Tokyo Vice: The book
Tokyo Vice is now on sale online through Random House and Amazon!
Tokyo Vice is the story of Jake Adelstein, the only American journalist ever to have been admitted to the insular Tokyo Metropolitan Police press club: a unique, firsthand, revelatory look at Japanese culture from the underbelly up.
At nineteen, Jake Adelstein went to Japan in search of peace and tranquility. What he got was a life of crime… crime reporting, that is, at the prestigious Yomiuri Shinbun. For twelve years of eighty-hour workweeks, he covered the seedy side of Japan, where extortion, murder, human trafficking, and corruption are as familiar as ramen noodles and sake. But when his final scoop brought him face to face with Japan’s most infamous yakuza boss—and the threat of death for him and his family—Adelstein decided to step down… momentarily. Then, he fought back.
In Tokyo Vice, Adelstein tells the riveting, often humorous tale of his journey from an inexperienced cub reporter—who made rookie mistakes like getting into a martial-arts battle with a senior editor—to a daring, investigative journalist with a price on his head. With its vivid, visceral descriptions of crime in Japan and an exploration of the world of modern-day yakuza that even few Japanese ever see, Tokyo Vice is a fascination, and an education, from first to last.
Hi Jake,
I just recently read Tokyo Vice and was completely floored on how fast-paced, gritty, and engaging your memoir was on every single page. I haven’t read a book like this in a long time that kept me fully aware of how the underground crime scene works in Japan. Amazing details! I attended UC Davis and received my degree in English Lit and graduated in the summer of 2009. At that point I wanted to put my efforts into a creative writing type of position for my career. At this moment in time, and struggling economy, I find it very discouraging to keep writing and be creative; however, since reading your book, my attitude has changed for the best. The reason I say this is that most journalists I have read sound pretentious and not aiming to please the average reader. It reminds me to write in my own voice like how you did in your story.
Also, I do have one question about the yakuza’s hand in the film industry. Is there a film that would be comparable to any classic American gangster films in Japan for the yakuza? Like a Japanese Goodfellas?
Thanks Jake. I hope you put some more material soon if it doesn’t endanger your life. Take care and good luck. It was a great read!
Thanks,
Jake M.
Jake-sana,
Thanks for writing. It is a very hard time to be a fiction writer. The Reality Television ethos has spread to publishing—people want to read memoirs or true stories that read like fiction. Of course, reality is always stranger than fiction. The problem with fiction versus reality though is that fiction has to make sense.
Real life events often do not. Finding the right voice to write a book in is difficult. This is why I’m struggling with the second book. It’s not a first person narrative and finding the right tone isn’t easy. When I wrote TOKYO VICE, I wanted it to be like sitting down with an old friend and having a long conversation.
I think it’s often very good to read your own work out loud or have the speech function on LION do it for you. When we hear the words sometimes we get a better sense of whether the prose works.
My favorite yakuza flick is ONIBI: The Fire Within–it is hard to find but worth watching. It may not be out on DVD in the US but Kitano’s OUTRAGE is also surprisingly accurate. And MINBO NO ONNA, which is only available on VHS in the United States is also excellent. BLACK RAIN isn’t bad, just not great.
For a highly romanticized view of the yakuza, THE YAKUZA with Takakura Ken and Robert Mitchum is very good. And personally, I think MILLER’S CROSSING while not being a yakuza film per se, captures a lot of what the yakuza are like and the code of the society.
I remember that meeting very well. I wasn’t a very good public speaker than and it wasn’t easy to stand up and tell the truth. One of the more courageous moments of my life. Often, I have been too quiet when I should have spoken up.
I am 94 pages into Tokyo Vice and I must say your book, sir, is like a wonderful drug. I cannot put this book down, I have always been fascinated by the nation of Japan and its underworld. You have opened this world up to some thirsty foreign eyes and we very appreciate it.
Keep up the fascinating work!
