[dramatic music]
♪ ♪
[soft jazz music]
♪ Fly me to the moon ♪
♪ And let me play among the stars ♪
♪ Let me see what spring is like ♪
♪ On Jupiter and Mars ♪
♪ In other words ♪
♪ Hold my hand ♪
♪ In other words ♪
Samantha-san!
[in Japanese] - You're looking tan and rested.
Hawaii agrees with you.
It was fun! Let's all go together next time!
Yes!
[in English] Got my second dohan request of the night.
Going to be a busy week.
Go get 'em.
♪ All I worship and adore ♪
♪ In other words please be true ♪
♪ ♪
♪ In other words I love you ♪
♪ ♪
[vocalizing]
♪ ♪
[in Japanese] - It won't last. Not at this price.
[sighs]
I'll take it.
[tense music]
♪ ♪
[in Japanese] - Where are we going?
[in Japanese] - Come.
♪ ♪
[in English] - Whoa.
Shit.
[speaks Japanese]
[in Japanese] - He is here.
[in English] You. Go in.
[in Japanese] - Excuse me.
Mr. Adelstein is here.
[in English] - Thank you for accepting my invitation.
You know who I am?
[in Japanese] - You're Hitoshi Ishida.
Koichi Tanaka's right hand
and de facto head of the Chihara-kai crime family.
[in English] - Please sit.
[knock at door]
[in Japanese] - Pardon me.
♪ ♪
Excuse me.
[in English] - Please.
[in Japanese] - I speak Japanese.
[in English] - You are my guest.
Let me show you my respect.
So I am told you are friendly with police.
Who told you that?
Like you, we protect our sources.
I am also friendly with police.
Every week, they come to my office.
I serve them tea. We drink together.
But lately, they will not touch it.
They say they have heard
I am bribing a cop.
"If we accept anything from you,
it will look like we are the ones you are bribing."
Meanwhile, my men see the cops refusing my tea
and think it means I am informant for police.
Why would they think that?
Someone has started a rumor that, one, makes police think
I am bribing cops, and, two,
makes my men think I am informant for the cops.
Neither is true,
but the perception
is undeniable.
And if that perception doesn't change?
Then someday soon,
my men will make me
dig my own grave
and shoot me...boom.
in the head.
Well, that's-- that's a tough spot.
One of my men tells me
your friends on the force are very connected.
If you could persuade them
to find the source of this rumor...
You would have my undying gratitude.
[pop music playing]
What did you tell your boss about me?
I saw you on the news,
after the riot, talking to the cops.
I tell him I know you.
- Well, thanks a lot. - You're welcome.
Dude, I'm a journalist,
so I can't really be seen doing favors for yakuza.
Ishida gets information, you get new source.
Would be good for everyone.
[Backstreet Boys' "I Want It That Way" playing]
[singing along] ♪ Yeah ♪
♪ You are my fire ♪
♪ The one desire ♪
[in Japanese] - Seriously?
[in English] - ♪ When I say ♪
What?
- ♪ I... ♪ - ♪ Want it that way ♪
[in Japanese] - You're into Backstreet?
[in English] - Backstreet is the best band in the world.
- Oh, man. - ♪ Are two worlds apart ♪
All right, if you like this kind of music,
you should check out 'NSYNC.
- 'NSYNC? - Yes.
'NSYNC is imitators. Backstreet is original.
♪ I want it that way ♪
♪ Tell me why... ♪
This is masterpiece.
It's a masterpiece?
'NSYNC will never have the guts to do
a song about a man and a woman doing that.
Doing what?
♪ Tell me why I never want to... ♪
That. Doing that.
- Doing what? - ♪ I want it that way ♪
You know?
Oh, no, that's not what this song's about.
- It's in the words. - [laughing] No, it's not.
That's not what it's about.
- Shut up, gaijin boy. - It's not about that.
You know nothing.
[laughs]
♪ That way ♪
♪ Tell me why ♪
♪ Ain't nothing but a heartache ♪
♪ Tell me why ♪
♪ Ain't nothing but a mistake ♪
♪ Tell me why ♪
♪ I never want to hear you say... ♪
Never got to thank you for dinner the other night.
