Jake Adelstein is an investigative journalist and author specializing in Japan's underworld and organized crime. He gained prominence with his debut book, "Tokyo Vice: A Reporter on the Police Beat in Japan," published in 2009, which chronicles his experiences as a crime reporter for Japan's largest newspaper, the Yomiuri Shimbun. His subsequent works include "The Last Yakuza" (2022) and "Tokyo Noir" (2024), forming an unofficial trilogy about Japan's criminal underworld. Adelstein also authored "J’ai Vendu Mon Âme En Bitcoins" (2019), published in France, and has contributed to investigative audio projects such as "The Evaporated" (2023) and "Night Shift" (2024).
Born in Missouri, Adelstein first traveled to Japan in 1988 as an exchange student at Sophia University. His career in journalism began in 1993 when he joined the Yomiuri Shimbun, where he worked as a crime reporter until 2005. Between 2006 and 2007, he conducted a human trafficking study in Japan sponsored by the U.S. State Department. A low-ranking Zen Buddhist priest since 2017, Adelstein divides his time between Japan and the United States, writing in both English and Japanese for various publications under his own name and pseudonyms. His works explore the darker aspects of Japanese society, blending investigative rigor with firsthand experience.