Tokyo Swindlers (2024) s01e01 Episode Script
Episode 1
1
IN WATER TOO CLEAR LIVES NO FISH;
BUT IN DIRTY SOIL GROW ABUNDANT CROPS.
HONG ZICHENG, "CAIGENTAN"
I've been on that horse
for three damn days
and ain't seen shit!
Do your job and find a fucking moose!
Well, sir, searching and waiting
is part of the hunting experience.
What'd you say?
You signed a contract,
and in in it, it stated
Either you fucking
I either shoot a fucking moose,
or I shoot your ass!
Relax! I'm gonna call the office, okay?
Look, I'm calling!
Jesus!
What are you, Chinese?
Japanese.
Japanese, Chinese.
Why are you here? Can't you hunt in Japan?
We can, but no horseback hunting.
No large areas like here.
Japan is small.
Shitty people being pushed against
each other in a tiny, shitty space.
Hmm.
What do you do for a living?
Land swindler.
Land land swindler?
What the hell is that?
Shit!
Please help! Help, help!
Bear!
Oh, fuck Oh, fuck!
You better run!
Without a shadow of doubt,
that bear believed
that it was going to devour me.
But then in an instant,
it was mangled, pathetic, and dead.
Perhaps I
cannot forget the ecstasy
I experienced in that moment.
Takumi-san.
Why don't you and I team up together?
You can become a land swindler.
That con man who ruined your life.
He was a land swindler.
Maybe it's about time.
You can push someone else deep into hell.
Land swindlers
are members of real estate fraud groups
who pose as property owners
trying to sell their land.
These fraud groups
steal large sums of money
using deceit and forged documents.
Land fraud commonly occurred
all over Japan during the post-war period,
when society was still in chaos
and government offices were in disorder.
During the economic bubble
from the late 1980s to the early 1990s,
real estate prices surged
and many land frauds occurred,
mainly in urban areas.
As the documents necessary for real estate
trading became more and more digitized,
it became increasingly difficult
to assume someone else's identity.
This difficulty caused
land fraud to subside.
In the mid-2010s,
Tokyo was officially selected
as the host city for the Olympic Games,
which led to a rise in land prices.
Land fraud began to surge again,
mainly targeting areas
that were difficult to detect
due to a lack of proper management
or absence of owners.
Land fraud groups contain a leader,
a negotiator,
an informer,
a legal advisor,
a document forger,
and imposter recruiter.
Each group member must possess precise
and highly-advanced criminal techniques.
In Atago Station's
jurisdiction,
a caller reported a strange smell
at an apartment building in Shimbashi.
The Second Investigation Division
is already investigating the building
for suspected use
in a real estate fraud case.
Shimomura and Okubo from that division
are currently on route to the scene.
At this time, the whereabouts
of the building's owner are unknown.
Given this information,
the link between the recent call
and the missing owner
should also be investigated.
I repeat
I'm Okubo from the
Second Investigation Division.
Yes, hello, sir. This way.
Tatsu-san.
I'll let headquarters know.
Skeletal remains
of the female owner
were found in her apartment building
in Shimbashi, Minato City, Tokyo.
New information indicates that this may be
connected to real estate fraud
concerning the land.
Beginning years ago,
groups of real estate frauds
known as "land swindlers" have been
in which they have swindled two billion
yen from a real estate company.
This group of land swindlers hired a woman
to take on the role
posing as the deceased owner.
The imposter was brought to
the negotiation table by the group and
The land swindler group
consists of multiple members,
and the police have been unable to track
the whereabouts of these criminals
at this time.
What's your zodiac?
Um, my zodiac's the dragon.
-Was that right?
-Why ask her?
You should know your own sign.
This is something you should know by now.
I I'm sorry.
-Sasaki-san.
-Yes?
Wrong.
-What?
-Your name is Shimazaki Kenichi-san.
There's no one here by the name
of Sasaki-san. Did you forget?
Oh, right.
-Shimazaki-san.
-Yes?
It's going to be fine.
Just relax, okay?
Okay.
Just do exactly
as you practiced with Reiko-san.
Okay.
Goto-san, please go over it again
from the top.
-What is your name?
-I'm Shimazaki Kenichi. Yes.
Your date of birth.
Um, Showa 15, February 17th.
The Western calendar.
Um, 1940, February 17th.
Uh, my zodiac sign is dragon.
-My birthplace is Shibuya City, Tokyo.
-No, no, no!
Don't run your mouth
about things nobody asked you about.
Answer the questions.
Oh, sorry.
It's okay to just give them
a short answer.
There might be a chance
they ask you something
you haven't been able to memorize.
Just be vague and answer around it.
We'll be there to help you.
It's going to be fine, Sasaki-san.
All right.
Uh Uh Can I use the bathroom?
Again?
You were just there.
-It's okay, go ahead.
-Thank you.
Uh, sorry.
That moron's
gonna ruin everything.
You couldn't find
somebody better than that?
I had the perfect candidate
who looked just like the owner.
But Harrison picked him.
Why'd he do that, huh?
He'll be able to pull it off, all right?
There won't be bullies like you
in the meeting room.
-Wanna use this, Takumi-kun?
-I'm already done with that, thanks.
Isn't it about time you guys headed out?
Yeah, you're right.
Well, let's go.
-We're leaving for the final settlement.
-How are the documents?
I think they're fine.
May I take a look at them?
Sure.
The seal certificate.
Property registration record.
Fixed asset valuation certificate.
The fixed asset tax statement.
Residence certif
-Is that fingerprint film?
-Oh.
It's unnatural to leave no fingerprints
on the papers.
This film is also popular
with foreign intelligence agencies.
The driver's license.
Health insurance.
The registered seal and property key.
I didn't make a passport
or a My Number Card.
It's more natural
for a man his age not to have them.
The driver's license
also has microchips embedded.
-This all looks great.
-I appreciate that.
We'll be heading out, then.
Takumi-san.
Yes?
Take this with you.
What is that for?
You're ready. Sorry to keep you waiting.
So, where's Sasaki-san?
-He had to take another leak.
-Ah.
Why did he have to pick
such a spaced-out old man?
I still don't get Harrison.
How many years
have you been working with him again?
-For about four or five years.
-Really? That's not that long.
I thought you two went back
way longer than that.
Especially since he trusts you so much.
You think so?
Did you hear about this yet?
Did you know the old hag imposter
from this job is also missing?
No, I didn't.
Yeah. I wonder who did it.
Well, sometimes it's better not to know.
Oh, he's here.
Ah, I'm so sorry!
CASE OF SHIMBASHI LANDOWNER'S REMAINS
POLICE CONCLUDE AS NOT CRIMINAL
Harrison Yamanaka?
Yeah.
He's a well-known land swindler
in the real estate industry.
But "Harrison"? He's Japanese, right?
Well, he goes by multiple aliases,
but known as Harrison Yamanaka
amongst collaborators.
May I?
"A former gang member."
"In the late 1980s,
during the economic bubble,
he earned the reputation as a land shark."
"He later led a group of land swindlers
and operated large-scale land frauds
one after another."
"After the bubble burst, he was arrested
as the alleged ringleader of fraud
involving a multi-tenant building
in Tokyo."
"Sentenced to five years in prison."
He kept a low profile for a while
after he was released, until
Until the, uh
The dot-com bubble.
He started being active again around then.
Huh? What about this 2007 case that says,
"Not indicted due to lack of evidence"?
Oh.
A plot of land in Akasaka-mitsuke.
It was vacant for about 20 years.
