I have no way of critically evaluating Jake Adelstein’s work. Others who think they do seem to rate it. And I certainly enjoy much of the research produced by him and his Japan Subculture Research Center. Certainly, while I have no reason to doubt the veracity of his research that ties the Yakuza to may facets of Japanese society and vice versa, we should always be careful about how much influence to ascribe to the Yakuza when considering the outcome of decisions by various authorities.
Nevertheless, here is an interesting and very readable article by him on the possible links between the Yakuza and the post-2007 political world. And how the new government and the Yakuza may both run into trouble. While the DPJ and Ozawa certainly do not get away clean, my main take away from this is that while Ozawa may be one of the most influential and skilled men in Japanese politics for good or bad, it is Kamei Shizuka who is the genuine blight on Japanese politics. Not that this blog has made any secret about how little esteem it holds him in.
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Although he makes quite a few good points, it’s a bit hard to take seriously anybody who mixes up Tokunoshima and Tokushima, no? And as he talks about moving the Marines to Tokushima Prefecture, and the “Yamaguchi-gumi orchestrating it through right-wing groups with local gang connections”, I don’t think its a typo.
Good spotting – certainly for an island of mere thousands one would think such connections would be very transparent!
Look at the article closely again, corrected weeks ago. Yes, it was a typo. Also, LDP Koga unsuccessfully argued for inagawa admission into the US. Goto Tadamasa was successful.
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