• Fri. Aug 15th, 2025

Japan Subculture Research Center

A guide to the Japanese underworld, Japanese pop-culture, yakuza and everything dark under the sun.

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  • Japanese Politicians On Parade: Meet Seiji Maehara

Japanese Politicians On Parade: Meet Seiji Maehara

The FCCJ welcomed Seiji Maehara, co-leader of the Innovation Party (Nippon Ishin), on June 19, 2025, ahead of the Upper House elections held on July 20. This year, 124 seats plus…

Pedaling Through Paradise

Cycling the Shimanami Kaido: A Sporty Journey Through the Seto IslandsBy Salomé Le Corre Pedaling Through Paradise There’s something invigorating about the crisp sea air in winter—especially when you’re experiencing…

The Documentary Black Box Diaries and Marriot International: Who’s Actually Protesting?

The documentary Black Box Diaries has taken the world by storm. It is the story of journalist Shiori Ito, who directed the film. In 2015, the young journalist was raped…

カルト、腐敗、失敗、そして崩壊。選挙で有権者が懲りない自民党を拒絶。

故安倍晋三元首相の罪悪: 使途不明金、失敗した経済政策、そして旧統一教会との関係が彼の党を追い詰めた。

Corruption, Cults, and Collapse: Why Voters Rejected Japan’s Ruling Party in Major Election Blow

In a not-so-surprising twist that has Japan’s ruling party licking its wounds, the 2024 lower house election results show the ruling coalition crumbling to pieces. After decades of near-uninterrupted dominance…

How a sumo tournament led to the downfall of the yakuza

The yakuza, Japan’s infamous organised crime syndicates, have gone into a death spiral in recent years and Jake Adelstein says it is partly due to an incident at a sumo…

Bring Them Home: Ongoing Battle for Japanese Hostages in North Korea

It's been 46 years since Takumi Yokota last saw his sister Megumi. Their family was just like any other, until Megumi became one of the many Japanese hostages held captive…

Tokyo Vice Vice-O-Pedia: Why Do Yakuza Chop Off Their Fingers or The Art of ENKOZUME (エンコ詰め)

Ever spotted something odd about someone’s hands nearby? Everything seems ordinary until you notice it: one finger joint missing, maybe a whole finger, maybe several. lt leaves a noticeable gap.…

Cybercrime Fighting Heroes Held Hostage In Nigeria; Free Tigran and Nadeem

Tigran Gambaryan's career is anchored by one constant: an unwavering dedication to justice He put child pornographers and crypto-criminals out of business. Now he's being held hostage in Nigeria, a…

[嘘つきの安倍晋三には、こんな豪華な葬儀はふさわしくない」 殺された元総理は、日本を「真実を言えない国家」に改悪した

だから、真実を語れない日本政府が存在するのだ。嘘は報われ、真実を語ることは罰せられる。政府は都合の良い事実をでっち上げ、都合の悪い事実を隠し、信じてもらえることを望み続けるだろう。それが安倍元首相のレガシーである