The Napa Hotel
bought it from a broker
for 1.2 billion yen.
So, it was a land fraud?
The old man who was the imposter,
the recruiter who cast the imposter,
the broker, and the judicial scrivener.
We arrested the members of the group,
and through that we were finally able to
reach Harrison who masterminded the fraud.
I've seen many con artists
and intellectual criminals before,
but he was unlike any of them.
Excuse me.
The prosecutor isn't going
to indict Harrison
due to a lack of objective evidence.
We were so close
to locking him up, but
What? So none of them
were indicted, except for the imposter?
Yeah. The old man had dementia.
His statement recounting the incident
didn't match at all.
Where's the 1.2 billion yen?
Who knows?
Napa decided to keep the incident private
to maintain their public image.
The money disappeared.
So much money just gone.
Wait.
So, Tatsu-san, you think Harrison
was part of this Shimbashi case as well?
There's no evidence.
Just a hunch.
But how can a company like this
fall for a real estate scam
with a seemingly simple imposter trick?
Beats me. That must be the real rush,
don't you think,
for these land-swindling bastards?
I'm Inoue and I'm in charge
of Shimazaki-sama's property management.
-Hello, I'm Maki from Mike Homes.
-Pleased to meet you in person.
I'm Ishiguro, judicial scrivener.
Pleased to meet you.
-I'm Yamashita.
-Thank you very much.
Now that we have both the seller
and the buyer present here together,
I would like to start the procedures.
Thank you for taking the time today
during your busy schedule.
Since our time today is limited,
why don't we all jump right in
and let's begin?
"This property refers to the building land
located on 36-8 Ebisu 7-chome,
Shibuya City, Tokyo."
"The owner of this property,
Shimazaki Kenichi,
hereinafter referred to as 'Owner,'
and the buyer"
The property to be sold
in this deal is a 54-year-old house
only a five-minute walk
from Ebisu Station.
The owner, Shimazaki Kenichi, has lived
in this house by himself for many years.
He had been hospitalized on and off
due to cancer,
and admitted to a hospice
in Atami last year.
That's when we were briefed
on this property by Takeshita-san,
the informer who gathers
primary information about the land.
Here it is.
1. CHOOSING LAND
THE INFORMER
Five minutes from the station.
Yebisu Garden Place is nearby and
the Westin Tokyo Hotel is right in front.
It's as Ebisu as it can get.
Isn't this
a hot property with developers?
Yeah, I've seen brokers
hovering around here all the time.
The owner's a cranky old man
and stayed for a while
even after being diagnosed with cancer.
But yeah, this is how it ended up.
No immediate family?
No. He inherited this from his parents,
and his wife's been dead a while.
Any other relatives?
If there were,
this place wouldn't look like this!
There's no encumbrance,
so this is an excellent property.
And the size?
478 square meters.
9.8 million yen per tsubo.
Category two residential zone.
If you built a condo here,
all the units will be sold in a heartbeat.
-This is great.
-Yes.
Let's do it.
What price should be listed?
Let's say
about 900 million for now.
I'll put it up.
We spread false information
to real estate brokers
specialized in the Shibuya,
Ebisu, and Daikanyama areas,
telling them this land was for sale.
We received multiple inquiries.
But the most interested among them
was an up-and-coming real estate company
called Mike Homes.
They specialize in development
and sales of studio condominiums
as investment properties.
Uh, you're saying I can have this land?
Maki-san, it's up to you.
-How much?
-900 mill.
-Nine hundred?
-Shhhhh.
Maki-san, if you take your sweet time,
someone is going to snatch it from you.
The building ratio is 60%,
and the floor ratio is 400%.
If we build the condominium
with maximum floor area,
with studio units on the lower floors,
family units on the upper floors,
we'll have 36 units.
Given all the units are leased,
total annual rent earned
will be around 130 million yen.
Even with construction costs,
it'll be profitable in 13 years.
If we acquire this land for 900 million,
it's not just reasonable.
-We're getting a bargain.
-Wow, I know!
Boss, please get in touch
with them immediately.
Okay.
However,
we don't like to sell so easily.
Our legal advisor, Goto-san,
gets in touch with the target as a broker.
He puts the target on edge
by mentioning that other developers
have also taken interest.
What can I say?
It looks like Ebisu's pretty hot.
I can't give you the names,
but we've been receiving inquiries
from big-name companies,
much more famous than you guys,
to be honest.
Won't you give us a chance?
For Mike Homes, we've dreamed
of a development like this one.
I don't mean to be rude,
but your company isn't even listed.
The owner himself
will probably put more trust
in renowned companies everyone knows
from television commercials and media.
That being said, the owner wants
to expedite the sale, so, uh
It's not a case
of being first-come-first-served,
though he really wants to speed the sale.
-One billion yen.
-Excuse me?
-We will pay one billion yen.
-Are you sure?
Major companies take time
to get approval from management.
But I can decide at my own discretion.
100 more million makes one billion.
-How does that sound to you?
-Uh
Mm-hmm.
Well, does next week sound good
to sign the sale and purchase agreement?
Thank you very much!
We'd like a down payment of 100 million.
-Agreed?
-We can do that.
May I make one request as well?
I would like
to meet Shimazaki-sama in person.
No problem. We'll be in touch
about scheduling soon.
Selection of the imposter
for Shimazaki Kenichi
was already in progress by Reiko-san,
the casting recruiter.
Your date of birth?
Having no relatives
is the first requirement.
Reiko-san has a list of dozens of seniors
ready at all times.
Each have reasonable social manners,
but also some sort of stigma,
and are in need of quick cash.
Your date of birth?
February 17th.
My first pick is this one.
He resembles the real Shimazaki
and his performance
in the trial interview was adequate.
He used to be
a high school physics teacher.
After molesting his student, he got
And after that?
He bounced around
teaching at cram schools.
His good memory makes sense.
What's the background
of this man?
Oh, that one.
He'd been a construction worker
when he was younger.
When he got old
What's it called?
The guy waving street batons?
-Traffic control staff.
-That's it.
It's becoming tough on his body
the older he gets.
His plan is to live in the countryside.
And he's 2.7 million in debt
to a finance company.
-What is your current address?
-Um Uh
Look at him. He's completely unusable.
Probably starting to go senile.
Let's go with this one.
You can't be serious.
The most important thing is authenticity,
not a doppelganger.
You know I'm right, Reiko-san.
Even after we decided
on the imposter for the property owner,
we still won't let Mike Homes
meet him yet.
The more time
the imposter spends with the buyer,
the higher the risk
of being exposed as a fake.
So we make up an excuse,
such as poor health
or being in a disagreeable mood that day,
and instead, we reassure the buyer
by inviting them to the property.
Such a bummer. Shimazaki-san
was willing to join us today.
We even sent him tickets
for the Shinkansen bullet train.
But then this morning,
he told me he wasn't coming.
That guy can really
get in a mood, you know?
I understand. It's okay.
Well, but he let me know
we can look around as much as we like.
The original lock
had already been taken off
and replaced with a different one.
We make sure to address
the details authentically.
Oh. I got it.
Okay.
-Go ahead.
-Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Oh, spacious!
The property's surrounded
by single-level homes.
I bet you'll get good sunlight
even on the first floor.
Yes. This property is wonderful.
Um, would you mind
if I checked the inside of the house?
Uh, I don't mind,
but Shimazaki-san didn't want that.
-Why?
-It's a mess inside.
I'm guessing he feels embarrassed
to show it to strangers.
It's gonna be torn down.
I don't see the point
in seeing the inside.
