Open letter

http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/industry/global/an-open-letter-from-japan-on-earthquake-1005085332.story

Japan needs a help

I talked with my family and friends in Japan yesterday, and found out that Japanese people are not informed that the government keeps pending a part of international assistance.

At the same time, people in the affected area started dying from hunger. This is completely appalling. Please help them by signing up the petition: http://www.change.org/petitions/stop-the-delay-on-donations-to-japan-2#?opt_new=t&opt_fb=t

J'ai parlé avec ma famille et mes amis au Japon hier et ai découvert que les japonais ne sont pas informés que le gouvernement continue de mettre en suspens une partie de l'aide internationale (il a seulement accepté l'aide de 15 pays sur les 102 qui se sont portés volontaires)
Pendant ce temps, les gens dans les zones sinistrées commencent à mourir de faim. C'est complètement consternant.

Kyodo Marcn 24
 Cheers rush from developing countries "We never forget your aid, Japan"
 Many countries or organizations have offered support to Japan after this time's earthquake and tsunami. Support offers from the developing countries are especially remarkable.
"We never forget that Japan supported us at a difficult time", said Hamid Karzai, Afghanistan President.
According to the Japanese minister of foreign affairs, 132 countries/regions and 34 international organizations have offered support by 24 March. Compared to Great Kobe earthquake in 1995, the number of offer is more than twice.
Such countries as East Timor, Afghanistan, Haiti, Sudan, Rwanda have offered support, which are suffering from civil war or impact of disaster.
Sudan offered donation as much as 8 million Yen, which Japan still hasn't received. However, many countries propose to support Japan, if not financially, by contribution in personnel or supplies.
An official of Japanese minister of foreign affairs pointed out that many countries are willing to repay a favor to Japan for having supported them by sending emergency aid unit or providing financial aid. "Japan has done good", said he.

東日本大震災 復興義援作品

BENEFIT FOR THE RECOVERY IN JAPAN is a compilation album dedicated to the victims and survivors, their families, and the aid workers courageously struggling to deal with the aftermath of the earthquake, resulting tsunami, and nuclear emergency that occurred on March 11th, 2011 in Japan. 100% of the proceeds from the sale of this compilation will go directly towards the recovery and relief effort. The album features the contributions of sixty-four artists from around the world and clocks in at nearly five hours of music.

As the crisis continues to unfold and the full scope of the disaster becomes even more apparent, our sisters and brothers in Japan face many challenges: both the immediate needs—provisions for food, water, shelter, and healthcare—as well as the long term recovery and rebuilding efforts in the impacted communities. The ripple effects of the earthquake and resulting tsunami will be felt for years to come. BENEFIT FOR THE RECOVERY IN JAPAN was created with the goal of providing immediate and tangible aid in the relief, recovery, and rebuilding that will take place over the coming days, months, and years.

The people of Japan need your help now, and your purchase of this music is one way to connect with and provide assistance to the people in Japan working to recover from this disaster. 100% of the proceeds from your purchase of this release will go to the Japanese emergency response organization Civic Force—thereby helping support real work happening on the ground by Japanese-based relief workers.

BENEFIT FOR THE RECOVERY IN JAPAN is curated by Antiopic's David Daniell and James Elliott, with invaluable assistance from Regina Greene (Front Porch Productions), Greg Davis, and Bettina Richards (Thrill Jockey). Greg Davis mastered the compilation and Sadek Bazaraa designed the cover art. This release is made possible by the generosity of Thrill Jockey and all of the artists involved.

ABOUT CIVIC FORCE: Civic Force is a Japanese not-for-profit organization that provides aid and emergency response in times of great domestic trouble in Japan. Civic Force developed from experiences learned during the Niigata Earthquake of 2004, and was established to provide faster and more effective disaster relief by cooperating closely with NGOs, the business community and government of Japan. For more information about Civic Force, see http://civic-force.org/english/index.html

がんばれ日本!

