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Tokyo Vice

An American Reporter on the Police Beat in Japan

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About this listen

 From 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. Art & Literature Asia Crime Japan Journalists, Editors & Publishers Organized Crime True Crime Words, Language & Grammar Writing & Publishing Exciting Imperial Japan Emotionally Gripping Scary Inspiring Heartfelt Thought-Provoking Mafia
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There are a lot of reviews criticising this book. I suspect that is because people expect an informational book about the Yakuza. It is not that. It is anecdotal and an amusing ride through the author’s time in Tokyo and the police stories that he encountered. Unlike other reviewers I also found the pace of his speech to be unproblematic. However there is a sample and as well as a way to slow the pace if it doesn’t work for you.

Enjoyable

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As a non-native English speaker I did have some issues following the story after a while. Despite this issue the story is brilliantly laid and told out. I like that the author tells the story himself, a reality that he has experienced first hand.

It has a lot of lewd and violent materials so listener's discreation is advised. It is a definate must-read. I won't spoil more than that.

The audiobook is divided in approx. one hour chapters. This fits perfectly if you decide to listen to one chapter a day or every other day.

Go on now and listen to Jake's masterpiece.

Immersive, lewd and violence

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A lot of interesting cases, although I didn’t expect it to get as dark as it did, so be warned.

Detailed view on Crime in Japan

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Is it entertaining? Yes. Is it accurate? Hard to say. Jake does a good job looking at how life in Japan can be like for foreigners as well as journalism on organized crime in a country with some of lowest crime rates. You're probably better off looking somewhere else if you want a more emotionally investing tale, or one completely based on the facts and not dramatised for the sake of entertainment.

A work of (non) fiction

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This book was a fantastic source of information and a great book. Unforgettable and Powerful.

Wow, just wow.

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