True.
It's so we can inform
the demolition company.
Oh, about that, President Maki
Uh-huh? What is it?
I would like you to let us foot the bill,
if that's all right.
-For both the demolition and operator.
-Really?
Here's the deal.
We're letting this spacious land go
for a price far below the market.
We're not making much profit.
Ah.
-You know what I mean?
-Yes, I do.
We choose this timing
to convince the buyer
to let us add the demolition cost
to the broker's share.
This will help them see why we set
the sale lower than the market price,
which in turn
makes the deal more convincing.
Okay. We'd like to discuss it
with our team first.
Why would you need
to go to so much trouble?
You said the best thing about your company
was that you make decisions
at your own discretion, didn't you?
Shimazaki-san agrees with us.
He wanted to make sure
we handled all the demolition details.
The buyers' worst fear
is to offend or displease the landowner,
so we hint at this being
the opportune time to make the decision.
All right, then. But please, we absolutely
need to meet with Shimazaki-sama.
Of course you will.
I'll definitely make that happen, okay?
It's the job
of the underworld craftsmen, the forgers,
to fabricate the documents
necessary for the deal,
such as official certificates
concerning the property,
a driver's license and health insurance
card for identification.
Their work requires advanced techniques
to create data on microchips,
watermark printed documents, and so on.
The imposter and their documents.
The success of the land fraud hinges
on the authenticity of both of these.
Once we had all the fake documents ready,
we signed a sale and purchase agreement.
The 100 million yen deposit has been made
and we're here for the final settlement.
The payment of the remaining 900 million
and the transfer of the ownership
are to be done together.
We're at the lawyer's office,
who we asked to prepare
a personal identification document
as a substitute for the title deed.
The lawyer is attending the signing
without knowing that this Shimazaki
is a fake.
This is the first time
the Kenichi Shimazaki imposter
and those from Mike Homes
come face to face.
-We can begin.
-Great.
Yes.
Uh, to confirm, the land title deed
has been lost. Is that correct?
Uh
We'll say it again.
We hired this esteemed lawyer here
to prepare the personal identification
information document.
-Weren't you listening at all?
-Uh, yes.
I believe
you have seen for yourselves, but,
since it's quite old, things haven't been
neatly organized inside the house.
I asked Shimazaki-sama
where we might possibly find the deed
and looked around, but
Ah, right.
-I'm so sorry.
-Ah, it's It's quite all right.
All the other documents are okay, right?
Yes. Well, if I may
go over these one last
Hasn't this been enough? Huh?
What year did you register?
Uh, sir?
I'm starting to worry.
You look pretty young. When?
What? You've attended the legal ethics
training only once so far?
I don't know if you're good enough to
handle an important settlement like this.
I'm getting a bit worried here.
Uh, no, that's not
You've got this, right?
Y-Yes
Are you okay, Shimazaki-san?
Yeah.
Shimazaki-san has a check-up scheduled
when he gets back to the nursing home.
-Ah.
-So if you could
-Yeah.
-All right?
Let's continue, Shimazaki-sama.
I would like to confirm your identity.
Now would you please show me
your photo identification and documents?
-Oh. Yes.
-Thank you very much.
Let's see,
the health insurance card and
Yes.
-The driver's license and
-Yes. Thank you.
-The seal isn't necessary.
-Oh.
-Here you are.
-Great.
Thank you very much.
Tokyo, Shibuya City, Ebisu 7
Seventeenth
Okay.
-Please go ahead.
-Okay.
Showa 15, February 17th
Thank you.
Tokyo, Shibuya, Ebisu 7, 38-8.
Date of issue, February 25th, 2015.
Date of expiration, 2018.
Driver's license number,
10-0-6-3-0-1-2-5-6-7-1.
Mm-hmm.
It's good.
I apologize for the wait.
Uh, now, please allow me
to confirm a few things to be safe.
Sure.
Shimazaki Kenichi-sama
is your legal name. Is that correct?
That's me. That's right.
And would you tell me
your date of birth, please?
Huh?
Uh
You can take your time.
I-It's Showa 15, February 17th.
Yes.
Your zodiac sign, please.
What?
Ah. Your zodiac sign, please.
Oh, zodiac, okay.
Zodiac, oh, uh
Shimazaki-san, the 12 animals.
What's yours?
Rat, ox, tiger
I'm a dragon.
-Yes.
-Yes.
I was born in the year of the dragon,
and I'm 77 years old.
Yes. Thank you very much.
Okay, then
Allow me.
Please take a look at these.
Which one of these
is your house, Shimazaki-sama?
It's a bit
-Perhaps it's a bit hard to see. If I may?
-Of course.
-Here, Shimazaki-san. Which one is yours?
-Uh
Uh
Shimazaki-san, which one is yours?
Your property.
Uh
Oh, this one
is not the one.
It's this one.
This one is my house.
We're good here?
-Yes.
-Thank you very much.
If I may ask one last question please?
Shimazaki-sama,
which supermarket in your neighborhood
do you prefer to go shopping at?
What? Uh
A store. A supermarket.
You do go shopping, is that right?
Yeah. I do.
I'm assuming you go shopping
for deli foods and daily necessities.
You say a supermarket,
but there are more than one.
-He can answer as many as he likes.
-Supermarket
Shimazaki-sama.
Supermarket.Supermarket.
Why does it matter which one he goes to?
What more verification do you need?
We have the lawyer here
who gave us a certificate
proving that this is Shimazaki-san,
while you just met him this afternoon.
You're just a newbie judicial scrivener.
How can you question
the official identity verification
submitted by a lawyer and notary?
Am I correct?
-Yes, that's, um, correct.
-Hey!
Do you even have
a sense of professional ethics?
It's my job to ensure that it's safe
to proceed with this transaction.
I, too, take pride in what I am doing.
President Maki, please let me continue.
President Maki, aren't we done here?
We're not.
Please answer him.
It's not that I'm having any doubts.
To myself, and my company,
this deal determines our future
and it's a huge decision to make for us.
Shimazaki-sama, please help us
confirm your identity without a doubt.
That you are the real Shimazaki-sama.
I beg of you.
Uh
What's wrong, Shimazaki-san?
Oh, it's okay, don't worry.
I know you've been very nervous
all day today.
-Sorry, may we use the restroom?
-Oh, yes, of course.
Okay. Take your time.
-I'm sorry.
-What are we gonna do?
Yes, this way.
What's wrong?
Uh, my name is
Shimazaki Kenichi.
Showa 15,
or the year 1940,
February 17th's my birthday.
Seventy-seven years old.
Year of the dragon.
Supermarket
If you walk from my house to the station,
Peacock store is on the way.
But I like to go across
the Gaien Nishi-dori street
to the Life supermarket instead.
Life supermarket is much cheaper.
I appreciate that.
Thank you so much.
Are we done here?
We're we're almost done here.
Shimazaki-sama, do you agree
to sell the house you own to Mike Homes?
-Yes.
-Thank you very much.
Then may I have your signature
and seal on these documents here?
Can't you wait until he returns?
He's been embarrassed enough.
-Let's go.
-Uh-huh.
We are sorry.
Apologies.
-Please affix your seal here.
-Oh, okay.
Well, all the papers needed
for the registration application are set.
Please continue with the final payment.
Yes. We can proceed. No issues.
Yes. Please transfer the final amount.
Shimazaki-sama.
Okay, thank you.
We are truly grateful to you.
Oh.
Please don't worry.
We'll make sure the land you let us
purchase will be used for great things.
All right.
