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Telepathy (以心伝心) and Other Coincidences (奇遇)
I was writing to a former intern at Japan Subculture Research Center, Fresca, and asked her to send me her thesis to read—just as she mailed me. I think I was two seconds ahead of her. It was a remarkable coincidence or maybe telepathy. Which got me interested in the many words for the complementary…
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The Race To Run Tokyo: Who’s going to be the next governor of the megapolis?
Will The Empress Continue To Reign? Probably.
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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 tournament in 2009.
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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 by North Korea.
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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. One reason gifting the yakuza in your life a pair of gloves is a terrible idea. It’s a constant reminder, always in plain sight, of…
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Sign for Tigran and Nadeem: Demand Their Freedom Now!
No news yet on the release of Tigran Gambaryan and Nadeem Anjarwalla, who continue to be unjustly detained. As days pass, their families grow increasingly desperate for answers. Yuri Gambaryan, Tigran’s wife, has launched a new petition demanding their freedom. Take action and add your voice to the call for justice!
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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 scapegoat in the country’s currency collapse. He and Nadeem must be set free
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In Ichigatsuno Koeni Yorokobiwo Kizame (International title: Voice), a young woman named Reiko (Atsuko Maeda) professes to her boyfriend-for-hire that she had been sexually abused as a child. Reiko had been six years old when it happened and she still finds it hard to talk about the incident. “Because of what happened to me…I thought I could never…
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The Real-Life Kamurochō: A Yakuza History Lesson with Tokyo Noir’s Jake Adelstein
The Real-Life Kamurochō: A Yakuza History Lesson with Tokyo Vice’s Jake Adelstein We explore Tokyo’s Kabukicho, the inspiration behind the central setting of the series formerly known as Yakuza. (originally published on GameInformer.com) By Marcus Stewart on July 3, 2023, at 2:00 PM Introduction It’s an uncomfortably humid night in the bustling Shinjuku ward of…