Prolific author and former investigative journalist Jake Adelstein has quite an extensive knowledge of the Yakuza.
He was a reporter for the Yomiuri Shimbun, Japan’s largest newspaper, between 1993 and 2005, and from 2006 to 2007 he was the chief investigator for a US State Department-sponsored investigation into human trafficking in Japan.
He’s written for outfits such as the Independent and The Guardian, as well as writing three books: ‘Tokyo Vice: a Western Reporter on the beat in Japan’, ‘The Last Yakuza: Life and Death in the Japanese Underworld’, and ‘Tokyo Noir’.
‘Tokyo Noir’ is his latest, covering his life post-journalism as well as some details of Japan’s criminal underworld.
He joined Kerre Woodham to discuss his life, career, and extensive knowledge of the Yakuza.
LISTEN ABOVE
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.
Two Guys, Five Rings: Matt, Bowen & The Olympics
Two Guys (Bowen Yang and Matt Rogers). Five Rings (you know, from the Olympics logo). One essential podcast for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. Bowen Yang (SNL, Wicked) and Matt Rogers (Palm Royale, No Good Deed) of Las Culturistas are back for a second season of Two Guys, Five Rings, a collaboration with NBC Sports and iHeartRadio. In this 15-episode event, Bowen and Matt discuss the top storylines, obsess over Italian culture, and find out what really goes on in the Olympic Village.