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"This is a book I wish I'd written. It's brilliantly researched, full of detail and illuminating…" —Jake Adelstein, author of Tokyo Vice
Uncover the shocking world of the Japanese courtroom.
In a country where nearly all defendants plead guilty, the interesting part is what happens between the plea and the sentencing. In True Crime Japan, journalist and longtime resident of Japan Paul Murphy delves into a year's worth of criminal court cases in Matsumoto, a city located 140 miles to the west of Tokyo. The nine defendants in these cases range from ruthless mobsters to average citizens with a variety of methods and motives. Using court documents and interviews, Murphy makes a point of including the perspectives of the defendants, as well as those of their families, neighbors, and lawyers. He explores not only the motives of offenders but the culture of crime and punishment in Japan.
The nine cases include:
True Crime Japan provides an unusual lens through which to view Japanese society and its emphasis on honor, shame, and conformity. Murphy's in-depth analysis of the court system reveals Japan to be, perhaps surprisingly, a land of true individuals.
Uncover the shocking world of the Japanese courtroom.
In a country where nearly all defendants plead guilty, the interesting part is what happens between the plea and the sentencing. In True Crime Japan, journalist and longtime resident of Japan Paul Murphy delves into a year's worth of criminal court cases in Matsumoto, a city located 140 miles to the west of Tokyo. The nine defendants in these cases range from ruthless mobsters to average citizens with a variety of methods and motives. Using court documents and interviews, Murphy makes a point of including the perspectives of the defendants, as well as those of their families, neighbors, and lawyers. He explores not only the motives of offenders but the culture of crime and punishment in Japan.
The nine cases include:
- "Late in Life" — A wealthy octogenarian is put in jail for stealing fried chicken
- "Mama's Boys" — A disbelieving family unveils their son's role as a yakuza gangster.
- "Mother Killers" — A middle-aged carpenter beats his 91-year old mother to death and goes to work the following day, leaving the body for his wife to find.
True Crime Japan provides an unusual lens through which to view Japanese society and its emphasis on honor, shame, and conformity. Murphy's in-depth analysis of the court system reveals Japan to be, perhaps surprisingly, a land of true individuals.
Price: $16.95
Pages: 256
Publisher: Tuttle Publishing
Imprint: Tuttle Publishing
Publication Date:
02 August 2016
Trim Size: 8.00 X 5.12 in
ISBN: 9784805313428
Format: Paperback
"Murphy has an admirable desire to educate: the stories are interspersed with discussions about broader Japanese social themes, including a fascinating discussion of life in Japanese prisons." --Asia Review of Books
"Murphy never exploits his subjects. Instead, his deep research offers insights--at times instructive, at others sobering--into Japanese culture and how societal changes play out at the grassroots level." --Japan Times
"Murphy creates a winning mix of irreverent and earnest observations in this snapshot of the underworld in modern Japan." --Publishers Weekly
"Paul Murphy's understanding of these processes shines through in his writing. He does not over complicate or throw statistics in to impress. He weaves such information effortlessly within the narrative resulting in welcome additions to case studies." --Crime Traveller
"…What makes this book compelling are the portraits of human frailty that so often lie behind crime in a society not known for crime" --Global Asia
"The cultural contrast between our legal system and that of Japan makes this book a surreal read…Murphy has produced a vivid insight to crime and punishment in Japan." --Independent.ie
"The non-fiction title is a fascinating compendium of crimes heard in a courtroom in Matsumoto, Nagano, over one year. The cases, including murder and serial theft, provide a glimpse into Japanese society and its judicial system." --The Straits Times
"Murphy has an admirable desire to educate: the stories are interspersed with discussions about broader Japanese social themes, including a fascinating discussion of life in Japanese prisons." --South China Morning Post
"Murphy never exploits his subjects. Instead, his deep research offers insights--at times instructive, at others sobering--into Japanese culture and how societal changes play out at the grassroots level." --Japan Times
"Murphy creates a winning mix of irreverent and earnest observations in this snapshot of the underworld in modern Japan." --Publishers Weekly
"Paul Murphy's understanding of these processes shines through in his writing. He does not over complicate or throw statistics in to impress. He weaves such information effortlessly within the narrative resulting in welcome additions to case studies." --Crime Traveller
"…What makes this book compelling are the portraits of human frailty that so often lie behind crime in a society not known for crime" --Global Asia
"The cultural contrast between our legal system and that of Japan makes this book a surreal read…Murphy has produced a vivid insight to crime and punishment in Japan." --Independent.ie
"The non-fiction title is a fascinating compendium of crimes heard in a courtroom in Matsumoto, Nagano, over one year. The cases, including murder and serial theft, provide a glimpse into Japanese society and its judicial system." --The Straits Times
"Murphy has an admirable desire to educate: the stories are interspersed with discussions about broader Japanese social themes, including a fascinating discussion of life in Japanese prisons." --South China Morning Post
Paul Murphy is an award-winning journalist. His articles and reports about Japan have appeared in The Japan Times, International Herald Tribune/Asahi Shimbun, Mainichi Daily News, Irish Times and RTE's Prime Time television program, among others. He is currently a reporter for the RTE Investigations Unit in Dublin.