to hold their heads up high and be proud of who they are is if they all help each other to show those who lost everything that there is hope and that people care about them. It is probably also due in part to the Yakuza that there isn't rampant looting or thieves going about the disaster area taking what they want.
To read more specifics of what they have done to help:
http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2011-03-18/japanese-yakuza-aid-earthquake-relief-efforts/