TRACKLIST:

Part One:

1. Fennesz: "Fearless"
2. Helado Negro: "Cabeza Bella"
3. Stephan Mathieu: "(Excerpt from) The Floating World"
4. School of Seven Bells: "Midnight Sun"
5. Lawrence English: "Hotaru"
6. Noveller: "Darkheart"
7. Zeena Parkins: "The Letter"
8. Tom Carter (of Charalambides): "Mended"
9. Akron/Family: "Deep Kazoo"
10. The Ex: "Cold Weather Is Back"
11. Shinji Masuko (of Boredoms/DMBQ): "Botsuon"
12. Oneohtrix Point Never: "The Inside World"
13. Tokimonsta: "Sound Caves"
14. Joshua Abrams: "Jackdaws"
15. Keith Fullerton Whitman: "Anzac #3"
16. Ben Frost: "Snæugla"
17. David Daniell: "Shiho-hiru-tama"
18. Grouper: "Cassiopeia"
19. Tape: "Mirrors"
20. Jefre Cantu-Ledesma: "Moon in a Dewdrop"
21. D. Charles Speer: "Steel Infant"
22. Evan Caminiti (of Barn Owl): "Blue Veil"
23. Blackshaw, Wood, Wood & Tomlinson (James Blackshaw & Hush Arbors): "Are You Alright? (Chump Change)"
24. Nat Baldwin (of Dirty Projectors): "In the Hollows"
25. Chris Forsyth & Shawn Edward Hansen: "Dirty Pool Blues"
26. Zelienople: "Stone Faced About It"
27. Elm (Jon Porras of Barn Owl): "Diamond Dust"
28. Lobisomem: "Kusha"
29. Stabbing Eastwood (Tunde Adebimpe & Ryan Sawyer): "Thundersnow Mountain"
30. Alan Licht & Greg Malcolm: "Natasha Utting Reporting"
31. Scott Tuma: "To: Hasty"
32. Rhys Chatham: "Prayer for the People of Fukushima"

Part Two:

33. Prefuse 73: "The Only Climactic Dissonant Hums"
34. Growing: "Untitled"
35. James Plotkin (of Khanate): "Broken '96"
36. Totem Test: "Pulse Prayer for Japan"
37. Marcus Schmickler (of Pluramon): "2.71828 Up"
38. Tim Hecker: "Hatred of Music (Double Gate Mix)"
39. Sylvain Chauveau: "Colours in Darkness"
40. Bear In Heaven: "The Days We Have"
41. Spires That In The Sunset Rise with Michael Zerang: "Collision Theory"
42. C. Spencer Yeh: "Solo Violin March 13th 2011"
43. Lau Nau: "Oi Kuolema"
44. Oren Ambarchi: "Merely A Portmanteau"
45. Warm Ghost: "Uncut Diamond (Dripping Pollen Mix)"
46. Bradley & Geofrey (Atlas Sound + White Rainbow): "Mr. Stephen's Private Service"
47. Peter's House Music: "Half Step"
48. Leb Laze: "Da Plane Da Plane"
49. Matthewdavid: "Stop Laughing / Be Honest"
50. Sam Prekop: "Lakes River"
51. Simon Scott: "Of You (Before 2082)"
52. Tetuzi Akiyama/Jon Mueller/Jim Schoenecker: "Untitled"
53. Shelley Burgon: "Let It Be New"
54. Giant Sand: "Recovery Mission"
55. William Tyler: "Tears and Saints"
56. Mountains: "Still Life"
57. Ben Vida: "Quadsweep +2 (snkglazz iii)"
58. Maria Chavez: "Natural Disaster #2_2011"
59. Cleared: "Nova"
60. Neptune: "FIG IV"
61. Water Fai: "Tokitomori"
62. Parts & Labor: "Dokonimonai"
63. Jackie-O Motherfucker: "Blood of Life"
64. Greg Davis: "Sho Sai Myo Kichijo Dharani"


