Review: Tokyo Noir, Jake Adelstein’s Satisfying Follow-Up to Tokyo Vice

With the HBO adaptation of Tokyo Vice now popular the world over, journalist Jake Adelstein returns with a long-awaited sequel: Tokyo Noir.

By Noah Oskow

Last year, I received a request from a client that gave me some pause. The client, a YouTube channel focused on organized crime, wanted me to conduct a filmed discussion with a former yakuza, serving as both interpreter and interviewer. While this wouldn’t be my first time encountering someone from Japan’s underworld, I was a little worried about the lines of questioning involved — and of the idea of meeting face-to-face with someone with a background in organized crime whom I knew little about. So, I messaged Jake Adelstein, author/journalist of Tokyo Vice fame, and a longtime friend. He gave me some important advice: “Peace of mind is worth more than a fistful of yen.” It’s this intersection of journalistic intrigue and self-preservation that serves as a major theme for his upcoming new book, Tokyo Noir.

(In the end, Jake was able to help confirm the identity of the interview subject and the relative safety involved in meeting him. It resulted in a very enjoyable, wide-ranging interview, which you can find on YouTube if you look hard enough.)