Thank you. It doesn’t have an upbeat ending. I keep trying to work out a real life happy ending for a sequel but until I move into a different area of journalism, I have constant reminders that death comes without invitation and more often than we would like.
Hi Jake, having recently spent a rushed four-day break in Tokyo with my son I have become fascinated by the Japanese way of life, and was generally impressed with the way that this huge, busy city runs – we encountered nothing but kindness and courtesy for the whole period. It was with this sketchy knowledge that I read your book and must say how fascinated I was by a side of Tokyo that we saw little/nothing of (although like all world cities I was in no doubt it existed).
I was very moved by your story and by your willingness to put yourself between a rock and a hard place during the course of the period of the book – clearly it cost you a lot in terms of friends and acquaintances lost, in some respects balanced by the special friendship and support offered by others. The bad and the good – lessons of life.
In that short stay I came to love Tokyo and its people. You have my admiration and respect for your efforts to keep it good.
Mr. Adelstein,
First, let me say that by definition of the word, I’m not a “reader”. Typically, I don’t enjoy sitting down “with a good book”, ever. I don’t watch much television, especially “reality programs”, and rarely go to movies. (When I do read, I prefer non-fiction military history – a first-person account of their “story”.)
However, I saw your book at a thrift store, and after reading the back cover two or three times (different visits), I decided I’d give in to curiosity. To be honest, I wasn’t sure if I’d like it after the first few pages… I hung in there, and I’m glad I did.
Thank you for sharing your story. It was a great read, and I’m glad it was still on the shelf.
Respectfully,
J. Beasley
Mr. Beasley,
I’m honored that you took the time to read my book. I hope that there was something of use in the book that stays with you and is useful later in life.
Tony-san, I am very fond of this country as well. I have some great friends here as well–people who have risked a lot for me and for greater causes. I have tried to return the favor. Recently, my former boss, Kiyotake-san, had the guts to take on the tyrannical CEO of the Yomiuri Group. At yesterday’s press conference, I asked a question that helped him defend his actions and I have written an article to support his accusations. It will probably get me in a world of trouble. However, that is the job of a friend–to stand by your friends when they are doing the right and noble thing and take the heat with them. Thank you for writing. Letters like yours make me feel like maybe I’m not living my life in vain.
I really enjoyed reading your novel, as i am a foreign student living in tokyo and have aspirations to become a journalist. Tokyo Vice portrayed Japanese culture without idealizing it, with it’s sometimes strange modern and traditional values clashes, and people’s general reactions to foreigners. I have experienced some rascism and sexism but i have also fallen in love with japanese culture and it as interesting reading about a part of japan that i didn’t really know existed. Even after living here for several months, I can only guess at the challenges of working at a japanese newspaper, and wanted to thank you for sharing your experiences as an american journalist in japan.
Hi Mr. Adelstein,
I read your novel when it was published in Italy, and I just want to thank you for your precious work, especially for me in this moment. I’m wiriting my graduation tesis and when I picked the subject I didn’t know how to find the material to gather information about the yakuza XXI century devolepments. Your experience is fundamental for my paper work.
Thank you so much!
p.s I’m sorry for my english, I know I still make a lot of mistakes…
Hey Jake,
I just finished reading your book TOKYO VICE. I couldnt get enough of it and Im really upset that its over now! I heard you’re writing a new book. When will it be out??? I cant wait anymore!!!
thanks
Hello Jake,
I wanted to know if you are accurately being quoted in this excerpt from this article: http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/fs20091203a4.html
Jake Adelstein, author of “Tokyo Vice,” a memoir documenting his 12 years of reporting on crime for the Yomiuri Shimbun, says that nyotaimori has its fans within various organized crime groups but adds that it is generally considered over-the-top for today’s tastes. “It still takes place and it was definitely something that the yakuza liked to do at parties,” he explains, “but as for now, it’s less popular [with gangsters] than before.
