Jake Adelstein
Contributor
Tokyo Police Are Cracking Down on Businesses That Exploit Underage Girls
A new law laying down penalties for operators of Japan's so-called JK businesses, which have long operated with virtual impunity, should go into effect by the end of the year.
The Sexual Exploitation of Children in Japan Is Condemned by UN After Investigation
A United Nations investigator found that the sexual exploitation of children in Japan takes many forms, and is often tolerated or punished very lightly.
A Yakuza War Is Brewing in Japan — And the Police Are Taking Sides
Japan’s largest organized crime group, the Yamaguchi-gumi, has officially split, creating the potential for a gang war on a scale unseen in Japan for decades.
Photos Allegedly Linking an Olympic Official to the Yakuza Keep Causing Him Problems
A member of Japan's Diet has called for an independent investigation into the vice chairman of the country's Olympic Committee and his alleged ties to organized crime.
This May Be the Most Dangerous — and Most Costly — Photo in Japan
The 2020 Tokyo Olympics will cost at least $5 billion, much of it in the form of lucrative construction contracts. And a single photo threatens to freeze out a powerful crime syndicate.
Video Emerges of Man Setting Himself on Fire to Protest Japan’s Move Toward Remilitarization
He protested efforts to reinterpret Japan’s constitution to allow Japan Self Defense Forces to participate in combat missions and war.