How Dangerous are the Yakuza? Japan's Deadliest Criminals (w/ Jake Adelstein) | Change Agents #56

[@HarryBondInc]

Tokyo Vice is an underrated and fantastic show

[@David-bg7qw]

Facts!

[@enterthebruce91]

​@@David-bg7qwit's my #4 favourite show of all time! Only behind my joint #1 shows The Wire and Boardwalk Empire, then Banshee, Rome and Tokyo Vice. Legendary show, love it!

[@WillieLawrence-d5u]

Beyond amazing. GREAT interview Andy ~~~ and Thank YOU Jake A. for your insights

[@JakeAdelsteinpaladin]

Thank you very much for listening. And thanks to Andy for an engaging interview

[@thisisironclad]

Thanks for listening

[@Larryfromthe]

Very interesting nice episode! Not many people doing good info on Japanese organized crime.

[@thisisironclad]

Thanks for the support Larry!!!

[@markymark6457]

Japan cracked down on Yakuza hard. They’re a shell of their former organizations.

[@AKlover]

The government does NOT LIKE COMPETITION. Helps to remember things like prostitution are legal in Japan now, guess which entity gets A $$cut$$ of those proceeds instead of the Yakuza now.

[@becraftcorey]

​@AKlover prostitution is not legal in japan, they have basically a private room strip club where some sexual stuff probably takes place, it's not legal.

[@AKlover]

@@becraftcorey "Legal Grey Area"???? I remember BPS doing A video showing where the brothels are and how Japanese prostitutes either are pressured to not or outright do not service foreigners, that is left to the "migrants". That is oddly specific to be untrue. Look up Black Pigeon Walking Tour or something to that effect.

[@AKlover]

@@becraftcorey "Legal Grey Area"???? I remember BPS doing A video showing where the red light districts are and how Japanese pros either are pressured to not or outright do not service foreigners, that is left to the "migrants". That is oddly specific to be untrue. Look up Pigeon Walking Tour or something to that effect.

[@themetaphysicalaxe5506]

​@@becraftcoreylol riiiiiight

[@AA-ok5jz]

An assessment of Jake Adelstein by the world's best yakuza experts. "Not only do they misrepresent the yakuza, they make themselves into the heroes of crime novels and start telling the world that they are yakuza experts. It is tedious, time-consuming, and frequently causes trouble. I have learned the hard way that my name and work are often used to enhance the credibility of this work."

[@jibberjabber6919]

source?

[@AA-ok5jz]

@@jibberjabber6919 Martina Baradel discusses the unique world of the yakuza, Japan's organised crime syndicates | Department of Sociology | University of Oxford

[@johnsimon8457]

I’m currently reading his “The Last Yakuza” and it’s a lot of stories of how people got in and various business ventures and shakedowns they had. The intro has a bit about him and the situations for why he got the interviews he did and how you really can’t provide sources because all of this is illegal

[@ceehads]

Loved the series. Great interview Andy.

[@thisisironclad]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@GreekLady188]

Awesome interview!

[@geeunit831]

Loved Tokyo Vice. Especially season 2. Glad I stumbled upon this channel and this episode to see the real Jake Adelstein.

[@michael7v6]

Fantastic. Your overall content is among the best out there. Love the CH and the BRCC podcasts at well.

[@PeterDurham-p8t]

New favorite pod, tokyo vice is awesome

[@sentfromdaniel]

Ads every 2 minutes. Awesome

[@thisisironclad]

Thanks for sticking around despite the frequent ads!

[@rostamr4096]

This was fascinating

[@thisisironclad]

Thanks for watching!!

[@stephenloh817]

great interview, came here after watching Tokyo Vice

[@rchi3906]

Black Rain 1989 who didn’t want to be Sato

[@sitdowndogbreath]

That was a heck of a movie 🍿🎥

[@rchi3906]

@@sitdowndogbreath since 1989 only buy black cars , Yakuza Style

[@terrencedeagle4429]

​@@sitdowndogbreathYou almost have to respect the Oyabun's that run it.

[@BroMorris0341]

Just like Costra Nostra, don't think gokudō is dead and gone. ...They didn't die off, they just adapted to the times.

[@BruceLee-rc2dr]

the Cosa Nostra in the U.S. is dead. They don't have the numbers like in the old days. Neither do the Yakuza. 3/4 of their membership is gone.

