TOKYO VICE Reviewed In Japanese — Bloombergが東京ヴァイス （東京の性悪・米国人事件記者の警察回り体験記）を日本語で書評

Rocky Swift, a journalist at Bloomberg Tokyo, has posted a review of Tokyo Vice in both Japanese and English: 【書評】米国人元新聞記者がえぐり出す日本の闇社会 元読売新聞記者のジェイク・アデルスタイン氏の近著「トーキョー・バイス」は、居直ったヤクザから始末するぞと静かな脅しを掛かけられた著者が、たばこの煙をもくもくと上げながら取材戦略を練るシーンで始まる。 同書はアデルスタイン氏が警視庁記者クラブメンバーで唯一の米国人記者として連続殺人事件などを追いかけた12年間の取材の追想録で、ヤクザの中でも特に暴力的な勢力をかぎまわって窮地に陥るに至った経緯が描かれている。 「トーキョー･バイス」... Read More

"Gods", Demons, and Teenage Girls: New Web sites facilitate exploitation of runaways and promote human trafficking in Japan

The Japan Times featured an excellent article last week about the latest trend of iede (家出) web sites where young girls who have run away from home look for kami (神 – god) or men who will take them temporarily off the streets in trade for sex or other favors. Some of the girls are aged 13 or younger, and use the sites to not only find protection, but also money. Observers say such sites have emerged because the operators and male users want to dodge new laws on... Read More

Fuzoku Friday: Finding a job that's right for you (Part II)

Last week we introduced a few of the high-paying part-time jobs (高収入アルバイト) ladies take up to make some cash, and this week we’ll continue with four more career specialties: Chat Lady Good for idiots: 2 No nudity required: 4 Work when you want: 3 Easy stand-by: 5 Calorie burner: 1 Payment: 1-star Enjoy conversations with men, either over the internet as a Chat Lady or in a cafe as a Talk Lady. This isn’t a “service” job, and you can make... Read More

NPR animates yakuza girlfriends, serial killers, and other exciting things

After Jake’s interview on NPR earlier this month, Thomas Dreisbach and other interns put their skills to work in editing a segment about Jake’s time covering the case of Gen Sekine, animal breeder turned serial killer in Saitama. It’s a fun, quick-and-dirty summary of “The Saitama Dog Lover Serial Disappearances, Part 1 & 2″ (pages 102-135), and artist Kathryn DeFeo got Jake’s hairdo down pretty good. Check out NPR: In Other Words, Japan... Read More

Fuzoku Friday: Finding a job that's right for you

Last week we talked about magazines and websites for fuzoku job hunters, but for those looking to dive into the industry and start their career in high-paying part-time work (高収入アルバイト), the variety of work available must be daunting. How is a girl to know what kind of job best suits her personality? LunLun Work is once again here to help, with a handy work guide that simply and clearly lays out a description, demands and money-making potential for sex industry... Read More

A Yakuza Encounter

After the 60 Minutes broadcast in November of 2009, we got several emails from foreigners in Japan who had had unpleasant encounters with the worst of the tattooed tribe. We also received some stories that put the yakuza in a good light, but those were the exception. Some details in this account have been altered to protect the name of the author. Of course, I sincerely doubt there would be any repercussions if details of an event so long ago was brought up now — but then... Read More

TOKYO VICE: On sale! Just in time for Thanksgiving?

Amazon celebrated the book’s 10th day in the top 100 best-selling non-fiction books by marking it down considerably. It’s never too late to buy it as a sushi stuffer for a Japanese thanksgiving celebration.  Read More

Are the yakuza humorous? Comedian duo play yakuza for a day 苦笑い一杯

While the average Taro will cringe at the mention of the yakuza, it’s clear the culture and myth behind the organization still tickles the fancy of TV viewers in this clip from “HAMASHO.” Masashi Hamada, part of the well-known Downtown comedy duo, and rakugo storyteller/comedian Shohei Shofukutei are the hosts of  this a satirical late-night TV show that lead the pair around on various adventures. (Editor note: I never realized that there is something kind of... Read More

Don't miss the Daily Show!

Be sure to watch The Daily Show on Monday, November 16 to catch Jake Adelstein in an interview with Jon Stewart talking about his book, Tokyo Vice, and all the nitty gritty of working the police beat in Tokyo.  Read More

Fuzoku Friday

The fuzoku (風俗) industry, or sex industry, is an integral part of Japan’s underground economy and a multi-billion-dollar operation that is difficult to keep track of actual numbers because of the sheer size and continuously changing nature of the business. Estimates on the size of the industry have ranged between ¥1 trillion and ¥2.5 trillion, sometimes more. Behind all that money are the workhorses, the thousands of Japanese women who get drawn into this “service... Read More