Thrill Jockey / Fina Music
 http://fina-music.com/catalog/index.html?id=105344

from Shinji DMBQ\Boredoms

> Date: Fri, 25 Mar 2011 01:28:46 +0900
> Subject:
> From: dmbq@dmbq.net
>
> Hi everyone,
>
> It's Shinji here. Sorry, I wrote a long message again.. Please read
> this if you have time. This is a latest report from my place.
>
> First of all, thank you so much for sending your donations.
> Currently, $6913.48 in total, (donation through Aska Matsumiya's The
> Rainbow Project is included).
> http://askamatsumiya.com/therainbowproject.html
> I am very surprised because my goal was $1000 when I started this
> fund... I am not an organization, or group. I am just a ordinary
> person. Now I can act by obtaining your trust. Again, thank you so
> much. I can't thank you enough...
> I sent 7,000,00 yen = $8,645.18 in total ($3000 from this donation,
> $5645 from donation through musician community in Osaka and my
> personal donation) to Civic Force. I mentioned I will send donations
> to Peace Wind Japan too, but I didn't. Because...Now they built a
> complete cooperative relationship!! Now they are the same team.
> And, today I bought 150,000yen = $1853.54 's worth of goods at
> wholesale market (very close from my house! My closest station name is
> east market, haha) to send to the stricken area, Fukushima, also known
> as the nuclear plant accident district. Today I got a very good
> information from Pika, ex. a drummer of Afrirampo. She found a
> logistic company where headquarters is in Fukushima, and they accept
> the support goods in Osaka and send it immediately direct to the
> stricken area. I brought foods and paper products to their truck
> station by my rock'n roll van, business use very big canned foods x
> 240, pickled vegetables x 320 kilo gram, about 3000 roll of toilet
> paper. I was very glad I could get them at cheaper price, the market
> people cooperated soon gladly after I told them what I am going to do,
> though Osaka is also goods shortage. The truck will get there in a
> day! I think this is the fastest, certain way to bring good to the
> stricken area.
> Now we have $2059.94 still. As I mentioned in last email, I will get
> more information from stricken area Fukushima directly soon from
> brother of Yoshihide Otomo, so I think I will be able to drop the
> rest of donation to right, efficient place as much as possible.
>
> 12 Days have passed since the earthquake and tsunami destroyed Japan.
> Official death toll is now 9523, 12,909 still missing in total, and
> about 250,000 people are without homes, living in refuge, their cars,
> wherever they can. In Tokyo, although people are trying to return to
> usual life, bad news pull them back to reality. Rotation electricity
> power cut is executed today too. People's uneasiness and stress are
> raising.
> As for nuclear plant, the situation is a seesaw. There is no report
> more than current maintenance though the work of all-out continues,
> like, fire and black smoke relapsed in the nuclear plant immediately
> after the government announced repression is going well... In the
> issue, the radiation level around the plant has hardly changed, still
> very higher than usual level.
> However, the radiation poisoning has extended surely day by day. IAEA
> detected radiation 1,600 times higher than normal levels in an area
> about 20 kilometers from nuclear plant... Higher level than normal
> continues also in Tokyo. Sea water, soil, farm produce, milk... A
> high density radioactive substance has been detected from all things.
> And shipment restriction and ingestion limitation to some food
> products was begun. The agriculture of north east Japan will become a
> catastrophic situation.
> Moreover, the radioactive substance was detected from the filtration
> plant that Tokyo used. Tokyo and the surrounding area did notification
> to not give tap water to the baby.
> Government announces these level doesn't give influence to our health
> at once, though it exceeds the normal level...Yes, I fear a harmful
> rumor and a meaningless rumor very much, and I think it is true maybe,
> but, at the same time, the truth is---I am very afraid of it. Can you
> say "OK, no problem!" or can you feed such food to your kids without
> hesitation? So, NOW WE NEED accurate information based on a correct
> standard, not an announcement from cold-livered government or opinions
> from crazy hypersensitive people who praise only health food. A calm
> situation assessment is necessary for us.
>
> As for relief, the most of highway to the north east Japan was open
> yesterday! A lot of overseas media are surprised at this quick
> restore. At last, the preparation for the recovery started little by
> little. However, most of the road to the stricken area remains being
> cut in pieces still. And please don't forget, victims are living in
> refuge, not a house or apartment, without electricity, water service
> or gas, heater. There are a lot of people who die in the refuge though
> they survived with great pains from earthquake, because medical
> treatment is not enough. And, the area where damage is not serious
> also needs big help now. Many people could survive there, however
> there is completely nothing because nobody gives attention to such
> area. The relief is hard to reach there. Plus, influenza begins to
> spread in some refuge now. Medical treatment, hygiene, and
> information, everything is not enough at all.
> However, relief commodities are reaching gradually as I mentioned
> above. I believe it is through your quick cooperation!
>
> Thank you for your cooperate. I appreciate it very much.
> Keep in touch.
> Shinji
>
> PS,
> After I started this project, a lot of cool mails have come to me
> every day. So many sons of the former kings in unknown countries are
> trying to give me a chance to be a billionaire, and suddenly tempted
> by unknown women who call herself young and beautiful. Yesterday I won
> the prize for which I have not applied. Nice, I love this world. I can
> Cc you in secret if you want.
>
> Shinji

