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Novel question: foreign police consultants

GrimWorld

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14 May 2016
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Hey guys,

I have an idea for a novel in mind, but just to make sure it is somewhat plausible (and if not, I can change it), are there any foreign police consultants in Japan and can they co-exist with each other? Like the one in the TV show, 'Elementary', can they work alongside Japanese police officers in real life? I know that foreigners cannot be Japanese officers/ detectives due to complications in order to become one (qualifications, Japanese nationality, etc), but can they consult with officers to help them solve problems and whatnot (eg. homicide cases, etc). If not, do tell me why and what do they need to do to make it official (do they need more than just a working visa, bloodlines, etc?) Also, are police officers okay with police consultants in general and if not, how so?

For the others who are interested with where the information is going to be used, here's a small plot: A foreign woman who is a former police detective (will not disclose nationality) has gone to Japan to visit her mother (who is Japanese) to inform her that her father is dead (death is unknown, again not disclosing nationality). Upon heading towards said hotel, there is a murder and she is suspected of said murder and decides to help the lead investigator (who is a Japanese and pretty much outcasted by his fellow colleagues) not only clearing her own name but to help him catch said culprit. Basically it's an East meets West clash sort of thing.

Just let me know in the posts here and I'll take it up as much as I can (and trust me, I have researched heavily and cannot, for the life of me, find any information related to police consultants in Japan and shows me more about Japanese police officers only. I know there are private detectives that do exist in Japan, but they only investigate small matters and that's not what I was after.)

Thanks kindly,

Grim.
 
there is a murder and she is suspected of said murder and decides to help the lead investigator
and just how does she manage that, being a suspect herself? Even if this story was not in Japan, I'd find that implausible.
 
and just how does she manage that, being a suspect herself? Even if this story was not in Japan, I'd find that implausible.

In the highly bureaucratic world of Japanese policing, a detective who is an outcast among his colleagues being the lead investigator is also implausible.

I can't help but imagine the biggest area the OP will have to overcome will be learning how the police here are organized and how they conduct investigations in contrast to how things are done where he's from.

There are certainly instances at least in Japanese fiction of a private individual/detective assisting the police, but I highly doubt it happens in real life ever and certainly not with just some random foreign ex-cop....doubly so for one who was suspected of the crime.
 
You should consult Michael Douglas, he was already at it in Japan in the 80's:
black-rain-1sh-movie-poster-89-ridley-scott-michael-douglas.jpg
 
Hey guys,

Thanks for the responses... As for the questions above:

1. She refuses to show her passport (he legitimately asked for it upon the crime scene according to proceedures in an investigation) and detains her as a result of said charge (hence making her a suspect). It was luck that her identity checks out and from what I read in a couple of forums and articles, she can be either fined 200000¥ for not showing her ID or deportation back to her home country and banned for 10 years, if I read it right. Also, if it doesn't check out, she's deported and 10 years ban, I think. Correct me if I'm wrong in that subject.

2. As for the lead investigator beig outcasted, let's say he rubbed people the wrong way deliberately so that caused a fair bit of aminosity among his colleagues. You know, the arrogant, smart-*** type but polite at the same time. He managed to become a detective purely because he was able to solve cases without a problem. Also, he fails to learn humility, which makes it all the more difficult to interact with him. I will somewhat point out in the story that he was the last choice on their list.

But yeah, thanks for clearing it up. It looks like I have to rethink the idea on a different angle, since being a police consultant in Japan is impossible for her to interact with the police and most likely wouldn't want to interact with her and probably charge her with obstruction of justice. Anyways, thanks for helping out, though.

Grim.
 
Maybe (and this is serious) you should contact a fellow named Jake Adelstein. He wrote quite an interesting book about his days as a crime journalist in Japan. He studied in Japan, and went on to work for the Asahi Shimbun if I'm correct. Could be a great source if he's willing to help.
 
Okay, is he in this forum or do I have to google it and get his email about that? And if he did write a book, do you know the title of the book so I can look it up too? Thanks for answering~

Grim.
 
No offense but as a novelist dont you have an artistic license? Why not just make it up?

