What if the police knew who committed Japan’s most infamous unsolved robbery almost from the beginning? Years ago, I heard…
Japan & Society
Articles examining Japanese society, customs, institutions, public behavior and social trends. Designed for readers who want to understand not only what happens in Japan, but why it happens.
Did the Suspect’s Father Burn ¥300 Million? The Chimney Smoke Mystery
What happened to the money stolen in Japan’s notorious ¥300 million robbery? On December 10, 1968, a man disguised as…
Did the Robber Die Five Days Later? Japan’s ¥300 Million Mystery and a Police Officer’s Son
On December 10, 1968, a man disguised as a motorcycle police officer stopped a cash transport car in Fuchu, western…
Why Did Tairyu Furukawa Keep Writing to Akira Nishiguchi, the Killer His Family Exposed?
On January 3, 1964, Japanese serial killer Akira Nishiguchi was arrested at the home of religious activist Tairyu Furukawa in…
21 Police Officers Outside, None Inside: What Went Wrong in Akira Nishiguchi’s Arrest?
On January 3, 1964, Japanese police arrested Akira Nishiguchi, a fugitive responsible for five murders, at the home of religious…
Professor, Lawyer, Five Murders: Akira Nishiguchi’s Bizarre 78-Day Crime Spree
A con artist usually wants people to hand over their money. Akira Nishiguchi was doing something considerably more disturbing. Over…
The Adults Trusted a Fake Lawyer. Why Did a Fifth-Grader Suspect Him? — The Akira Nishiguchi Case
On January 2, 1964, a man claiming to be a lawyer from Tokyo visited the home of Tairyu Furukawa, a…
What Happens If You Scan a Japanese Banknote? Printers, Storage, and the Law
What happens if you place a Japanese ¥10,000 banknote on the glass of a home multifunction printer and press “Scan”?…
Why Is Japan’s Tokuryu So Hard to Dismantle?
Traditional organized crime is relatively easy to imagine. Police arrest someone at the bottom, work their way upward, and eventually…