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

Tokyo Underworld: The Fast Times and Hard Life of an American Gangster in Japan | Robert Whiting | A side of Japan few ever see

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Tokyo Underworld: ...

	Tokyo Underworld: The Fast Times and Hard Life of an American Gangster in Japan Robert Whiting Vintage, 2000 - 400 pages average customer review:based on 22 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

"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.

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Fascinating look at what's crawling around under the tatami

The sub-title of Robert Whiting's fine book is a bit misleading. The American gangster in question often disappears from the narrative for long stretches while Whiting explains the long history of collusion between Japanese politicians and the yakuza. Nevertheless, the result is a fascinating social history with plenty of entertaining anecdotes and colorful character profiles. Chief among the latter are Nick Zapetti himself, the "gangster" who made a fortune with pizza parlors that became the hangout of choice for expatriates, entertainers, and, most significantly, those who make their living on the wrong side of the law, and then lost that fortune through a combination of stubbornness, bad luck, and ignorance. Another highlight is the career of Rikidozan, the former sumo wrestler who became a national hero and single-handedly established professional wrestling in Japan by defeating foreign wrestlers in scripted bouts, all the while hiding his Korean heritage. Often very funny, this book appeals to both a taste for the prurient and seamy and the desire for a serious, even-handed analysis of the role of organized crime, political selfishness, and short-sighted anti-Communism in Japan's rise to power and wealth.

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A side of Japan few ever see

This is one of the most entertaining books I have ever read about Japan. And one of the most informative too. What really sets this book apart from most others on the topic is the detailed account of an American living through the post-war period and the excesses and hubris of the boom and eventual bust. I can almost imagine myself in Nick's shoes as he fights his way to the top of the pile only to slip under the weight of his greed. At the same time, this book imparts a valuable history lesson on just how much of Japan's economic boom was truly the result of hard work and how much was rigged. Until I read this book, I never fully appreciated the level of collusion and stunning, open-mouthed greed of Japan's ruling classes. It seems like another world, one that I can only see through this book.

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what a crazy life.

Fascinating book about someone with a crazy life. The writing isn't particularly brilliant, but the subject matter is.

Great Read - Highly Recommended

I found it hard to put this book down.

Its more a story of the Japanese mob than Nick Zapetti and better for it. The way Whiting digs below the surface to show the corruption in Japanese business and politics is certainly a different perspective than the average gaijin usually sees. What was particularly fascinating for me was how obvious the yakuza have become in their activities yet how easily foreigners, some at the highest levels, have been duped into believing that Japan is "clean". The story about Bush Sr's brother being retained by the yakuza is a good tale of how big and powerful the yakuza have become.

I would love to see what Whiting has to say about more recent Japanese politics - particularly about how clean / dirty Koizumi was. But since the book was published in 1999 you don't get much insight into any changes since the millenium.

Still, that's a small point and I would highly recommend the book to anyone with the slightest interest in Japan.

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pretty good

I thought this book had a great title, so I bought it. I liked the history of the yakuza and the stuff about how Ropongi was formed and became a nightlife district, but I found all the content about the American pizza place guy to be sort of dull. (It's like the writer went to the trouble to find all this stuff so he felt like he should put it in.)The back story of the Japanese criminals and gangsters was fascinating and makes this worth reading, but don't expect to be totally glued to the pages.

reviews: page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

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