Recently a feminist organization quoted you in a different way, leaving out the second half.:
“It [Nyotaimori] still takes place and it was definitely something that the yakuza liked to do at parties…”
~ Jake Adelstein, author of Tokyo Vice a memoir documenting his 12 years of reporting on crime for the Yomiuri Shimbun
Unfortunately I have not yet had the pleasure of reading your book, and was actually drawn to it by the above quote. I do intend to look it up in the future as it seems a fascinating insight on such a deeply underground organization.
I am curious if you know if the practice of nyotaimori still exists in Japan and how it is received and if it is still associated with yakuza and sex trafficking. Your book was published in 2009 and now 2 years later I wonder if you know if this has changed at all.
I have been trying to find written history on the origins of nyotaimori with no real luck.
It seems that most Americans who know about “Naked Sushi” believe that it was/is a well accepted Japanese artform associated with yakuza and formerly geisha practices. Some also believe that nyotaimori has always been associated with sex trafficking. I do not believe it is a widespread practice nor has it ever been widely accepted or treated (at least in Japanese culture) as an artform, since not much can be found about the practice other than Western sources that cannot quote their sources. I’ve read yet another article that yakuza are supposedly the ones that created the practice and that it has only been practice since the 1980s.
I appreciate any insight you may have on this matter.
Thanks in advance for your response!
Miss C.
Miss C, I’m correctly quoted in Brett Bull’s Japan Times piece. The practice is dying out and a few years ago Inagawa-kai members were arrested for nyotaimori because the naked girl was underage. Any decadent tradition will always find a venue but the practice is no longer common and in increasingly mixed-sex working environment, “naked sushi” at a party would create scandal and shame. I think as a motif for “shocking photos” that it may still be utilized. I asked one yakuza about it and he said, “The body warms up ups the sushi and lukewarm sushi is pretty foul tasting. Plus it doesn’t seem very sanitary.”
Surprisingly, the top level yakuza are very health conscious: they don’t drink and they don’t smoke. That seems to be more and more the norm.
Thank you for reading the book and writing in. The second book is moving slowly but in the meantime, I write for The Atlantic Wire on a semi-regular basis and and this blog so hopefully that will tide you over until the next book.
http://m.theatlanticwire.com/authors/jake-adelstein/
Aurora-san,
It’s not a novel but a cross-between memoir and true-crime book but I know what you mean. You are very welcome and I’m glad the book was useful. If you’d post a review in Italian on Amazon Italy, that would be great. (I have no shame).
PS. My English is full of mistakes as well. Ask Stephanie or Sarah who edit my stuff.
Read this book a couple months back and i still think back on how true grit it all was. The only real description would be real life noir. It’s probably the best book on yakuza crime and one of the more original crime books to come out, more so because it’s by a journalist who witnessed this stuff happen. You captured that vibe of being on the beat and i’m eagerly awaiting your next book.
Thank you. A lot has improved in Japan since the book was written–especially in dealing with human trafficking. The next book isn’t about me. I think I may wait a decade or so to write a sequel to Tokyo Vice. However, I think you’ll find it a good read.
Dear Sir Adelstein,
I’m a Italian reader. I would just like to say: your book is a good thing.
I will recommend it.
Please, walk on like that.
With regards,
P.S.
If you will pass through Rome or Venice, it would be a real honor for me be able to meet you.
Thank you for writing. If I do come, I’d love to meet.
Jake,
I work for a newspaper in Seoul, and while my stories aren’t nearly as interesting as those in Tokyo Vice there’s certainly a lot I could relate to, at least in terms of the working environment and the culture. Your book was probably the most entertaining memoir by a journalist I’ve read, and I’ll definitely be looking for more books of yours in the future.
All the best,
Rob
cool! What’s Korean organized crime like?
I don’t plan on writing a “sequel” to Tokyo Vice–maybe not for another decade.
The next book isn’t about me but does have some threads connecting it to Tokyo Vice.
I hope it measures up to the first book.
Good luck,
Jake
I’ll try to find some that are listed!