Tokyo Vice and The Weeb Economy: NOAH SMITH, JAKE ADELSTEIN
Join us for a rare fireside conversation between two of the most prominent Americans shaping how Japan is seen and understood today.
Tokyo resident and investigative journalist Jake Adelstein (Tokyo Vice, Tokyo Noir, HBO’s Tokyo Vice, The Daily Beast) has spent decades reporting on the Japanese underworld and exposing the hidden workings of its power structures. His new book, The Devil Takes Bitcoin, explores Japan’s strange connections to cryptocurrency and the biggest bitcoin heist of its time.
Economist Noah Smith (Noahpinion, The Weeb Economy, Bloomberg) leads global conversation on Japan’s influence through culture, tech, and industrial strategy.
Together, they’ll explore everything from Yakuza corruption to anime-driven policy, weaving together stories of crime, culture, and capitalism in an era of shifting geopolitics.
Moderated by Amina Green, a former J-pop idol, a writer's room consultant for HBO's Tokyo Vice, and a Substack writer.
Expect hot takes and an audience Q&A!
Free admission, but seating is limited.
RSVP early to secure a spot.
🗺 Finding The Commons
📍 Address: 550 Laguna St. (at the corner of Hayes & Laguna)
🔽 Head down the stairs to the basement level to enter
🥿 Please remove your shoes at the entrance