Yamashita-sama, Inoue-sama,
I truly appreciate your help.
-Thank you so much.
-Thank you very much.
-Thank you very much.
-It's too soon.
We can't relax
until we confirm the payment transfer.
The transfer should be done soon
and we should hear
from our staff member at the bank.
-Please give us some more time.
-Come on.
I need to go to Osaka right after this.
I'll have to get a quick bite at
that awful Tokyo soba noodle stall again.
So bad!
We have amazing soba restaurants
in Tokyo. We can go together sometime.
ALL DONE HERE.
PLEASE CHECK THE ACCOUNT.
ACCOUNT BALANCE
900,620,000 YEN
Man, you remember that moment
when he asked us about the supermarket?
I was practically dripping in cold sweat.
ONE WEEK LATER
Reiko-chan. It's your job
to train them better than that.
Oh? Cramming personal info
into their brains is hard enough.
The judicial scrivener
was excellent.
He's a promising one.
I'm gonna headhunt him someday.
How did you do it anyway?
The old man didn't know
where the supermarkets were, right?
It was this.
What is it?
Hmm?
-Oh, it's a wireless earbud, yeah?
-Yeah.
Harrison came up with it
just before we left.
Take this with you.
What is that for?
If they ask you a question
you cannot answer,
please put it into Sasaki-san's ear.
Our target may be just some small fry,
but small fries have their ways,
making unexpected last-ditch efforts
when they're about to be killed.
I'll keep that in mind.
-But how should I
-Just improvise.
Shimazaki-sama, please help us
confirm your identity without a doubt.
That you are the real Shimazaki-sama.
I beg of you.
What's wrong, Shimazaki-san?
Oh, it's okay, don't worry.
I know you've been very nervous
all day today.
-Sorry, may we use the restroom?
-Oh, yes, of course.
Take your time.
-I'm sorry.
-What are we gonna do?
Here.
-Huh?
-Yes.
-Ah.
-This way.
Sasaki-san,
please repeat the exact words
I'm going to tell you now.
This way.
What's wrong?
My name is Shimazaki Kenichi.
Uh, my name is Shimazaki Kenichi.
-Showa 15.
-Showa 15.
Or the year 1940.
Or the year 1940.
February 17th is my birthday.
-February 17th's my birthday.
-Seventy-seven years old.
Seventy-seven years old.
Year of the dragon.
Supermarket
If you walk from my house to the station,
Peacock store is on the way.
Supermarket
If you walk from my house to the station,
Peacock store is on the way.
But I like to go
across the Gaien Nishi-dori street
to the Life supermarket instead.
But I like to go
across the Gaien Nishi-dori street
to the Life supermarket instead.
Life supermarket is much cheaper.
Life supermarket is much cheaper.
You can't beat
this master-apprentice combo.
Great improv.
Hmm. Goto-san, before I forget.
Thank you.
Hmm? What, cash again?
I only trust in one thing,
and that's cash.
As always, I'll launder the money overseas
before transferring it
to all of your accounts,
so please give me some more time.
The same 150 million for Takumi-san.
Eighty million for Reiko-san,
and 200 million for Takeshita-san.
And 420 million for you, huh? Right?
We did agree on how
to split the money at the beginning.
These are expenses.
I want them reimbursed in cash.
Where is Sasaki-san now?
I think Nagasaki?
He said that he was moving there.
How can he live out the rest of his life
with only three million yen?
Right? He said his old acquaintance
was growing mikan or Dekopon or whatever,
so he was going there to help them.
By the way
Hold on. That president.
He's in a tabloid!
What a scumbag.
He closed a huge deal
without knowing it was a scam.
He must've been pretty high.
-It'll be happening soon.
-What is?
The dismissal.
I'm guessing they hear from the Legal
Affairs Bureau by the end of this week.
I would love to see that smile disappear
when he finds that out.
Yes, thank you.
That was great.
Well?
What's coming up next?
Our next plan
depends on Takeshita-san.
What do you have?
I knew we were gonna talk about it,
so I picked a few locations.
You're quick to get on with the job.
What's with that?
You get into the premium meth?
The evaluations are my own,
and they're graded with an A, B, or C.
My top pick is the fourth one,
a batting center in Kamata.
It closed two years ago.
The owner is an old man
who moved to Manila
after falling in love with a woman
at a Philippine pub.
Oh, I know this place. I went there
with my sons. It's pretty large.
Three times the size
of the Ebisu property we just did.
The appraisal value
is around 2.2 or 2.3 billion.
The other ones are a billion, but I think
it's better to leave them for a while.
Let's up-level to a bigger job next.
What?
How big a job?
You could say
a job so big
we'll leave dead bodies in our wake.
It's becoming monotonous.
We can't keep doing
these trivial jobs anyone can do.
We should go large, rather than small.
A difficult job rather than an easy job.
Conquering the impossible target
that sends fear down the spine
for even thinking of taking it on.
Nothing can take that place.
It's far more pleasurable
than mere sex or drugs.
The thrill that brings us
to the brink of ecstasy.
You're all in this business
to experience that pleasure, aren't you?
I've been doing this work
for so many years,
and I think this current team
has the top tier members.
I also believe that, with you all,
I'll be able to climb
to the top of a high mountain
no one has ever dared to reach before.
I'll risk my life.
I know a place.
It could even leave dead bodies.
Whoa! What a view.
This is Takanawadai, isn't it?
Shinagawa, Takanawa, Tamachi, and Mita.
We're in the middle of the last
large-scale development area in Tokyo.
-Over there. Can you see that dark patch?
-That's the property?
That huge thing there?
Wait, it looks like a temple or something.
Yeah. It's called Kouan-ji Temple.
What? Out of the question.
If it was in the country, abandoned.
It's operating, and a religious
corporation. They'll never sell that.
Relax. Just hear me out, will ya?
The temple's only a part of the plot.
Behind it, there's a parking lot
and a weird, unused building.
That area is registered
as a separate property from the temple.
So the property is sellable,
but not the temple?
You got it.
Who owns it?
Some little nun, temple daughter.
I'm still checking out her background.
It seems like her ex-husband
disappeared a few years ago.
With the parking lot
and building combined,
is it about 3,000 square meters?
3,200.
-What is the market price?
-Nine billion.
Wait. It might even be ten billion.
Ten billion?
No way in hell.
No one will buy that.
Ten billion yen? That's insane.
And that little nun,
I heard she's been refusing to sell it
no matter what.
That makes it even more impossible.
Yet there might be something
we can take advantage of.
Takeshita-san,
please dig a little deeper.
In order to start, I need upfront pay.
Ten million will be good for now.
-Consider it done. You can begin.
-Seriously? This is our next move?
I don't think
we will need an imposter anytime soon,
but you can start
the preparations for one.
Goto-san,
start the preparations
for the property sale release.
I'll do that. Will anyone bite?
Maybe if it's a government-led project,
but who can pay ten billion
for commercial land?
If we set up a trap, there will always
be prey that falls into it.
FOR PERSONAL REASONS,
THE NOTIFIER TERMINATED THE NEGOTIATION
Fuck!
We think the man in this photo is
Harrison, caught by a security cam. Hmm.
Who's this?
Accomplice?
Don't know.
I think I'm almost there.
No, I can't tell
because it's too dark, idiot!
Dinner? I haven't had it yet.
Oh yeah, I'd love a hot bath too.
Yes?
Understood. Thanks for the call.
Takumi-san.
Keep your guard up
around the rest of our members.
I personally trained you from the start.
Took you under my wing
to become a land swindler.