[@bootysauce_]

​@@BruceLee-rc2dr The Mafia will never be dead. They've been tied to US government ever since World War 2 they are 100% still around

[@Earthmuffin78]

Is this guy who they based Tokyo Vice on?!? The ice cream tipped me off. So cool!

[@Tar-Von]

lol Crazy, right? That's the real Jake Adelstein, apparently.

[@MakerInMotion]

He was swordfighting in the trailer for the HBO show. I can't picture this guy getting into swordfights.

[@mattcole3067]

Great discussion

[@reallytho99]

His story is so similar to Jake from Tokyo Vice on hbo, amazing show

[@Ghost_Rider_786]

Loved Toyko Vice Series 1 ..... Series 2 just dropped in Europe have watched 4 episode's so far .....loving it so far .... Sato is the BEST character in the series ....The actor that plays him was made for the role ... Is a gangster ...but reluctant one.... Totally addicted to this series

[@Mercurychyld1]

Anyone know what the name/title of Jake Adelstein’s podcast on Spotify? Thank you. 😌🌹

[@AP_in_SC]

Love all of your content bud. Keep getting after it.

[@thisisironclad]

Thanks, will do!

[@stevenboldt6489]

I worked at the St. Tropez Club in Osaka from Sept. 1985 to Feb. 1986. We were an American funk band and worked 60+ hours a week. There wasn't enough interest from younger musicians in our boomer music to keep it going for American bands on the circuit and we were the last to be hired by the yakuza. The club was like a fortress. I didn't know who Hiroshi Yamamoto was when I met him but a lot of people wanted him dead. All I knew was gangsters ran some clubs for live music and paid us. We rotated sets with a girl group from the Philippines. At 66 years old now, 90's Japan and beyond seems like a much different world. I never went back. The yakuza is finished. No one respects them anymore. They did 40 years ago.

[@judyfield5230]

Loved the Tokyo vice show! Great listen!

[@nickbaby29]

All I can focus on is the Tenga on his bookshelf 😂

[@MbisonBalrog]

Black Rain is great movie and needs reboot.

[@TheSnowMan-cy9tu]

He said the mob and Yakuza aren't similar because of the celebrity like status of the Yakuza but that makes the mob and Yakuza even more similar. During the height of the mafia these mafia bosses and members were treated like celebrities. Hell, paparazzi would even flock to them like they would with an A list actor.

[@andredoumad]

Your ads are too loud and too frequent

[@thisisironclad]

Thank you for the feedback

[@simonbutler2966]

Agree

[@Hahah878]

Agreed the person who is interviewed and yourself should be a bit louder and ads should be either at beginning after intro or closer to the end slap 3-4 for in a row or 2 in the begining 2 in middle and 2 at the end depending on the length of video

[@RolfLunheim]

Install the "skip sponsor" extension, and you get relief from this nuisance. Highly recommended.

[@ams914]

The HBO series is great, btw. A-tier TV

[@MindfulProgramming]

I love that he has a Tenga Cup on his shelf bro lmao

[@peacesmakers]

They're (Yakuza) all over tokyo, roppongi district, and yokohama. Also, they've got a huge presence in downtown naha, and okinawa city, of Okinawa.

[@gregvilla3837]

This guy looks like we interrupted his sleep sorry for the inconvenience sir lmao

[@Erosgates]

Pretty sure he’s in Japan. They’re probably on opposite ends of the solar spectrum.

[@marshalllapenta7656]

That change of names is interesting..... NO mentions of the power grid in Japan....

[@solidzak3732]

They made a movie based on the serial killer he's referring to. It was called cold fish.

[@owenasmr.m2743]

Tokyo Vice is top tier

[@thisisironclad]

Fax

[@andreww5574]

Wasn't he exposed as a serial liar though?

[@edvhollywood4544]

Thanks Jake A . Was one of the liver transplant name Aki? My friend’s boyfriend in 80s. Did you become a Journalist there with Japanese language fluent? Did you know Terry Anderson?

[@Jsrowson]

It’s basically like the mafia there’s a code

[@mercilessforever]

Is this the real man the main character/reporter is based on in Tokyo vice on hbo max??

[@enterthebruce91]

Yeah, that's Jake Adelstein.

[@malekkarim9276]

Dude i love tokyo vixe

[@9unslin9er]

I try to envision a young Jake Adelstein looking like Ansel Elgort But I can't...

[@AJohnSmith]

They basically don’t exist anymore.

