Tokyo Vice

Synopsis

A riveting true-life tale of newspaper noir and Japanese organised crime from an American investigative journalist. Now a Max Original Series on HBO Max

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EITHER ERASE THE STORY, OR WE'LL ERASE YOU. AND MAYBE YOUR FAMILY. BUT WE'LL DO THEM FIRST, SO YOU LEARN YOUR LESSON BEFORE YOU DIE.

From the only American journalist ever to have been admitted to the insular Tokyo Metropolitan Police press club: a unique, first-hand, 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. Working eighty-hour weeks for twelve years, 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.

With its visceral descriptions and detailed exploration of the modern-day yakuza, Tokyo Vice is a deeply thought-provoking book: equal parts cultural exposé, true crime and hard-boiled noir.


'Expertly told and highly entertaining' GEORGE PELECANOS, writer and producer of The Wire

'Sacred, ferocious, and businesslike, Adelstein describes the Japanese mafia like nobody else' ROBERTO SAVIANO, author of Gomorrah

'Gripping and absorbing . . . A terrifying, deeply moral story that you cannot put down' MISHA GLENNY, author of McMafia

Summary

Chapter 1: The American in Tokyo

Jake Adelstein, a young American journalist, arrives in Tokyo in 1993 with dreams of becoming a police reporter. He quickly meets Robert Whiting, an experienced reporter who becomes his mentor and helps him navigate the foreign culture.

Chapter 2: The Yakuza

Jake is introduced to the world of the yakuza, Japan's organized crime syndicates. He befriends a low-ranking yakuza named Sato, who gives him a glimpse into their operations. Jake also encounters Kenji, a powerful yakuza boss who becomes his subject of fascination.

Chapter 3: The Suicide

A young woman named Akari jumps from her apartment window and lands on Jake's car. Jake becomes obsessed with finding out why she killed herself and uncovers a dark secret about her connection to the yakuza.

Chapter 4: The Missing Girl

Jake investigates the disappearance of a Japanese schoolgirl, Yuko Shimizu. He suspects that she has been kidnapped by the yakuza and sets out to find her.

Chapter 5: The Hostess Clubs

Jake delves into the world of hostess clubs, where women entertain male clients in exchange for money. He meets Mikiko, a hostess who becomes his friend and provides him access to the club's secrets.

Chapter 6: The Hostages

Jake becomes involved in a hostage situation at a hostess club when the yakuza take over the building. He witnesses the brutality and ruthlessness of the yakuza and is forced to confront his own mortality.

Chapter 7: The Betrayal

Jake discovers that Sato, his supposed friend, has been manipulating him and using him for his own purposes. He confronts Sato and breaks off their relationship.

Chapter 8: The Showdown

Jake's investigation of Kenji's syndicate reaches a critical point when he obtains a videotape that proves Kenji's involvement in a murder. Jake must decide whether to expose Kenji and risk his own life or bury the evidence and live with the consequences.

Chapter 9: The Aftermath

After exposing Kenji, Jake faces retaliation from the yakuza. He is forced to flee Tokyo and leave behind his friends and colleagues. He returns to America, forever changed by his experiences in Japan.