Independent research from Japan

Japan, beyond
the surface.

Japan explained from the inside — cults, the underworld, crime, and the social pressures behind them. Researched from Japanese primary sources.

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Five lenses on modern Japan

Belief, power, recruitment, and the place of new religions in modern Japan.

Organized crime, illicit economies, and the institutions built around them.

Major cases examined through records, reporting, and social context.

The pressures, exclusions, and demographic changes shaping everyday life.

Policing, courts, punishment, and the legal debates behind the headlines.

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Our first articles are being researched and edited. Explore the categories to see what Behind Japan will cover.