Originally aired in January 2025, this episode of Deep in Japan features my conversation with investigative journalist Jake Adelstein about his book The Last Yakuza. The book follows Makoto Saigo, a half-American, half-Japanese man whose failed rock star dreams led him into the world of the yakuza. Through Saigo’s story, Jake explores the history, codes, and brutal realities of Japan’s underworld.

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The outro, Hotel Gokudo, can be found here on Jeff's Suno page. Trevor's can be found here. 

Thanks for listening, fellow travelers of the ear. 

Yoroshiku and rockets. 🚀