I trust only you.
Good night.
IN WATER TOO CLEAR LIVES NO FISH;
BUT IN DIRTY SOIL GROW ABUNDANT CROPS.
HONG ZICHENG, "CAIGENTAN"
I've been on that horse
for three damn days
and ain't seen shit!
Do your job and find a fucking moose!
Well, sir, searching and waiting
is part of the hunting experience.
What'd you say?
You signed a contract,
and in in it, it stated
Either you fucking
I either shoot a fucking moose,
or I shoot your ass!
Relax! I'm gonna call the office, okay?
Look, I'm calling!
Jesus!
What are you, Chinese?
Japanese.
Japanese, Chinese.
Why are you here? Can't you hunt in Japan?
We can, but no horseback hunting.
No large areas like here.
Japan is small.
Shitty people being pushed against
each other in a tiny, shitty space.
Hmm.
What do you do for a living?
Land swindler.
Land land swindler?
What the hell is that?
Shit!
Please help! Help, help!
Bear!
Oh, fuck Oh, fuck!
You better run!
Without a shadow of doubt,
that bear believed
that it was going to devour me.
But then in an instant,
it was mangled, pathetic, and dead.
Perhaps I
cannot forget the ecstasy
I experienced in that moment.
Takumi-san.
Why don't you and I team up together?
You can become a land swindler.
That con man who ruined your life.
He was a land swindler.
Maybe it's about time.
You can push someone else deep into hell.
Land swindlers
are members of real estate fraud groups
who pose as property owners
trying to sell their land.
These fraud groups
steal large sums of money
using deceit and forged documents.
Land fraud commonly occurred
all over Japan during the post-war period,
when society was still in chaos
and government offices were in disorder.
During the economic bubble
from the late 1980s to the early 1990s,
real estate prices surged
and many land frauds occurred,
mainly in urban areas.
As the documents necessary for real estate
trading became more and more digitized,
it became increasingly difficult
to assume someone else's identity.
This difficulty caused
land fraud to subside.
In the mid-2010s,
Tokyo was officially selected
as the host city for the Olympic Games,
which led to a rise in land prices.
Land fraud began to surge again,
mainly targeting areas
that were difficult to detect
due to a lack of proper management
or absence of owners.
Land fraud groups contain a leader,
a negotiator,
an informer,
a legal advisor,
a document forger,
and imposter recruiter.
Each group member must possess precise
and highly-advanced criminal techniques.
In Atago Station's
jurisdiction,
a caller reported a strange smell
at an apartment building in Shimbashi.
The Second Investigation Division
is already investigating the building
for suspected use
in a real estate fraud case.
Shimomura and Okubo from that division
are currently on route to the scene.
At this time, the whereabouts
of the building's owner are unknown.
Given this information,
the link between the recent call
and the missing owner
should also be investigated.
I repeat
I'm Okubo from the
Second Investigation Division.
Yes, hello, sir. This way.
Tatsu-san.
I'll let headquarters know.
Skeletal remains
of the female owner
were found in her apartment building
in Shimbashi, Minato City, Tokyo.
New information indicates that this may be
connected to real estate fraud
concerning the land.
Beginning years ago,
groups of real estate frauds
known as "land swindlers" have been
in which they have swindled two billion
yen from a real estate company.
This group of land swindlers hired a woman
to take on the role
posing as the deceased owner.
The imposter was brought to
the negotiation table by the group and
The land swindler group
consists of multiple members,
and the police have been unable to track
the whereabouts of these criminals
at this time.
What's your zodiac?
Um, my zodiac's the dragon.
-Was that right?
-Why ask her?
You should know your own sign.
This is something you should know by now.
I I'm sorry.
-Sasaki-san.
-Yes?
Wrong.
-What?
-Your name is Shimazaki Kenichi-san.
There's no one here by the name
of Sasaki-san. Did you forget?
Oh, right.
-Shimazaki-san.
-Yes?
It's going to be fine.
Just relax, okay?
Okay.
Just do exactly
as you practiced with Reiko-san.
Okay.
Goto-san, please go over it again
from the top.
-What is your name?
-I'm Shimazaki Kenichi. Yes.
Your date of birth.
Um, Showa 15, February 17th.
The Western calendar.
Um, 1940, February 17th.
Uh, my zodiac sign is dragon.
-My birthplace is Shibuya City, Tokyo.
-No, no, no!
Don't run your mouth
about things nobody asked you about.
Answer the questions.
Oh, sorry.
It's okay to just give them
a short answer.
There might be a chance
they ask you something
you haven't been able to memorize.
Just be vague and answer around it.
We'll be there to help you.
It's going to be fine, Sasaki-san.
All right.
Uh Uh Can I use the bathroom?
Again?
You were just there.
-It's okay, go ahead.
-Thank you.
Uh, sorry.
That moron's
gonna ruin everything.
You couldn't find
somebody better than that?
I had the perfect candidate
who looked just like the owner.
But Harrison picked him.
Why'd he do that, huh?
He'll be able to pull it off, all right?
There won't be bullies like you
in the meeting room.
-Wanna use this, Takumi-kun?
-I'm already done with that, thanks.
Isn't it about time you guys headed out?
Yeah, you're right.
Well, let's go.
-We're leaving for the final settlement.
-How are the documents?
I think they're fine.
May I take a look at them?
Sure.
The seal certificate.
Property registration record.
Fixed asset valuation certificate.
The fixed asset tax statement.
Residence certif
-Is that fingerprint film?
-Oh.
It's unnatural to leave no fingerprints
on the papers.
This film is also popular
with foreign intelligence agencies.
The driver's license.
Health insurance.
The registered seal and property key.
I didn't make a passport
or a My Number Card.
It's more natural
for a man his age not to have them.
The driver's license
also has microchips embedded.
-This all looks great.
-I appreciate that.
We'll be heading out, then.
Takumi-san.
Yes?
Take this with you.
What is that for?
You're ready. Sorry to keep you waiting.
So, where's Sasaki-san?
-He had to take another leak.
-Ah.
Why did he have to pick
such a spaced-out old man?
I still don't get Harrison.
How many years
have you been working with him again?
-For about four or five years.
-Really? That's not that long.
I thought you two went back
way longer than that.
Especially since he trusts you so much.
You think so?
Did you hear about this yet?
Did you know the old hag imposter
from this job is also missing?
No, I didn't.
Yeah. I wonder who did it.
Well, sometimes it's better not to know.
Oh, he's here.
Ah, I'm so sorry!
CASE OF SHIMBASHI LANDOWNER'S REMAINS
POLICE CONCLUDE AS NOT CRIMINAL
Harrison Yamanaka?
Yeah.
He's a well-known land swindler
in the real estate industry.
But "Harrison"? He's Japanese, right?
Well, he goes by multiple aliases,
but known as Harrison Yamanaka
amongst collaborators.
May I?
"A former gang member."
"In the late 1980s,
during the economic bubble,
he earned the reputation as a land shark."
"He later led a group of land swindlers
and operated large-scale land frauds
one after another."
"After the bubble burst, he was arrested
as the alleged ringleader of fraud
involving a multi-tenant building
in Tokyo."
"Sentenced to five years in prison."
He kept a low profile for a while
after he was released, until
Until the, uh
The dot-com bubble.
He started being active again around then.
Huh? What about this 2007 case that says,
"Not indicted due to lack of evidence"?
Oh.
A plot of land in Akasaka-mitsuke.
It was vacant for about 20 years.
The Napa Hotel
bought it from a broker
for 1.2 billion yen.
