Jake Adelstein writes a fascinating article in the Washington Post about organized crime and the mafia in Japan.
Most Americans think of Japan as a law-abiding and peaceful place, as well as our staunch ally, but reporting on the underworld gave me a different perspective. Mobs are legal entities here. Their fan magazines and comic books are sold in convenience stores, and bosses socialize with prime ministers and politicians. And as far as the United States is concerned, Japan may be refueling U.S. warships at sea, but it's not helping us fight our own battles against organized crime -- a realization that led to my biggest scoop.
He was the first US citizen to join the regular staff of a native Japanese newspaper and covered the local crime beat (!) which inevitably included the mafia whose fingers and muscle reach far and wide in Japanese society--a place Adelstein calls his "adopted homeland." It's a fascinating read that highlights the frustrating lack of communication and cooperation from the Japanese law enforcement community as well as revealing the darker sides of the mafia: In addition to numerous front companies, many publicly traded companies also have strong mafia ties. However, worse still: child pornography which is legal to "own" in Japan, continues to play a significant role in their criminal enterprise portfolio.
Adelstein also discusses his pursuit of a big scoop about top mafia boss "Tadamasa Goto" which eventually led to threats against him and his family leading to the present situation where "the FBI and local law enforcement are watching over my family in the States, while the Tokyo police and the [Japanese National Police Agency]" are currently protecting Adelstein.
Read rest here.