The fighter has previously spent 10 years in prison
A fighter from Japan with the call sign “Harusan” has been fighting in the ranks of the armed forces of Ukraine for almost a year. In the past, he was a member of the Japanese mafia clan “Yakuza” for about 20 years, after which he spent another 10 years behind bars.
Atonement for sins is not the only reason for the arrival of “Harusan” in Ukraine. For him, it is more important to reduce the number of victims of the war and help the Ukrainians win and defend their independence, the soldier says in an interview, reports “Obozrevatel”.
In a few days, the Japanese man will turn 50 years old. He arrived in Ukraine on April 1, 2022. The Japanese did not know the language, but he understood that the language barrier was nothing compared to the horrors of war.
According to the fighter, the Russian invasion is different from other military conflicts taking place around the world today.
“This is a real war, like World War II. A war against the aggressor, against Russia, which invaded this territory. And the Russian Federation attacked not only Ukraine, other countries also suffer from it.
– She has caused military damage to Moldova, Georgia, I already know that. Therefore, Russia poses a danger not only to Ukraine, and I understand that. Whether Ukraine wins this war may affect the future of Japan, so I decided to come,” explains the Japanese.
“Harusan” is from Osaka. He entered the Yakuza at the age of 16 – the boy’s father was also a member of the mafia clan.
“From an ordinary person’s point of view, the Yakuza as an organization can of course be scary. But from my point of view, I don’t think the organization is that scary and cruel,” he says.
When he was 35 years old, he left the organization due to a serious accident. The Japanese spent the next 10 years in prison:
“Prison is a place of punishment, and especially there you don’t fixate on your own experience. I personally didn’t do anything wrong, but I was there with terrible people who hurt people. And looking at them, I realized what I shouldn’t be. That it was a great lesson and experience for me.”
In Japan, “Harusan” has no military experience. In Ukraine, he received the sniper specialty in the 1st separate special purpose brigade Ivan Bogun (Zhytomyr region), with which he spent several weeks on the front line in Lisichansk.
The warrior also performs military tasks and is trained in Zaporozhye. From November 2022, “Harusan” is being trained in the “Georgian National Legion” to go to the front again.
In the summer, he got a tattoo in the form of a Ukrainian trident – it symbolizes “determination if one has to give his life for Ukraine”, says the Japanese. The trident complements other bright tattoos inherent in Yakuza members.
Harusan has a mother, father and younger sister in Japan, but he plans to stay here until Ukraine wins.
“Yes, the atonement is mine personally, it is in my heart, inside, but of course that is not the only thing I have come for. There is a more important goal – to reduce the casualties for Ukraine as much as I can, especially among the children who die. Well, in general, my goal is victory, to protect the independence of Ukraine. This is the main mission,” says the Japanese.
He adds that many foreigners have joined Ukraine’s armed forces because the war with the Russian Federation is “a problem not only for Ukraine.” If Ukraine does not win, it will threaten world peace.
“Both Russia and China will start taking over other countries, start suppressing their national liberation movements, and there will be more horrors,” says Harusan.
The fighter from Japan also gives his advice to the people of Ukraine:
“I want to say one thing to the Ukrainians: do not lose heart under any circumstances. In no case, no matter what happens, until victory itself, do not lose heart.
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