At the beginning of the fellowship, I managed and supervised the project, overseeing day-to-day administrative tasks supported by Prof Varese, Prof Colombo, and the Oxford University research support team. Integration into the CRIMGOV team facilitated collaboration with colleagues sharing similar research interests. Weekly group meetings continued during my time in Nagoya, fostering integration, collaboration, and feedback on papers, presentations, and seminars. In the first months of the fellowship, I prepared the ethical approval forms, supported by the research facilitator in Oxford, which gained approval from the European Commission, the University of Oxford, and the University of Nagoya before commencing fieldwork.
I taught modules at Oxford and developed a well-received criminology course at the University of Nagoya. I have honed skills in evaluating academic work, improved language proficiency, and developed expertise in library research, creating a comprehensive database on drug smuggling cases into Japan. I integrated quantitative methods into my research approach, as is evident in articles applying social network analysis to yakuza violence and drug smuggling routes. I have attended journalistic skills workshops, resulting in articles published in The Conversation and the East Asia Forum. I have conducted extensive research at the National Diet Library and the University of Nagoya Library. Additionally, I plan to continue this task at the University of Oxford. During my time in Japan, I acquired original books and magazines on the yakuza, which are invaluable for my research.
I actively participated in the Early Career Criminology Research Network (ECCRN) in Japan, taking on the responsibility of the Internationalisation Officer. Currently, we are in the process of coordinating a special issue on criminology in Japan, showcasing contributions from both Japanese and international academics. I publsihed the JEOC website, which is an ongoing task. I translated and uploaded reports and news articles from Japanese sources and plan to continue this work. The website will soon feature the database on drug smuggling into Japan and other relevant datasets, serving as a comprehensive resource for the project.
Despite challenges posed by Japan's increasingly restrictive situation, the fieldwork proved highly satisfactory and fruitful, thanks to a well-established network of informants. Strengthening connections within the yakuza community, I held meetings with a yakuza boss and affiliates, gaining unprecedented access to a yakuza syndicate in Okinawa for interviews with high-ranking officers. Interactions also extended to non-yakuza criminals, former yakuza members, and ex-convicts, though logistical setbacks occurred with three cancelled interviews due to arrests. Plans to meet these informants during upcoming duties in Japan as the Internationalisation Officer of the ECCRN are in place. Securing an exceptional breakthrough, I gained access to a top police chief, enabling interviews with high-ranking officers from the National Police Agency and various bureaus of the Shizuoka Prefectural Police. This research phase significantly deepened my understanding of organised crime in Japan, providing unparalleled insights through direct interactions with key figures from both sides of the law. These experiences enriched the research outcomes, contributing to a more nuanced understanding of the subject.
Dissemination:
I secured a book contract with Oxford University Press, I published a book on the yakuza in Italian, and I am planning translation and publication in English. I am conducting talks with Rizzoli, one of the main Italian publishers, for a book, and working on a graphic novel about women in the yakuza.I co-authored an article on yakuza conflict, currently under peer review at the British Journal of Criminology. I am near completion of an article on drug smuggling into Japan, to be submitted by the end of February at the British Journal of Criminology. I contributed a chapter to the Italian yearbook of Comparative Law, exploring yakuza influence within Japanese prisons. This chapter will be translated in English.
I helped organising the Ex-Legi seminar series and chaired a seminar, held both in-person and online, which garnered over 200 registrations. I was invited to give talks and seminars, addressing topics such as the rise and demise of Japanese organized crime, research methodologies for studying organized crime, and the dynamics of the criminal underworld in contemporary Japan.I presented research papers at international conferences. I published several articles in mainstream media, including The Conversation and East Asia Forum, with significant readership and impact. I was interviewed by News Post Seven, Japanese TV, and contacted by journalists and a BBC show producer to discuss crime in Japan. I contributed a commentary on the yakuza film "Ryuji" and collaborated on a documentary about Nishimura Mako, featuring an interview that will be aired on German TV Pro7.