[@christianvoorhees69]

Do not mistake what is legal for what is right

[@woodworkbycross]

I’m enjoying your show. Please keep up the good work. Hopefully they won’t all be IP interviews

[@appearnowappearlater]

Andy, buddy…pronouncing “Yakuza” like someone who JUST finished the Kill Bill series won’t win many style points.

[@11ccom]

WOW. Heavy stuff.

[@fakkumedia]

Dude got a Tenga next time his google cup. 😊 cultured 😊

[@Prodbysomari]

bruh served under the us government is talking about mental gymnastics very ironic

[@FoxBodyFitness]

I could not put his Tokyo Vice book down. Very interesting look into Japan, not the side travel influencers show. I really feel for his chapters about the trafficked women and career burnout. Thank you for another great episode!

[@Pammellam]

You definitely need to read TOKYO VICE ….if you are really interested in this subject. It’s really scary! It is really accurate!

[@nathanielmacelroy1988]

Don’t let them get there hands on nothing

[@grose93alexander67]

Felt like 10 ads

[@genuflext]

Yakuza ain been relevant in ages and p much non existent in 2024. since 09 Takaharu Ando era. now yakuza is just novelty.

[@Prodbysomari]

oh nooooo they break the law like we do every day

[@Pammellam]

ヤクザ ya-ku-za There are 3 syllables. The 1st syllable is stressed. Say “YAH” clearly. The correct pronunciation is YAH-coo-zah.

[@jamesrebbechi5247]

Also, following the (anti-Yakuza) ordinances of 2011 which were politically driven by the Hatoyama government over his 2 year reign from 2009 many of the groups simply acquiesced under a mutually beneficial understanding and “corporatised” their commercial activities within legitimate longstanding ‘white collar’ firms in the manufacturing, law and financial realms. Effectively they just started wearing suits and going into the office - meaning much less need for large numbers of ground troops. The contemporary downside of all that shedding of grunts has been the subsequent and increasing rise in numbers of the Chinese Triads pushing in and taking over the older ‘traditional’ business activities forcing the Yakuza to agree on generally unfavourable split deals within their individual territories. The reality is home break ins and street crime is on the rise including sexual assault. That was never much of a problem with the Yukazu at full strength. Many within the police force and society at large lament the old days.

[@AA-ok5jz]

The 2011 ordinance is a local government (Fukuoka Prefecture) ordinance, not a national law, and the first such ordinance was enacted in Hiroshima Prefecture in 2004. It was not until 1991, during the Kaifu administration, that national laws restricted yakuza activities. The Hatoyama administration (September 16, 2009 to June 8, 2010) was not involved in any of these. Street crime was about 200,000 in 1990, before the was enforced, and has decreased significantly to about 50,000 in 2018.

[@Leosfamilymatters]

Ive never seen no yakuza gang member anywere i live in Seattle WA.

[@chico205]

THEY Lowkey u would not even tell if they yakuza

[@WSW0424]

Then I guess that means they don’t exist 😂

[@tonycarpaccio9550]

You have never seen no Yakuza? So you see them a lot in Seattle? lmfao.

[@Jsrowson]

They don’t mess with Seattle, the Vietnamese own Seattle mostly

[@deemushroomguy]

The Yakuza have too much class to be seen in Seattle. 😂

[@awfulfalafelwafflerofl2800]

Way too many ads, dude. Had to stop at 26:46.

[@king1203M]

I love the tv series and the book but after the new laws the yakuza are almost dead. Adelstein keeps them alive for his own business. What is his worth for a crime group that is now over 90% diminished. All his stories are before the new yakuza laws. Even though his book is a great read even though i dont believe all in this book.

[@Wes_the_Bes]

2 minutes in, guy pronounces it "yakooza." Hard pass. Can't trust this guy.

[@barpillar11]

This content was relevant 20 years ago.

[@ams914]

So learning about history isn’t your thing, I guess? Nothing before 20 years ago, I take it? LOL

[@michaelknight5574]

Pronounced Ya-Ka-Za,not Ya -Kuuza!!!!

[@jkadude2010]

Just FYI, it’s not Ya-KU-za, it’s YA-ku-za.😊

[@Dempdawg11]

Mind your business..Leave this charitable organization alone .

[@j.walker7990]

How dare yua make beeg joky joky abouta yakuza.

[@lovinreginald]

I heard the original yakuza's were korean. any truth to that?

[@haroldwright4100]

@sentfromdaniel you watched the video. Actually, the ads were interrupting the video around every 5 minutes!!!❤😮😊