Petitions to Stop the Delay on Donations to Japan

Stop the Delay on Donations to Japan
People in North are still isolated without daily supplies, communication and information

Faites parvenir sans délai les donations pour le Japon
Les personnes au nord du Japon sont isolées sans nourriture suffisante, communications inexistantes et aucunes informations ne leur communiquées.


http://www.change.org/petitions/stop-the-delay-on-donations-to-japan-2#?opt_new=t&opt_fb=t

Polémique atour de la couverture de Business week montrant un soleil levant brisé.

via Asahi Shimbun

"Help!" in Paris 14 Avril 2011

Expo et Vente Exceptionnelle des dessins pour sauver aux réfugiés et victimes de la catastrophe au Japon avec

    •    Aki Kuroda
    •    Ange Leccia
    •    Antoine Aguilar
    •    Anzai Hajime
    •    Asakura Sekaiichi
    •    Asamï Nishimura
    •    Aurélien Porte
    •    Carole Benzaken
    •    Céline Cléron
    •    Claude Lévêque
    •   　Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster
    •    Eden Morfaux
    •    Felice Varini
    •    Guillaume Constantin
    •    Jean-Luc Vilmouth
    •    Masayuki Ogisu
    •    Pierre Labat
    •    Shirley Jaffe
    •    Jean-Michel Alberola
    •    François Morellet
    •    Claude Closky
    •    Barthélémy Toguo
    •    Edouard François
    •    Atsushi Nishijima
    •    Pierre Mabille
    •    Philippe Cognée
    •    Shanta Rao
    •    Kiyoshi Kuroda
    •    Gutaï Takesada Matsutani
    •    Wilson Trouvé
    •    Sarkis
    •    Jean-Michel Othoniel


Help!
for Future of Japan
14 - 21 avril 2011 / vernissage jeudi 14 avril 2011 à partir de 17h
10 rue Humblot 75015 Paris
 
Pour plus d’information, contacter
Asami Nishimura(+33 (0)6 08 34 07 08 / asaminishimura@gmail.com)
Kana Sunayama(+33 (0)6 11 77 90 48 / kana.untitled@gmail.com)
Jean-Luc Vilmouth(+33(0)6 11 64 34 01 / vilmouth@gmail.com)


http://14h4611032011.blogspot.com/

Informations sur la radioactivité au Japon et en France

Un site indépendant d'informations sur la radioactivité, qui fait le point sur la situation et les risques au Japon ainsi qu'en France, au fur et à mesure que les informations existent (données recueillies, et mesures réalisées) :

http://www.criirad.org/

Même si la majeure partie du contenu est en français, certaines informations sont traduites en japonais et en anglais.



Ici, des informations en japonais // Some informations in japanese here :

http://www.criirad.org/actualites/dossier2011/japon/en_japonais/japonais.html

Synthèse du communiqué criirad du 20/03/2011 sur la contamination des aliments au Japon

コミュニケ　　　　2011 年 3 月20 日 9 時
３月２０ 日（日）に　フランスのメディアでも「福島第一原発近辺でとれた農作物に微量の放
射能が検出された」と話題になりました。汚染のレベルは人体に影響のある量ではないと
言っていますが、

Communiqué CRIIRAD contamination radioactive des aliments 20 03 2011 – Traduction 1
クリラッド : 声明文「日本での食品放射能汚染について」2011年3月20日 日本語訳 1

Communiqué CRIIRAD contamination radioactive des aliments 20 03 2011 – Traduction 2
クリラッド : 声明文「日本での食品放射能汚染について」2011年3月20日 日本語訳 2

Également, un lien que donne ce site, avec des informations en japonais sur les mesures de radioactivité :

http://www.sangyo-rodo.metro.tokyo.jp/whats-new/measurement.html

都内における大気浮遊塵中の核反応生成物の測定結果について

petition pour prévenir tout nouveau désastre lié au tremblement de terre et des usines atomiques

Pétition pour prévenir tout nouveau désastre lié au tremblement de terre et des  usines atomiques
Nous appelons immédiatement à stopper les réacteurs nucléaires de Hamaoka. La Grande faille de Tokia se trouve directement dessous.

Petition to prevent mixed disaster of earthquake and nuclear power plant
We call upon the immediate stop of Hamaoka nuclear power plants. The Great Tokai Earthquake is coming directly below them!