- My pleasure. - Let me pay you back.
You want to learn real aikido?
Come to our house dojo,
learn some old-school aikijutsu.
Sure, why not? Katagiri-san!
And the next thing I know, he starts telling me
that right now he has this problem
because the cops won't touch the tea he offers them
because he thinks somebody is spreading a rumor
trying to make him look like a police informant.
And he said that
if he doesn't do anything about it,
that he's gonna get killed.
- He's right. - And what if he gets killed?
[sighs] If Ishida dies, Tozawa will move in.
He's already been testing the waters.
Like the bar in Kabukicho, right?
Among other things.
Such as?
I gave you the folder. Any progress?
I'm working on it. Today, I'm gonna work on it.
Work harder.
I'll look into who's spreading this rumor about Ishida,
but don't write... both: Anything about it.
You don't have to tell me every time.
Whoa.
Jake, what happened?
- We thought you were dead. - Oh.
- We were very concerned. - Oh, thank you.
I appreciate your concern. I'm okay.
Hey, you guys know that song by the Backstreet Boys,
"I Want It That Way"?
Is that way-- is that, you know?
Duh. Of course.
Everyone knows that.
So what happened? - I'll tell you later.
[in Japanese] - Yes, I'll bring some home.
I promise. I will.
All right... I'm hanging up. Bye.
[in English] What?
So I know I'm supposed to be
on the Shinjuku arson thing,
but that guy who set himself on fire in Kabukicho
and the guy who was stabbed out in the suburbs,
they were both in debt to the same loan company.
Tokyo is filled with people in debt.
Enough with this. - There's more.
The stabbed guy,
he was speaking to a lawyer about bringing up a case
against that loan company right before he was killed.
Wasn't he killed by a random yakuza?
Well, I have a source that says
it might not have been so random.
The stabbed guy was digging around,
asking a lot of questions,
and this is some of what he dug up.
There's something worth chasing here, right?
I went and I spoke to the widow of the burned guy--
Jake, they have names.
Mrs. Satomura.
And she played me messages
that they left on their machine telling the husband
to go kill himself.
Like, they were not subtle.
[inquisitive music]
There was a story run a few weeks ago.
A suicide in Machiya.
♪ ♪
Here--it says,
"The victim owed the money
"to a consumer credit loan company.
They made threats."
- Wow. - What?
Your memory is freakishly good.
Eat more fish. Good for this.
- Huh. - Listen.
"According to her husband,
"the loan sharks called every day
encouraging her to kill herself."
[in Japanese] Kurihira! Shinohara!
both: Hai.
Go to the legal bureau and pull the company's address,
CEO's name, anything you can get.
Hai.
[in English] - Are you coming, Jake?
Yeah.
- [speaks Japanese] - Hai, hai.
Hey, thanks for letting me borrow this.
Mm-hmm.
You got any free daytime this week?
Something I want to talk to you about, just off campus.
[in Japanese] Ooo, mysterious.
Not mysterious.
[in English] Opportunity.
[in Japanese] - Sure.
Call me! [in English] - Okay.
[in Japanese] - Good night.
[speaking Japanese]
Good night.
- See you tomorrow. - Bye.
[in English] - You think I'm stupid?
I know what you're up to. Trying to start your own club.
Stealing my girls?
No one makes a move in this town
without me hearing about it, bitch.
Okay, I don't know who you've been talking to,
but that's ridiculous.
I make a fortune in cash here. No taxes.
No drama to deal with. Why would I want the hassle?
Can I go now?
Fucking Malee.
Mess with my money, and you'll regret forever.
Bitch.
[in Japanese] - She was...
so full of life.
We understand she was in quite a lot of debt,
that she had fallen behind in her payments.
So then...
Hyon-suk deserved to die...
because she owed money and couldn't pay?!
No, no...
My colleague meant no disrespect.
[in Korean] We want to find the people who pressured your wife
and hold them accountable.
