True Crime Japan Thieves, Rascals, Killers, and Dope Heads: True Stories from a Japanese Courtroom

In this fascinating crime book journalist and longtime Japan resident Paul Murphy provides a glimpse of Japanese society through a year's worth of criminal court cases in Matsumoto, a city 140 miles to the west of Tokyo

Additional Reviews;

"It's a fascinating book because it allows us to read about real Japanese crime and what really happens in court, because as Murphy states within, Japanese media rarely, if ever, provides the full details of a case." — It's a Wonderful Rife blog

"Whether the crimes are lurid, shocking, or downright sad, Murphy provides an unflinching look into sides of Japan that we don't usually see." — Brian Ashcraft, journalist and author of Arcade Mania! and Japanese Tattoos

" True Crime Japan is a great read if you are looking for another slice of the culture, one that isn't readily available in another format." — JLPT Boot Camp blog

"This is a book I wish I'd written. It's brilliantly researched, full of detail and illuminating…" — Jake Adelstein, author of Tokyo Vice: an American Reporter on the Police Beat in Japan

"An eye-opener for all readers, but especially for those engaged in criminal justice." — San Francisco Book Review

"A great excursion into the depths and peculiarities of the Japanese legal system — a mirror of society — is the recent book, True Crime Japan by Paul Murphy (Tuttle Publishing), who spent years at the Matsumoto Criminal Court." — Il Sole 24 Ore

"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:

• "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.