日本語

SOS JAPAN

Hello everyone,

Mother Earth trembled. Our hearts tremble in aftershocks.
It feels that this is our responsibility as human beings to do as much as we can to help our friends in Japan.
We are not powerless. They are not alone.
As a musician I believe that art has a magical and universal power.
So here is my contribution: the Sailor Song.
PLEASE DONATE
With Love,
Adeline.

La Terre a tremblée. Nos coeurs tremblent en répliques sismiques.
Il semble qu'il est de notre responsabilité, en tant qu'êtres humains, de venir en aide à nos amis au Japon, en faisant un don.
Nous ne sommes pas impuissants. Ils ne sont pas seuls.
En tant que musicienne, je pense que l'art a un pouvoir magique et universel.
Alors voici ma contribution: the Sailor Song.
DONNEZ
Avec Amour,
Adeline.


Sailor song by Adieu Jasso

Adeline Fargier Jasso (OGOD, Antarcticans, Socorro, ...) - Guitar
Sharif Dumani (The Moon Upstairs, Exploding Flowers, ...) - Bass
Bob Mustachio (The Warlocks, ...) - Drums

Live recording by Emma + Mitch Cichocki at ABC Studios.

Thanks so much to Mariko Ogawa & Yu Matsuoka for creating this blog, you rule!

HENRI CHOPIN

Hello everyone

for supporting affected Japanese people, the ERRATUM label is proposing a digital download of the last HENRI CHOPIN (pioneer of sound poetry) release in 2005, starting at 5 USD (paypal)!

HERE

erratum : http://www.erratum.org

all money will go directly to our friends in Japan, no bullshit!!

THANKS FOR YOUR HELP AND SUPPORT

"HAKANAI" Yu Matsuoka & Mathias Pol par Kaugummi Books

"Hakanai", le livre de dessins que j'ai réalisé avec mon mari vient de paraître.
Ce sont 20 pages édités en urgence par Bartolomé de Kaugummi Books spécialement pour les sinstrés du Japon. Les bénéfices seront intégralement reversés à la Croix Rouge.
Il est disponible sur le site de Kaugummi ainsi qu'à la librairie Yvon Lambert (5 euros).
Hakania signifie en japonais : ce qui est fragile, evanescent, transitoire, entre rêve et réalité

"Hakanai", the book of drawings i just made with my husband has just been released.
These 20 pages were published in a big rush by Bartolomé from Kaugummi Books especially for the victims of the catastrophy in Japan. All of its proceeds will be donated to the Red Cross.
It is available on Kaugummi's website and at the library of  Yvon Lambert for 5 euros.  
Hakanai means fragile, evanescent, transitional, between dream and reality...


私と夫で作った本"Hakanai"が発売されました。
Kaugummi Books のバルトロメ氏が日本の被災者への義援金を集めるために、取り急ぎ、２０ページの本を出版してくれたのです。
売り上げは全部、赤十字に送られます。
Kaugummi Booksのサイト上とYvon Lambertの本屋さんで５ユーロで発売中です。

Hakanai (Kaugummi Books)

hibernate records for japan

"Up until the end of the month Hibernate will be donating 100% of funds received from sales to the Japan Earthquake/Tsunami appeal via Ian Hawgood. Ian is currently living in Japan and has friends who run organisations that are currently working in the Sendai and Yamagata areas rebuilding as well as transporting food, clothing and aid. We felt that any funds we can send this way would probably have more of an impact than donating via one of the larger UK charities. If you would like to donate you may so by either purchasing a product or via the donate button on the about page.

"

http://hibernate-recs.co.uk/news/

pray for Japan

Video link to a part of the show performed by Youki Noseyama (aka Diesel Guitar) in Prefecture Niigata on 15 March. I think we are all shocked and sad and we don't know what to do

http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/13339525

避難 受け入れ情報掲示板

タイトル通り、関東以南の避難者受け入れ先情報を交換できる掲示板が新設されています。

阿修羅
http://8219.teacup.com/tokaiama/bbs

はてな
http://d.hatena.ne.jp/kizuna311/

 some online bulletin boards have been set up to exchange information of housings open for evacuees in West Japan.

RADIO CAMPUS MONTPELLIER plays Shazzula dj set in NANTES,Supporting JAPAN and SOS JAPAN blog!

