Episode 572 – The Revolutionary, Part 7

April 4, 2025

In our penultimate episode for this miniseries: Miyazaki Manabu narrowly escapes doing prison time, only to end up back in the underworld first of Osaka, and then Tokyo. And from there, he ends up square in the crosshairs of the police once again–this time as a suspect in one of the most infamous criminal cases in postwar history.

Sources

Miyazaki, Manabu. Toppamono: Outlaw,, Radical, Suspect. My Life in Japan’s Underworld. Trans. Robert Whiting.

Ivy, Marilyn. “Tracking the Mystery Man with the 21 Faces.” Critical Inquiry 23, No 1 (Autumn, 1996)

Some original NYT coverage of the Glico Morinaga case.

An article by the Japan Times on the occasion of the final expiration of the statutes of limitations as they relate to the case.

Images

Ezaki Katsuhisa, the kidnapped CEO of Ezaki Glico.
According to Wikipedia this is a Battaya shop in Osaka. I cannot verify the legitimacy (or lack thereof) of the merchandise therein.
One of the only photos I could find of Mannen Toichi–this from his time as the All Japan Women’s Pro Wrestling Federation Chairman.
A Dai Nippon Isseikai noise truck. All you need to have the full experience is a full volume blast of some World War II patriotic music.