So, it was a land fraud?
The old man who was the imposter,
the recruiter who cast the imposter,
the broker, and the judicial scrivener.
We arrested the members of the group,
and through that we were finally able to
reach Harrison who masterminded the fraud.
I've seen many con artists
and intellectual criminals before,
but he was unlike any of them.
Excuse me.
The prosecutor isn't going
to indict Harrison
due to a lack of objective evidence.
We were so close
to locking him up, but
What? So none of them
were indicted, except for the imposter?
Yeah. The old man had dementia.
His statement recounting the incident
didn't match at all.
Where's the 1.2 billion yen?
Who knows?
Napa decided to keep the incident private
to maintain their public image.
The money disappeared.
So much money just gone.
Wait.
So, Tatsu-san, you think Harrison
was part of this Shimbashi case as well?
There's no evidence.
Just a hunch.
But how can a company like this
fall for a real estate scam
with a seemingly simple imposter trick?
Beats me. That must be the real rush,
don't you think,
for these land-swindling bastards?
I'm Inoue and I'm in charge
of Shimazaki-sama's property management.
-Hello, I'm Maki from Mike Homes.
-Pleased to meet you in person.
I'm Ishiguro, judicial scrivener.
Pleased to meet you.
-I'm Yamashita.
-Thank you very much.
Now that we have both the seller
and the buyer present here together,
I would like to start the procedures.
Thank you for taking the time today
during your busy schedule.
Since our time today is limited,
why don't we all jump right in
and let's begin?
"This property refers to the building land
located on 36-8 Ebisu 7-chome,
Shibuya City, Tokyo."
"The owner of this property,
Shimazaki Kenichi,
hereinafter referred to as 'Owner,'
and the buyer"
The property to be sold
in this deal is a 54-year-old house
only a five-minute walk
from Ebisu Station.
The owner, Shimazaki Kenichi, has lived
in this house by himself for many years.
He had been hospitalized on and off
due to cancer,
and admitted to a hospice
in Atami last year.
That's when we were briefed
on this property by Takeshita-san,
the informer who gathers
primary information about the land.
Here it is.
1. CHOOSING LAND
THE INFORMER
Five minutes from the station.
Yebisu Garden Place is nearby and
the Westin Tokyo Hotel is right in front.
It's as Ebisu as it can get.
Isn't this
a hot property with developers?
Yeah, I've seen brokers
hovering around here all the time.
The owner's a cranky old man
and stayed for a while
even after being diagnosed with cancer.
But yeah, this is how it ended up.
No immediate family?
No. He inherited this from his parents,
and his wife's been dead a while.
Any other relatives?
If there were,
this place wouldn't look like this!
There's no encumbrance,
so this is an excellent property.
And the size?
478 square meters.
9.8 million yen per tsubo.
Category two residential zone.
If you built a condo here,
all the units will be sold in a heartbeat.
-This is great.
-Yes.
Let's do it.
What price should be listed?
Let's say
about 900 million for now.
I'll put it up.
We spread false information
to real estate brokers
specialized in the Shibuya,
Ebisu, and Daikanyama areas,
telling them this land was for sale.
We received multiple inquiries.
But the most interested among them
was an up-and-coming real estate company
called Mike Homes.
They specialize in development
and sales of studio condominiums
as investment properties.
Uh, you're saying I can have this land?
Maki-san, it's up to you.
-How much?
-900 mill.
-Nine hundred?
-Shhhhh.
Maki-san, if you take your sweet time,
someone is going to snatch it from you.
The building ratio is 60%,
and the floor ratio is 400%.
If we build the condominium
with maximum floor area,
with studio units on the lower floors,
family units on the upper floors,
we'll have 36 units.
Given all the units are leased,
total annual rent earned
will be around 130 million yen.
Even with construction costs,
it'll be profitable in 13 years.
If we acquire this land for 900 million,
it's not just reasonable.
-We're getting a bargain.
-Wow, I know!
Boss, please get in touch
with them immediately.
Okay.
However,
we don't like to sell so easily.
Our legal advisor, Goto-san,
gets in touch with the target as a broker.
He puts the target on edge
by mentioning that other developers
have also taken interest.
What can I say?
It looks like Ebisu's pretty hot.
I can't give you the names,
but we've been receiving inquiries
from big-name companies,
much more famous than you guys,
to be honest.
Won't you give us a chance?
For Mike Homes, we've dreamed
of a development like this one.
I don't mean to be rude,
but your company isn't even listed.
The owner himself
will probably put more trust
in renowned companies everyone knows
from television commercials and media.
That being said, the owner wants
to expedite the sale, so, uh
It's not a case
of being first-come-first-served,
though he really wants to speed the sale.
-One billion yen.
-Excuse me?
-We will pay one billion yen.
-Are you sure?
Major companies take time
to get approval from management.
But I can decide at my own discretion.
100 more million makes one billion.
-How does that sound to you?
-Uh
Mm-hmm.
Well, does next week sound good
to sign the sale and purchase agreement?
Thank you very much!
We'd like a down payment of 100 million.
-Agreed?
-We can do that.
May I make one request as well?
I would like
to meet Shimazaki-sama in person.
No problem. We'll be in touch
about scheduling soon.
Selection of the imposter
for Shimazaki Kenichi
was already in progress by Reiko-san,
the casting recruiter.
Your date of birth?
Having no relatives
is the first requirement.
Reiko-san has a list of dozens of seniors
ready at all times.
Each have reasonable social manners,
but also some sort of stigma,
and are in need of quick cash.
Your date of birth?
February 17th.
My first pick is this one.
He resembles the real Shimazaki
and his performance
in the trial interview was adequate.
He used to be
a high school physics teacher.
After molesting his student, he got
And after that?
He bounced around
teaching at cram schools.
His good memory makes sense.
What's the background
of this man?
Oh, that one.
He'd been a construction worker
when he was younger.
When he got old
What's it called?
The guy waving street batons?
-Traffic control staff.
-That's it.
It's becoming tough on his body
the older he gets.
His plan is to live in the countryside.
And he's 2.7 million in debt
to a finance company.
-What is your current address?
-Um Uh
Look at him. He's completely unusable.
Probably starting to go senile.
Let's go with this one.
You can't be serious.
The most important thing is authenticity,
not a doppelganger.
You know I'm right, Reiko-san.
Even after we decided
on the imposter for the property owner,
we still won't let Mike Homes
meet him yet.
The more time
the imposter spends with the buyer,
the higher the risk
of being exposed as a fake.
So we make up an excuse,
such as poor health
or being in a disagreeable mood that day,
and instead, we reassure the buyer
by inviting them to the property.
Such a bummer. Shimazaki-san
was willing to join us today.
We even sent him tickets
for the Shinkansen bullet train.
But then this morning,
he told me he wasn't coming.
That guy can really
get in a mood, you know?
I understand. It's okay.
Well, but he let me know
we can look around as much as we like.
The original lock
had already been taken off
and replaced with a different one.
We make sure to address
the details authentically.
Oh. I got it.
Okay.
-Go ahead.
-Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Oh, spacious!
The property's surrounded
by single-level homes.
I bet you'll get good sunlight
even on the first floor.
Yes. This property is wonderful.
Um, would you mind
if I checked the inside of the house?
Uh, I don't mind,
but Shimazaki-san didn't want that.
-Why?
-It's a mess inside.
I'm guessing he feels embarrassed
to show it to strangers.
It's gonna be torn down.
I don't see the point
in seeing the inside.
True.
It's so we can inform
the demolition company.
