Tokyo Vice

An American Reporter on the Police Beat in Japan

By: Jake Adelstein

Narrated by: Jake Adelstein

Length: 10 hrs and 35 mins

Publisher's summary

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.

©2009 Jake Adelstein (P)2009 Random House

Critic reviews

“Groundbreaking reporting on the yakuza. . . . Adelstein shares juicy, salty, and occasionally funny anecdotes, but many are frightening. . . . Adelstein doesn’t lack for self-confidence . . . but beneath the bravado are a big heart and a relentless drive for justice.”--The Boston Globe

“Gripping. . . . [Adelstein’s] vividly detailed account of investigations into the shadowy side of Japan shows him to be more enterprising, determined and crazy than most. . . . In some of the freshest pages of the book, our unlikely hero tells us about his initiation into the seamy, tough-guy Japan beneath the public courtesies,. . . . Adelstein builds his stories with as much surprise and grit as any Al Pacino or Mark Wahlberg movie, blurring the lines between the cops, the crooks and even the journalists. . . . Tokyo Vice is often so snappy and quotable that it sounds as if it were a treatment for a Scorsese movie set in Queens. Yet the facts beneath the noirish lines are assembled with what looks to be ferocious diligence and resourcefulness. For even as he is getting slapped around by thugs and placed under police protection, Adelstein never loses his gift for crisp storytelling and an unexpectedly earnest eagerness to try to rescue the damned.”—Pico Iyer, Time

"A journalist's memoir unlike any I've ever read."--Dave Davies, Fresh Air

Excellent, gripping and introspective

Jake Adelstein has written and narrated a tremendous book detailing his time as a newspaper crime reporter and freelance crime journalist in Japan. He is probably one of the most knowledgeable Westerners on topics like the Yakuza and Japanese red-light districts, and to listen to a book which 1) expounds in great detail on such interesting subjects and 2) is quite entertaining is a sheer pleasure.

The author's narration is also excellent, not at all "over the top" as I have had to suffer through with many other audiobooks. In the end, it is Adelstein's honesty (both about his own inner thoughts and actions and the identities and places featured) that caused me to rate this book 5+ stars.

Out of 20 books in my Audible library, a handful deserve 5 stars. Only three deserve 5+ (the others are Snowball and The Greatest Trade Ever) because I was compelled to listen for 1+ hours/day.

Get this book

If you’re at all interested in Japanese culture, crime, and/or journalism, you can’t go wrong with this. Listened to it in one sitting on a long train trip and enjoyed every minute.

A Must Read!!!

This book was simultaneously powerful, gripping, frightening, raw, and heart-wrenching. Probably the best autobiographical work I have ever read. The Japanese underworld is fascinating, the characters well-drawn, and the narrative superb. Kudos to this extraordinary author and amazing man!

Intriguing all the way through

Jake is a great reporter, writer and narrator to his own work, with an interesting background working around crime in Japan and reporting on the yakuza, he tells you his firsthand experiences in his own words and keeps you hooked all the way through. I won’t say too much, go ahead and listen for yourself!

Great book! Highly recommended for those interested in Japan, journalism, and good writing

This is a very compelling audiobook. Adelstein does a great job of narration as well as having written a can’t-put-it-down tale.

An amazing book for anyone and anyone interested in Japanese culture

I bought the hardcover edition of this book when I first came out after hearing an interview with Adelstein on NPR. Breezes through it my first read and absolutely loved it.

The book is non-fiction true crime, but it is so much more. It’s so fascinating, probably much more so than it sounds, to hear and about learn about Japanese police, crime, and reporting methods and rules and unspoken rules. And more over the littler known parts of Japanese culture. I found the chapter on Hostess clubs fascinating.

The bedrock of the story is the decade+ friendship between Jake and an amazing older police officer. The arcing plot is Jake’s investigation and attempting to report on Yakuza leaders making a deal with the FBI to get to the top of the donor list and receive transplants at UCLA in exchange for information on their criminal empire.

The book is fascinating, frequently funny, touching and informative. Adelstein can write so well it’s no wonder that he was such a great reporter as heard in this book. And the fact Adelstein himself performs the book gives you the standard perks of such: you know you’re hearing it the way he wants you to, his reading struck as true and important to him, and that added bit of emotion from when reliving these moments through reading is always such a great raw real experience for the listener. His voice is soothing but not too deep and certainly not high, sometimes he tends to speak a little fast but great job overall.

Anyone would like this book. Anyone. But if you are interested in Japanese culture, Yakuza, true crime, have an interest in journalism, this is especially true. 5* no doub

This audio book was a "page turner"

What did you love best about Tokyo Vice?

I enjoyed this book. Adelstein reads the book and you really feel like you are privy to his inside story. Good narration and interesting look at the under world of Japan, a country often touted as the "safest" country in the world.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Tokyo Vice?

How Jake changed over the years from the fresh out of college, enthusiastic gaijin reporter to a tired, weathered oyaji with his own red badge of courage. The entire book kept my attention and wanting to keep listening.

What does Jake Adelstein bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

He was telling his own story. I felt like he was confiding in me with his personal experiences, thoughts, and feelings.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

--the dark side of humanity.

Any additional comments?

I hope the author can find peace after all he has seen.

Insightful view of the Japanese Underworld

5 of 5 stars.

As an American working as an accredited journalist in Japan, Jake Adelstein acts as an articulate bridge who can explain many of the differences and subtleties of Japanese culture to a Western reader. A thoroughly enjoyable and enlightening read.

As the the writer of the material who also speak fluent Japanese, Adelstein is the perfect narrator as he expresses the appropriate tonal inflections and mood of the Japanese characters that populate his world.

Watched the series, then read this

I loved season 1 of the series so I had to check this out. Of course, the HBO series is only loosely based on this. This leads to some pro’s and con’s. The con’s include missing some of my favorite characters and plot points. However, there’s a lot of connections and at the end of the day I’d rather get the real story from the book than just spoilers for where the series will go.

The book is great, really earning the “Vice” in the title. At one point, the attempts to communicate the feel and the sleaze of Japan’s sex culture was almost too successful. So just be forewarned. All in all, a fantastic book and great delivery from the author.

Great story that shows you the dark side of Japan

I think the best part of this audio book is that the author narrates it. Having someone else do the job would have taken away from raw and sometimes emotionally charged descriptions. I would reccomend this book to people who are interested in Japanese culture and want an urthodox gaijin perspective.