A friend of this site, Thomas Marzac, sent me the following link, and it's one more data point to be considered in any reflection on the crisis in Japan: JAPANESE YAKUZA INVOLVED IN RELIEF EFFORTS One can imagine a similar disaster in this country, and then the National Guard helicopters showing up, and unloading crates stamped "A Gift from the John Gotti Family," proudly proclaiming the Mafia's role in relief efforts. What intrigues here is the openness with which this is being conducted and carried out. The Japanese Yakuza, like criminal syndicates in most countries, is an intimate … [Read more...]