Oh, about that, President Maki
Uh-huh? What is it?
I would like you to let us foot the bill,
if that's all right.
-For both the demolition and operator.
-Really?
Here's the deal.
We're letting this spacious land go
for a price far below the market.
We're not making much profit.
Ah.
-You know what I mean?
-Yes, I do.
We choose this timing
to convince the buyer
to let us add the demolition cost
to the broker's share.
This will help them see why we set
the sale lower than the market price,
which in turn
makes the deal more convincing.
Okay. We'd like to discuss it
with our team first.
Why would you need
to go to so much trouble?
You said the best thing about your company
was that you make decisions
at your own discretion, didn't you?
Shimazaki-san agrees with us.
He wanted to make sure
we handled all the demolition details.
The buyers' worst fear
is to offend or displease the landowner,
so we hint at this being
the opportune time to make the decision.
All right, then. But please, we absolutely
need to meet with Shimazaki-sama.
Of course you will.
I'll definitely make that happen, okay?
It's the job
of the underworld craftsmen, the forgers,
to fabricate the documents
necessary for the deal,
such as official certificates
concerning the property,
a driver's license and health insurance
card for identification.
Their work requires advanced techniques
to create data on microchips,
watermark printed documents, and so on.
The imposter and their documents.
The success of the land fraud hinges
on the authenticity of both of these.
Once we had all the fake documents ready,
we signed a sale and purchase agreement.
The 100 million yen deposit has been made
and we're here for the final settlement.
The payment of the remaining 900 million
and the transfer of the ownership
are to be done together.
We're at the lawyer's office,
who we asked to prepare
a personal identification document
as a substitute for the title deed.
The lawyer is attending the signing
without knowing that this Shimazaki
is a fake.
This is the first time
the Kenichi Shimazaki imposter
and those from Mike Homes
come face to face.
-We can begin.
-Great.
Yes.
Uh, to confirm, the land title deed
has been lost. Is that correct?
Uh
We'll say it again.
We hired this esteemed lawyer here
to prepare the personal identification
information document.
-Weren't you listening at all?
-Uh, yes.
I believe
you have seen for yourselves, but,
since it's quite old, things haven't been
neatly organized inside the house.
I asked Shimazaki-sama
where we might possibly find the deed
and looked around, but
Ah, right.
-I'm so sorry.
-Ah, it's It's quite all right.
All the other documents are okay, right?
Yes. Well, if I may
go over these one last
Hasn't this been enough? Huh?
What year did you register?
Uh, sir?
I'm starting to worry.
You look pretty young. When?
What? You've attended the legal ethics
training only once so far?
I don't know if you're good enough to
handle an important settlement like this.
I'm getting a bit worried here.
Uh, no, that's not
You've got this, right?
Y-Yes
Are you okay, Shimazaki-san?
Yeah.
Shimazaki-san has a check-up scheduled
when he gets back to the nursing home.
-Ah.
-So if you could
-Yeah.
-All right?
Let's continue, Shimazaki-sama.
I would like to confirm your identity.
Now would you please show me
your photo identification and documents?
-Oh. Yes.
-Thank you very much.
Let's see,
the health insurance card and
Yes.
-The driver's license and
-Yes. Thank you.
-The seal isn't necessary.
-Oh.
-Here you are.
-Great.
Thank you very much.
Tokyo, Shibuya City, Ebisu 7
Seventeenth
Okay.
-Please go ahead.
-Okay.
Showa 15, February 17th
Thank you.
Tokyo, Shibuya, Ebisu 7, 38-8.
Date of issue, February 25th, 2015.
Date of expiration, 2018.
Driver's license number,
10-0-6-3-0-1-2-5-6-7-1.
Mm-hmm.
It's good.
I apologize for the wait.
Uh, now, please allow me
to confirm a few things to be safe.
Sure.
Shimazaki Kenichi-sama
is your legal name. Is that correct?
That's me. That's right.
And would you tell me
your date of birth, please?
Huh?
Uh
You can take your time.
I-It's Showa 15, February 17th.
Yes.
Your zodiac sign, please.
What?
Ah. Your zodiac sign, please.
Oh, zodiac, okay.
Zodiac, oh, uh
Shimazaki-san, the 12 animals.
What's yours?
Rat, ox, tiger
I'm a dragon.
-Yes.
-Yes.
I was born in the year of the dragon,
and I'm 77 years old.
Yes. Thank you very much.
Okay, then
Allow me.
Please take a look at these.
Which one of these
is your house, Shimazaki-sama?
It's a bit
-Perhaps it's a bit hard to see. If I may?
-Of course.
-Here, Shimazaki-san. Which one is yours?
-Uh
Uh
Shimazaki-san, which one is yours?
Your property.
Uh
Oh, this one
is not the one.
It's this one.
This one is my house.
We're good here?
-Yes.
-Thank you very much.
If I may ask one last question please?
Shimazaki-sama,
which supermarket in your neighborhood
do you prefer to go shopping at?
What? Uh
A store. A supermarket.
You do go shopping, is that right?
Yeah. I do.
I'm assuming you go shopping
for deli foods and daily necessities.
You say a supermarket,
but there are more than one.
-He can answer as many as he likes.
-Supermarket
Shimazaki-sama.
Supermarket.Supermarket.
Why does it matter which one he goes to?
What more verification do you need?
We have the lawyer here
who gave us a certificate
proving that this is Shimazaki-san,
while you just met him this afternoon.
You're just a newbie judicial scrivener.
How can you question
the official identity verification
submitted by a lawyer and notary?
Am I correct?
-Yes, that's, um, correct.
-Hey!
Do you even have
a sense of professional ethics?
It's my job to ensure that it's safe
to proceed with this transaction.
I, too, take pride in what I am doing.
President Maki, please let me continue.
President Maki, aren't we done here?
We're not.
Please answer him.
It's not that I'm having any doubts.
To myself, and my company,
this deal determines our future
and it's a huge decision to make for us.
Shimazaki-sama, please help us
confirm your identity without a doubt.
That you are the real Shimazaki-sama.
I beg of you.
Uh
What's wrong, Shimazaki-san?
Oh, it's okay, don't worry.
I know you've been very nervous
all day today.
-Sorry, may we use the restroom?
-Oh, yes, of course.
Okay. Take your time.
-I'm sorry.
-What are we gonna do?
Yes, this way.
What's wrong?
Uh, my name is
Shimazaki Kenichi.
Showa 15,
or the year 1940,
February 17th's my birthday.
Seventy-seven years old.
Year of the dragon.
Supermarket
If you walk from my house to the station,
Peacock store is on the way.
But I like to go across
the Gaien Nishi-dori street
to the Life supermarket instead.
Life supermarket is much cheaper.
I appreciate that.
Thank you so much.
Are we done here?
We're we're almost done here.
Shimazaki-sama, do you agree
to sell the house you own to Mike Homes?
-Yes.
-Thank you very much.
Then may I have your signature
and seal on these documents here?
Can't you wait until he returns?
He's been embarrassed enough.
-Let's go.
-Uh-huh.
We are sorry.
Apologies.
-Please affix your seal here.
-Oh, okay.
Well, all the papers needed
for the registration application are set.
Please continue with the final payment.
Yes. We can proceed. No issues.
Yes. Please transfer the final amount.
Shimazaki-sama.
Okay, thank you.
We are truly grateful to you.
Oh.
Please don't worry.
We'll make sure the land you let us
purchase will be used for great things.
All right.
Yamashita-sama, Inoue-sama,
I truly appreciate your help.