Are you Korean too?
My grandparents are from Jinhae.
Jinhae...
The cherry blossoms there are famous.
Yes. They are beautiful.
My wife was from Jinhae.
We used to go all the time.
Let us help you.
Those guys...
they came to our home.
[in Japanese] - In Japanese, if you will.
They...
went to the beauty parlor where she worked.
She was so ashamed...
and afraid.
Wait here a moment.
[in English] - You speak Korean?
Good ear.
I guess we make a pretty good team.
Don't be weird.
[in Japanese] - A collection letter.
It came a week after Hyon-suk killed herself.
Even then...
those bastards wouldn't leave her alone.
[in English] - Holy shit. There's an address.
It was sent six days ago.
You think it's still there?
[in Japanese] - Thank you very much.
[in Korean] And we are very sorry for your loss.
Thank you very much.
[in Japanese] - Your Oyabun, Tozawa...
is spreading a bogus rumor
that Ishida is connected to the police,
in order to divide and destabilize the Chihara-kai.
Ishida won't take it lying down,
and then we'll have a war on our hands.
I can't let that happen.
A rumor like that wouldn't carry much weight
coming from Ishida's enemy.
But if it came from inside the Chihara-kai itself,
that's another story.
Meaning your clever boss has managed to flip someone
in Ishida's camp.
[tense music]
So, who's the mole?
I don't know what you're talking about.
You're free to go.
Hold on.
You release me now, my crew will think I cut a deal.
That's not bad. It would be interesting.
Do you mind? We need the room.
They'll kill me! You know it--
The mole. Who is he?
♪ ♪
Whew.
That gaijin hostess you have a hard-on for?
Duke says she's looking to open up another club.
Go talk to her. Make sure she knows... Everybody pays.
Scare her a little.
Understood.
Hey, fuck her all you want, I don't care.
I see a future for you.
But don't blow it over some piece of ass.
That's the popular one, right?
Yeah, yeah. That's the one.
Is it good?
It's really spacious and nice.
Let's go together next time.
[inquisitive music]
♪ ♪
[sobbing]
I've gone to the big banks and the other loan companies.
No one else will lend to me.
I'm desperate.
My husband gambles away his paycheck every month.
There's nothing left to pay the bills.
Please.
You've come to the right place.
We don't turn anyone away.
I'll just need you to sign some papers before we get started.
You're so kind.
I don't get it.
So how are they making money off of suicides
when people can't even pay them back?
Most of this contract seems to be a life insurance policy.
In a bank loan? That's a thing?
To be honest, I've never seen
anything quite like this before.
Do insurance policies pay off on bank loans?
In Japan they do. You're not in Kansas anymore.
I'm from Missouri.
You know, Kansas is a completely different,
arguably inferior, state.
Here.
"In the event of death, decedent's estate
"will relinquish any and all claims
"to all insurance payouts,
which shall be paid forthwith to said loan company."
So they're getting people to take out
life insurance policies
and then name the credit company
as the beneficiary.
And then they're hounding and harassing them,
driving them to kill themselves,
and collecting all those policies.
Jesus, they found a way to monetize suicide.
Even for yakuza, that's pretty fucking evil.
I'd say so.
Sorry.
You have no idea how many
legal affairs bureaus we had to go to.
Plus, all of your time-consuming little detours.
[laughs] Taking a moment to read the plaque
off a historic building is not a "detour."
Did you find an address?
[laughs] It took some effort.
He had to promise to have coffee with the file clerk
because she thought he was so attractive.
Voilà!
The address of the corporate headquarters
and the name of the CEO.
Kiyoshi Sonoda. Holy shit.
- Right? - Let's pay him a visit.
[in Japanese] Get the map.
Map, map, map!
[in English] - Here?
Does this look like where a corporate CEO lives?
[in Japanese] - Let's check.
[in English] - Are you sure this is the right address?
[in Japanese] - I'm sure it is.
[baby crying]
[knock at door]
Hai, hai. Sumimasen.
Is this the home of Kyoshi Sonoda?
Hai.
