Reddit Reddit reviews Tokyo Underworld: The Fast Times and Hard Life of an American Gangster in Japan

We found 7 Reddit comments about Tokyo Underworld: The Fast Times and Hard Life of an American Gangster in Japan. Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.

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Tokyo Underworld: The Fast Times and Hard Life of an American Gangster in Japan
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7 Reddit comments about Tokyo Underworld: The Fast Times and Hard Life of an American Gangster in Japan:

u/ShinshinRenma · 3 pointsr/japan

There's the local stuff that a lot of people will share with you, but there's some macro-stuff as well.

For example, The ministry of economy, trade, and industry has often flat out obstructed foreign business owners/investors from otherwise legally participating in the foreign markets due to "market confusion," which has been the most illogical defense, and has contributed to ridiculous prices in Japan at the consumer's expense for several decades.

There's also the story of インチキ外人レスラー, or "cheating foreign wrestler" in Japan's pro-wrestling. This is the time honored tradition of having huge foreigners playing the part of fighting dirty before they get their ass handed to them by the honorable, hard-working Japanese fighter.

Why, yes, I am reading Robert Whiting's Tokyo Underworld right now. Obviously focused on organized crime, but it often centers around its role in international relations for Japan, as well.

u/Card1974 · 2 pointsr/Suomi

Luvassa elokuvia, elokuvia ja ehkä joku satunnainen Netflix-sarja. Kokemusta aion ryydittää oluella.

Historiapuolelta voi suositella Robert Whitingin Tokyo Underworldia. Ensimmäinen luku on hieman hidas, kun kertomus pohjustetaan katsauksella 2. maailmansodan jälkeisen Japanin tilanteeseen.

Tämän jälkeen alkaakin sitten aivan uskomaton tositarina, kun länsimainen gangsteri päättää avata pizzerian Roppongiin ja vallata oman nurkkansa yakuzojen vedonlyöntibisneksistä. Kulttuurishokista seuraa surrealistista menoa, puolin ja toisin.

u/nllanki · 2 pointsr/Documentaries

I do not but this might interest you http://www.amazon.com/Tokyo-Underworld-Times-American-Gangster/dp/0375724893

It's not a particularly easy read but interesting enough.

u/kejartho · 1 pointr/japan

Adding on to this if you wanted to read a book on the historical aspect of how integrated it all is, check out Tokyo Underworld. I had to read it for one of my seminar courses and boy was it a bit telling. The Yakuza are involved in so much.

u/whisperHailHydra · 1 pointr/asianamerican

> It actually isn't

Well crap, I thought this was based on a book. So it doesn't even have that.

u/wolframite · 1 pointr/AskReddit

Tokyo Underworld: The Fast Times and Hard Life of an American Gangster in Japan by Robert Whiting.

Book description:

>"A fascinating look at some fascinating people who show how democracy advances hand in hand with crime in Japan."--Mario Puzo

>In this unorthodox chronicle of the rise of Japan, Inc., Robert Whiting, author of You Gotta Have Wa, gives us a fresh perspective on the economic miracle and near disaster that is modern Japan.

>Through the eyes of Nick Zappetti, a former GI, former black marketer, failed professional wrestler, bungling diamond thief who turned himself into "the Mafia boss of Tokyo and the king of Rappongi," we meet the players and the losers in the high-stakes game of postwar finance, politics, and criminal corruption in which he thrived. Here's the story of the Imperial Hotel diamond robbers, who attempted (and may have accomplished) the biggest heist in Tokyo's history. Here is Rikidozan, the professional wrestler who almost single-handedly revived Japanese pride, but whose own ethnicity had to be kept secret. And here is the story of the intimate relationships shared by Japan's ruling party, its financial combines, its ruthless criminal gangs, the CIA, American Big Business, and perhaps at least one presidential relative. Here is the underside of postwar Japan, which is only now coming to light.

More here:

Robert Whiting’s Adventures in the Tokyo Underworld