-Thank you so much.
-Thank you very much.
-Thank you very much.
-It's too soon.
We can't relax
until we confirm the payment transfer.
The transfer should be done soon
and we should hear
from our staff member at the bank.
-Please give us some more time.
-Come on.
I need to go to Osaka right after this.
I'll have to get a quick bite at
that awful Tokyo soba noodle stall again.
So bad!
We have amazing soba restaurants
in Tokyo. We can go together sometime.
ALL DONE HERE.
PLEASE CHECK THE ACCOUNT.
ACCOUNT BALANCE
900,620,000 YEN
Man, you remember that moment
when he asked us about the supermarket?
I was practically dripping in cold sweat.
ONE WEEK LATER
Reiko-chan. It's your job
to train them better than that.
Oh? Cramming personal info
into their brains is hard enough.
The judicial scrivener
was excellent.
He's a promising one.
I'm gonna headhunt him someday.
How did you do it anyway?
The old man didn't know
where the supermarkets were, right?
It was this.
What is it?
Hmm?
-Oh, it's a wireless earbud, yeah?
-Yeah.
Harrison came up with it
just before we left.
Take this with you.
What is that for?
If they ask you a question
you cannot answer,
please put it into Sasaki-san's ear.
Our target may be just some small fry,
but small fries have their ways,
making unexpected last-ditch efforts
when they're about to be killed.
I'll keep that in mind.
-But how should I
-Just improvise.
Shimazaki-sama, please help us
confirm your identity without a doubt.
That you are the real Shimazaki-sama.
I beg of you.
What's wrong, Shimazaki-san?
Oh, it's okay, don't worry.
I know you've been very nervous
all day today.
-Sorry, may we use the restroom?
-Oh, yes, of course.
Take your time.
-I'm sorry.
-What are we gonna do?
Here.
-Huh?
-Yes.
-Ah.
-This way.
Sasaki-san,
please repeat the exact words
I'm going to tell you now.
This way.
What's wrong?
My name is Shimazaki Kenichi.
Uh, my name is Shimazaki Kenichi.
-Showa 15.
-Showa 15.
Or the year 1940.
Or the year 1940.
February 17th is my birthday.
-February 17th's my birthday.
-Seventy-seven years old.
Seventy-seven years old.
Year of the dragon.
Supermarket
If you walk from my house to the station,
Peacock store is on the way.
Supermarket
If you walk from my house to the station,
Peacock store is on the way.
But I like to go
across the Gaien Nishi-dori street
to the Life supermarket instead.
But I like to go
across the Gaien Nishi-dori street
to the Life supermarket instead.
Life supermarket is much cheaper.
Life supermarket is much cheaper.
You can't beat
this master-apprentice combo.
Great improv.
Hmm. Goto-san, before I forget.
Thank you.
Hmm? What, cash again?
I only trust in one thing,
and that's cash.
As always, I'll launder the money overseas
before transferring it
to all of your accounts,
so please give me some more time.
The same 150 million for Takumi-san.
Eighty million for Reiko-san,
and 200 million for Takeshita-san.
And 420 million for you, huh? Right?
We did agree on how
to split the money at the beginning.
These are expenses.
I want them reimbursed in cash.
Where is Sasaki-san now?
I think Nagasaki?
He said that he was moving there.
How can he live out the rest of his life
with only three million yen?
Right? He said his old acquaintance
was growing mikan or Dekopon or whatever,
so he was going there to help them.
By the way
Hold on. That president.
He's in a tabloid!
What a scumbag.
He closed a huge deal
without knowing it was a scam.
He must've been pretty high.
-It'll be happening soon.
-What is?
The dismissal.
I'm guessing they hear from the Legal
Affairs Bureau by the end of this week.
I would love to see that smile disappear
when he finds that out.
Yes, thank you.
That was great.
Well?
What's coming up next?
Our next plan
depends on Takeshita-san.
What do you have?
I knew we were gonna talk about it,
so I picked a few locations.
You're quick to get on with the job.
What's with that?
You get into the premium meth?
The evaluations are my own,
and they're graded with an A, B, or C.
My top pick is the fourth one,
a batting center in Kamata.
It closed two years ago.
The owner is an old man
who moved to Manila
after falling in love with a woman
at a Philippine pub.
Oh, I know this place. I went there
with my sons. It's pretty large.
Three times the size
of the Ebisu property we just did.
The appraisal value
is around 2.2 or 2.3 billion.
The other ones are a billion, but I think
it's better to leave them for a while.
Let's up-level to a bigger job next.
What?
How big a job?
You could say
a job so big
we'll leave dead bodies in our wake.
It's becoming monotonous.
We can't keep doing
these trivial jobs anyone can do.
We should go large, rather than small.
A difficult job rather than an easy job.
Conquering the impossible target
that sends fear down the spine
for even thinking of taking it on.
Nothing can take that place.
It's far more pleasurable
than mere sex or drugs.
The thrill that brings us
to the brink of ecstasy.
You're all in this business
to experience that pleasure, aren't you?
I've been doing this work
for so many years,
and I think this current team
has the top tier members.
I also believe that, with you all,
I'll be able to climb
to the top of a high mountain
no one has ever dared to reach before.
I'll risk my life.
I know a place.
It could even leave dead bodies.
Whoa! What a view.
This is Takanawadai, isn't it?
Shinagawa, Takanawa, Tamachi, and Mita.
We're in the middle of the last
large-scale development area in Tokyo.
-Over there. Can you see that dark patch?
-That's the property?
That huge thing there?
Wait, it looks like a temple or something.
Yeah. It's called Kouan-ji Temple.
What? Out of the question.
If it was in the country, abandoned.
It's operating, and a religious
corporation. They'll never sell that.
Relax. Just hear me out, will ya?
The temple's only a part of the plot.
Behind it, there's a parking lot
and a weird, unused building.
That area is registered
as a separate property from the temple.
So the property is sellable,
but not the temple?
You got it.
Who owns it?
Some little nun, temple daughter.
I'm still checking out her background.
It seems like her ex-husband
disappeared a few years ago.
With the parking lot
and building combined,
is it about 3,000 square meters?
3,200.
-What is the market price?
-Nine billion.
Wait. It might even be ten billion.
Ten billion?
No way in hell.
No one will buy that.
Ten billion yen? That's insane.
And that little nun,
I heard she's been refusing to sell it
no matter what.
That makes it even more impossible.
Yet there might be something
we can take advantage of.
Takeshita-san,
please dig a little deeper.
In order to start, I need upfront pay.
Ten million will be good for now.
-Consider it done. You can begin.
-Seriously? This is our next move?
I don't think
we will need an imposter anytime soon,
but you can start
the preparations for one.
Goto-san,
start the preparations
for the property sale release.
I'll do that. Will anyone bite?
Maybe if it's a government-led project,
but who can pay ten billion
for commercial land?
If we set up a trap, there will always
be prey that falls into it.
FOR PERSONAL REASONS,
THE NOTIFIER TERMINATED THE NEGOTIATION
Fuck!
We think the man in this photo is
Harrison, caught by a security cam. Hmm.
Who's this?
Accomplice?
Don't know.
I think I'm almost there.
No, I can't tell
because it's too dark, idiot!
Dinner? I haven't had it yet.
Oh yeah, I'd love a hot bath too.
Yes?
Understood. Thanks for the call.
Takumi-san.
Keep your guard up
around the rest of our members.
I personally trained you from the start.
Took you under my wing
to become a land swindler.
I trust only you.
Good night.