Would it be possible to speak to him?
To my father?
Hai.
I'm sorry,
but my father has been unable to see guests for years.
[in English] - Okay, I'd never heard of the dish, either,
but apparently it's a delicacy in Ishikawa.
And Fukasaka-san is an entomologist.
Entomologist?
A scientist who studies insects.
So when he ordered them I figured,
you know, new adventure. Why not try it?
You're far braver than I am.
And so, you--what? Just eat them whole?
They don't even take the stingers off,
and they're huge.
Fukasaka-san said he was stung once
getting too close to the hive.
Felt like getting hit by a nail gun.
And then he pulled the deep-fried hornet
out of the tonkatsu sauce and said...
[in Japanese] Don't worry, Samantha-san,
I got my revenge.
[in English] - Your range of knowledge is astonishing.
Thank you.
That's the best part of the job.
Clients have given me books, taken me on lectures,
trips across Japan.
Experiences I really never would have had.
Well, it seems you finally found
a life that works for you.
- Finally? - Mm-hmm.
But I do have to wonder, at what cost?
I don't-- [laughs]
Forgive me, Matso-san. I don't understand.
Well, when one rejects one's life and flees
in the dead of night, I imagine one would always
be looking over one's shoulder, wouldn't one?
I don't know what you're talking about.
Did you really think you could hide forever
after what you did?
Now you're thinking, "Do I pack a bag and run?
"How much cash do I need?
"Just enough to fit in the small red travel bag
"in my hallway closet?
Or will I need the suitcase beneath my bed?"
[tense music]
And if you do try and run, I'll find you again.
It's what I do.
This isn't a game, Samantha-san.
You get one chance to play this right.
I'm listening.
You were not easy to find.
The people you stole from believed
you had left Japan entirely, as you hoped they would.
But my client has deep pockets and a wide reach,
and they're determined to see you answer for your crimes.
Lucky for you, all I'm interested in
is how much your freedom is worth to you.
- What do you want? - We'll get to that.
Let's finish our dinner.
I'm not sitting here for this shit.
This has been a lovely dinner, but I need to get to work.
This isn't going away, and neither am I.
So I urge you, Samantha,
to consider everything you have to lose here.
And as your people would say, "Choose the right."
♪ ♪
Kanpai. Here's to dead-ends.
[cups clink]
Hmm, but this Sonoda guy
has got to be connected somehow, right?
No, that's the point.
He's just the name on the corporate document.
So what do we do now?
Nothing.
Nothing?
You're just gonna sit there
and let the yakuza make bank off people killing themselves?
We still have time. - Stop!
I don't need convincing.
You said, "There's something here worth chasing."
You're right. Trust me.
When you want something too much,
you can get so distracted that you miss things,
and this story is too important to get wrong.
Yeah, you're right.
It's just... what they're doing to these people
is horrible.
Even so...
this isn't the only story on my plate or yours.
Be patient.
[phone rings]
Get back to the arson story, okay?
[ringing]
[in Japanese] - Meicho Shimbun, City Desk.
Detective Toma, thank you for returning my call.
I was wondering when you might be free.
As the girl said,
I told you about those who are overly nice.
And the girl placed her hands on the window.
She asked, who is white, fluffy, tasty,
and smarter than a wolf?
That is me, she said.
And she closed the window.
The end.
That's it. Let's sleep.
Read some more!
It's time to sleep. Shino, let's go to your bed.
Then do the song!
Frog song, please.
Ah. Right. Okay.
One second.
♪ The frog's song... ♪
both: ♪ We can hear it... ♪
[both singing in Japanese] - ♪ Gwa, gwa, gwa, gwa... ♪
♪ Gero, gero, gero, gero, gwa, gwa, gwa. ♪
I'm coming in!
Didn't I tell you you'd regret it if you fucked with me?
Oi.
Get out.
Now.
[in English] - Is this the part where you rough me up?
You know how many girls come to Japan,
try and make money in the mizu-shobai?
Yeah, I do.
I know exactly how many
and where they're from, what they're looking for.