                                        http://assocratere.free.fr/player/machine.htm


Thank You Philippe Gassin to spreading the word and downloading the dj set and directely HELP Japanese situation!!! WE LOVE YOU!

migh-T JAPAN TSUNAMI AID

migh-T JAPAN TSUNAMI AID day

Time	26 March · 14:00 - 22:00
Location	A301.2 Biscuit Factory 100 Clements Road, London SE16 4DG
	I am very sad about what happened in Japan last week. To send support to those who lost family, house, work, everything, I would like to raise money for charity from migh-T. I am making some special items for this. All sales from these items will go to Red Cross Japan Tsunami Appeal. http://www.redcross.org.uk/ Please come and join us. Kumi x http://www.kumikowatari.com ps. I will make these items available online too for those who can't attend the event.

BAG JAPAN WE LOVE YOU >> NACO PARIS

www.naco-paris.com

Naco-Paris supports Japan , 100% of the profits from sale of this limited edition bag go to French Red Cross directely for Japan . buy it on :

http://www.naco-paris.com/bag-japan-we-love-you/

Yakuza to the Rescue

Jake Adelstein was a reporter for the Yomiuri Shinbun, Japan’s largest newspaper, from 1993 to 2005. From 2006 to 2007 he was the chief investigator for a U.S. State Department-sponsored study of human trafficking in Japan. Considered one of the foremost experts on organized crime in Japan, he works as a writer and consultant in Japan and the United States. He is also the public relations director for the Washington, D.C.-based Polaris Project Japan, which combats human trafficking and the exploitation of women and children in the sex trade. He is the author of Tokyo Vice: An American Reporter on the Police Beat in Japan (Vintange).

Even Japan’s infamous mafia groups are helping out with the relief efforts and showing a strain of civic duty. Jake Adelstein reports on why the police don’t want you to know about it. For more coverage of Japan’s crisis.

The worst of times sometimes brings out the best in people, even in Japan’s “losers” a.k.a. the Japanese mafia, the yakuza. Hours after the first shock waves hit, two of the largest crime groups went into action, opening their offices to those stranded in Tokyo, and shipping food, water, and blankets to the devastated areas in two-ton trucks and whatever vehicles they could get moving. The day after the earthquake the Inagawa-kai (the third largest organized crime group in Japan which was founded in 1948) sent twenty-five four-ton trucks filled with paper diapers, instant ramen, batteries, flashlights, drinks, and the essentials of daily life to the Tohoku region. An executive in Sumiyoshi-kai, the second-largest crime group, even offered refuge to members of the foreign community—something unheard of in a still slightly xenophobic nation, especially amongst the right-wing yakuza. The Yamaguchi-gumi, Japan’s largest crime group, under the leadership of Tadashi Irie, has also opened its offices across the country to the public and been sending truckloads of supplies, but very quietly and without any fanfare.

Intricate tattoo of a member of the Yakuza, the Japanese mafia. (Michael Rubenstein / Redux)

The Inagawa-kai has been the most active because it has strong roots in the areas hit. It has several "blocks" or regional groups. Between midnight on March 12th and the early morning of March 13th, the Inagawa-kai Tokyo block carried 50 tons of supplies to Hitachinaka City Hall (Hitachinaka City, Ibaraki Prefecture) and dropped them off, careful not to mention their yakuza affiliation so that the donations weren't rejected. This was the beginning of their humanitarian efforts. Supplies included cup ramen, bean sprouts, paper diapers, tea and drinking water. The drive from Tokyo took them twelve hours. They went through back roads to get there. The Kanagawa Block of the Inagawa-kai, has sent 70 trucks to the Ibaraki and Fukushima areas to drop off supplies in areas with high radiations levels. They didn't keep track of how many tons of supplies they moved. The Inagawa-kai as a whole has moved over 100 tons of supplies to the Tohoku region. They have been going into radiated areas without any protection or potassium iodide.

The Yamaguchi-gumi member I spoke with said simply, "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 those not familiar with the yakuza, it may come as a shock to hear of their philanthropy, but this is not the first time that they have displayed a humanitarian impulse. In 1995, after the Kobe earthquake, the Yamaguchi-gumi was one of the most responsive forces on the ground, quickly getting supplies to the affected areas and distributing them to the local people. Admittedly, much of those supplies were paid with by money from years of shaking down the people in the area, and they were certainly not unaware of the public relations factor—but no one can deny that they were helpful when people needed aid—as they are this time as well.