My boss knows this, too, and he says,
"Girls who don't play by the rules
can meet unfortunate ends."
Don't fucking threaten me.
Hey.
Hey!
I'm not the enemy.
Understand? I'm trying to protect you.
Do I look like a fucking damsel in distress?
If I need protection,
I can do a hell of a lot better than you.
[singing in Japanese]
[mellow synth music playing]
♪ ♪
She's not here.
Samantha?
You get that information for my boss yet?
I'm working on it.
[in Japanese] Here's what I don't get, though.
Even if I do manage to get something from my source...
how's your boss supposed to know
the information's any good?
Because if it isn't, we'll come after you.
[in English] - Well...
That's good motivation.
Let's get the fuck out of here.
[in Japanese] Thanks.
[indistinct chatter]
All right, I'll have some too. Just a little.
I'll be sipping mine.
Once again, to Emi-chan. Kanpai!
To Emi-chan. Kanpai!
How many times are we toasting?
This is the fourth.
You're looking good. You got a boyfriend?
I bet you got a lot of boyfriends.
I was hoping you could take a look at something for me.
This...
- Oh, yeah, I remember her. - She was cute.
If you like that type.
It happened just recently, right?
Yeah.
But when I read the confession--
Wait, I'm confused.
How did you get ahold of the confession?
Hmm. How did I?
Thatta girl.
Got her trained, huh?
How's your daughter, Detective Toma? 16 now?
She must be so proud of you.
In the confession, the suspect claims he smashed her head in.
So?
Does she look like her head was smashed in?
She was strangled.
Whoever actually killed her would know that.
Look, this guy confessed. Of his own accord.
Case closed.
Yeah, but--
It's always work with you.
Come on, loosen up.
Let's get another round!
Excuse me!
[electronic dance music playing]
♪ ♪
[in English] - This place is fucking sick.
Hey, be cool, gaijin boy.
I'm always cool, baby.
You're cool, though. What's it like to be a yakuza?
You are writing an article? "My Night Out With Gangster."
Can I?
No work tonight, Meicho.
Play time. - Play time, man.
♪ ♪
[in Japanese] Come on.
[in English] Come on. Let's blow off some steam, man.
I'll meet you down there.
♪ ♪
♪ It's tearing up my heart when I'm with you ♪
♪ But when we are apart I feel it too ♪
♪ And no matter what I do ♪
♪ I feel the pain with or without you ♪
['NSYNC's "Tearin' Up My Heart" playing]
♪ ♪
♪ Baby, I don't understand ♪
♪ Just why we can't be lovers ♪
♪ Things are getting out of hand ♪
♪ Trying too much, but, baby, we can't win ♪
♪ Let it go ♪
♪ If you want me, girl, let me know ♪
♪ I am down on my knees ♪
♪ I can't take it anymore ♪
♪ It's tearin' up my heart when I'm with you ♪
[in Japanese] - I like how you dance.
Is that so?
♪ And no matter what I do ♪
♪ I feel the pain ♪
♪ With or without you ♪
♪ ♪
♪ Oh, oh, oh ♪
[women giggling, chattering]
[lively electronic music playing]
♪ ♪
No, Akira, I hate it there.
Come on, baby. It can't be that bad.
You think that because here you get me,
fucking goddess in heels.
At my club, I get these old men
who stink like squid and look like broom.
They talk, talk, talk, and I have to pretend
what they say is interesting.
You make them happy. You make me happy.
Should we get another? - Sure.
I've been thinking lately about going somewhere else.
You want to work at a different club?
No, Akira. Another agency.
Maybe I could try to start work as a model again.
Baby, we talked about this.
You're so pretty,
but modeling is not working for you.
You make more cash at Onyx.
It didn't work out here,
but maybe I could find more work somewhere else.
Maybe London or New York.
Hold on, hold on, hold on. You leave Japan?
That's how little I mean to you?
No. You mean-you mean everything.
Then how could you leave me?
I thought you were different than all the others.
Maybe you're just another liar. - I'm not lying!
- Hey, baby! - Don't talk to me.