It may seem puzzling that the yakuza, which are organized crime groups, deriving their principal revenue streams from illegal activities, such as collecting protection money, blackmail, extortion, and fraud would have any civic nature at all. However, in Japan since the post-war period they have always played a role in keeping the peace. According to Robert Whiting’s Tokyo Underworld and Tim Weiner’s Legacy of Ashes, the US government even bought the services of one infamous yakuza fixer, Yoshio Kodama, to keep Japan from going communist and maintain order. Kodama would later put up the funding to create the Liberal Democrat Party of Japan that ruled the country for over fifty years. When President Obama visited Japan last year, the police contacted the heads of all Tokyo yakuza groups and asked them to behave themselves and make sure there were no problems.

But let’s be clear, the yakuza are criminals, albeit with self-imposed restraints, and in their way may actually keep street crime (muggings, purse-snatching, theft) down. Many Japanese still admire or tolerate them. In fact, a Nara Police Prefectural police study found that amongst adults under 40, one in ten felt that the yakuza should be allowed to exist or were “a necessary evil.”

There is an unwritten agreement amongst the police and the yakuza groups that is acceptable for them to perform volunteer activities during a crisis but not to seek publicity for it. Before the crisis the police were cracking down severely on the yakuza and any activity placing them in a heroic light might make the police look foolish. So they have been very quietly doing their part. It is not that the yakuza are not PR savvy, as is evidenced by their careful control and limited appearances in six fan magazines (three monthly, three weekly) that write of their exploits; it is that right now they care more about getting the job done than getting credit for it. 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.”

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.”

A bit of background: Japan has 80,000 members belonging to these criminal organizations, which the police label shiteiboryokudan or literally “designated violent groups”; membership is not illegal although the police regulate their activities, much the way the SEC regulates Goldman Sachs. Their income is largely derived from protection money, security services, financial fraud, stock manipulations, gambling, blackmail, prostitution, and loan sharking. They call themselves “yakuza.” The word comes from a losing hand in traditional Japanese gambling: 8 (ya) 9 (ku) 3(za) which adds up to 20, and is a useless hand. Thus to be a yakuza is to be “a loser.” It’s a self-effacing term. They yakuza don’t call themselves “violent groups.” They exist out in the open; they have offices, business cards, fan magazines. The three major groups, the

Yamaguchi-gumi (40,000 members), the Sumiyoshi-kai (12,000) and the Inagawa-kai (10,000) all insist they are chivalrous groups, like the Rotary Club, that they are ninkyo-dantai.

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. Believers of “the way” are expected to put their own lives on the line and sacrifice themselves to help the weak and the troubled. The yakuza often simplify it as “to help the weak and fight the strong,” in theory. In practice, the film director Itami Juzo, who was attacked by members of the Yamaguchi-gumi Goto-gumi because of his films depicting them harshly, said “the yakuza are all about exploiting the weak and disadvantaged in society, and run away from anyone strong enough to stand up to them and their exploitive extortion.” He was primarily correct, I think. However, sometimes, like today in Japan, they live up to their original values.

Of course, most yakuza are just tribal sociopaths who merely pay lip service to the words. But in times like this every helping hand is welcome, and maybe, maybe for a few weeks, both the police and the yakuza can declare a peace treaty and work together to save lives and ensure the safety of the people of Japan. To some extent, the police have even given their tacit support to the yakuza aid efforts. That’s the spirit of ninkyodo. It’s also the spirit of many of the Japanese people. It is why I have no doubts that Japan will weather this crisis and come back stronger than ever.

Naoya Kaneko, the deceased Sumiyoshi-kai boss who was a friend and a source, once said, “In times of crisis, you learn the measure of a man.” To understand the real meaning of that you have to understand how the generally male-dominated and sexist yakuza define “a man.” The core of that is giri, a word that can be translated many different ways but which I interpret to mean: reciprocity. Today, the Japanese people and even the yakuza are measuring up very well to that standard of behavior.

Jake Adelstein was a reporter for the Yomiuri Shinbun, Japan’s largest newspaper, from 1993 to 2005. From 2006 to 2007 he was the chief investigator for a U.S. State Department-sponsored study of human trafficking in Japan. Considered one of the foremost experts on organized crime in Japan, he works as a writer and consultant in Japan and the United States. He is also the public relations director for the Washington, D.C.-based Polaris Project Japan, which combats human trafficking and the exploitation of women and children in the sex trade. He is the author of Tokyo Vice: An American Reporter on the Police Beat in Japan (Vintange).

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http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2011-03-18/japanese-yakuza-aid-earthquake-relief-efforts/