- Akira, please. - Hey, Polina.
Where is Malee? - Holy shit!
- Where is she? - You finally came to Miralina?
Where's Malee?
[in Japanese] - Someone has ordered
a bottle of Camus Tradition for 1.2 million yen!
- [in English] Is she here? - Join us, five minutes.
You'll meet your soul mate. We promise. We promise.
Mind your own fucking business.
Don't be mean.
- Malee. Malee! Hi. - Oh, hi, you're here.
- What the fuck? - What?
- What did you say to him? - Who?
What'd you say to him? Nothing?
Then how the fuck does Duke know
that I'm starting my own club?
- I didn't-- - Fuckin' bullshit.
A year. It's been a whole year.
No one knows anything. Zip. Quiet.
I say one thing to you-- - I was trying to protect you!
Protect me?
The other girls are so jealous of you.
I want to shut them up,
so I just told them soon you have your own club.
You vapid, fucking idiot!
Now I have the yakuza breathing down my neck
because of fucking you!
Samantha!
Have you lost your mind?
She fucked me.
Hey, bullshit. This isn't about Malee.
I know you.
What is going on?
Talk to me.
You can't help me.
[in Japanese] - Whichever.
There are so many options.
This one?
- I can't pick. - Oh, come on.
Let's pick this one.
Okay.
[laughs]
[women moaning]
[soft heartfelt music]
♪ ♪
What were you watching?
Yuka-chan.
Watch me, and only me.
♪ ♪
[both laugh]
[both panting]
Ahh! [laughs]
Oh.
♪ ♪
[in English] - Thank you.
[in Japanese] - Could we see each other again sometime?
I would like that.
Thanks.
Here.
Call me anytime.
[in English] Bye-bye.
[inquisitive music]
♪ ♪
[in Japanese] - Burning the midnight oil?
Or avoiding going home?
Chasing a story. It's still out of reach.
Keep after it. I'm confident it won't elude you for long.
Thank you.
I wish my colleagues shared your confidence.
When in doubt, follow your instinct.
No matter what anyone here says. It's worked for me.
Always.
Always?
I hired you, didn't I?
Good night.
Good night to you too.
Welcome, Mr. Sato. Please follow me.
[in English] - Hey, I think this place might be
a little out of my price range, you know?
My treat.
[speaking Japanese]
Here's your Peking duck.
[in English] - What's it like in America?
That's a big question.
[in Japanese] America is big.
[in English] But I'm from Missouri.
- Missouri? - Yeah, Missouri.
- Missouri. - Called the "Show Me State."
- Why? - I have no idea.
But I was born and raised in Columbia, Missouri.
It's kind of like the heartland.
Apple pie.
- Apple pie? - Football.
Football. You are tough guy?
- No. - Hmm.
[both laugh]
I did musicals.
- Seriously? - Yeah. I was good.
You miss it? Missouri?
Hmm, mm-mm.
How about your family?
They miss me.
You know, my mom is always calling
and trying to guilt me into coming home.
That is so Japanese.
- [in Japanese] I know. - Very Japanese.
[in English] Brothers and sisters?
- I got a sister. - You miss her?
You got a lot of questions, huh?
How about you? You got family?
No.
[tense music]
♪ ♪
Fuck.
Fuck!
I tell you.
I haven't eaten this good since I don't know.
[knock at door]
What?
[in Japanese] - Thank you for dinner.
[in English] - Don't look.
♪ ♪
[in Japanese] - Nice watch.
Vacheron Constantin, right?
You have a good eye... for a gaijin.
You have good taste... for a gangster.
Who do you think you're talking to?
Please relax.
If you ever wanna talk shop...
Whenever.
Reporters here are not always well liked.
Soon you will find out.
Especially if they're good at their job.
So good reporters here have a lot of enemies?
A man without enemies is no man at all.
Give my respects to your oyabun.
♪ ♪
[in English] - This isn't a game, Samantha-san.
You get one chance to play this right,
and as your people would say, "Choose the right."
[dramatic music]
♪ ♪