Not always, but sometimes the authenticity of the atmosphere (and picky people will notice and point it out to troll others, bless their hearts) is just as important in a story as well as artistic licence. This is part of the research to see if some parts of the story make sense realistically so that the plot can drive forward. Now that I know there are some actions that are not realistically possible and will have to rethink hard to make it work. It has been changed to either that she gets deported back and try to clear her name whilst the lead investigator solves the case or she doesn't get in trouble (by showing her ID) and give him deliberate hints on who did it. Something like that. Just let me know if the two of them are not suited.

Grim.
 
Okay, is he in this forum or do I have to google it and get his email about that? And if he did write a book, do you know the title of the book so I can look it up too? Thanks for answering~

Grim.
You would have to look him up. If he is on this forum, he would be incognito using a nickname. Maybe it's @mdchachi ;)

One correction, he worked for yomiuri, not asahi. The book is called Tokyo Vice. Good luck!
 
You would have to look him up. If he is on this forum, he would be incognito using a nickname. Maybe it's @mdchachi ;)

One correction, he worked for yomiuri, not asahi. The book is called Tokyo Vice. Good luck!

-Chuckles- Ya, ya I wish... Thanks for the advice, though~ Now I know what direction to take, writing parts of it now now that I feel inspired~ thanks again, guys~

Grim.
 
You would have to look him up. If he is on this forum, he would be incognito using a nickname. Maybe it's @mdchachi ;)
Haha. I'm not a famous author/journalist. I only play one on TV. :roflmao:

It looks like I have to rethink the idea on a different angle, since being a police consultant in Japan is impossible for her to interact with the police and most likely wouldn't want to interact with her and probably charge her with obstruction of justice.
Unless... they had a super hot sexy affair and got romantically involved while they were solving the crime. So rather than deporting her, he falls for her. You don't see too many Japanese guys with Western women on the big screen like this. (Yes I know you're writing a novel but you gotta think ahead to the screen. :)
If you cast Charlotte Fox, you will at least get some interest in Japan.
 
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Maybe (and this is serious) you should contact a fellow named Jake Adelstein. He wrote quite an interesting book about his days as a crime journalist in Japan. He studied in Japan, and went on to work for the Asahi Shimbun if I'm correct. Could be a great source if he's willing to help.

He is also widely considered a fraud and a BS artist.
 
let's say he rubbed people the wrong way deliberately so that caused a fair bit of aminosity among his colleagues. You know, the arrogant, smart-*** type but polite at the same time. He managed to become a detective purely because he was able to solve cases without a problem.
So, you're copying Jack Frost. Artistic license aside, and with respect to actor Ken Takakura in Black Rain, or to Beat Takeshi in anything he is in, you also have to consider believability. Have you read Miyuki Miyabe's book All She Was Worth? Good example of a believable police officer IMO.
 
So, you're copying Jack Frost. Artistic license aside, and with respect to actor Ken Takakura in Black Rain, or to Beat Takeshi in anything he is in, you also have to consider believability. Have you read Miyuki Miyabe's book All She Was Worth? Good example of a believable police officer IMO.

Hey guys,

No, I haven't heard of that book before, but thanks for the suggestion because I will look that up and bave a read of it. And as for Jack Frost, I think the main (the foreigner, I meant) is more Jack Frost and he (the investigator) Lewis but a touch of Frost to it. If that makes that any sense. It's pretty much a gritty, noir novel that has things question things you think you know.

Unless... they had a super hot sexy affair and got romantically involved while they were solving the crime. So rather than deporting her, he falls for her. You don't see too many Japanese guys with Western women on the big screen like this. (Yes I know you're writing a novel but you gotta think ahead to the screen. :)
If you cast Charlotte Fox, you will at least get some interest in Japan.

And as for that, she does have a hot-cold relationship with him after their meeting at said investigation site. It will be eventually falling in love, but super secy, though. And I was thinking more along the lines of Rebecca Gibney, but Charlotte Fox works -Chuckles- But yeah, thanks for the replies, guys~

Grim.
 
-Chuckles- Ya, ya I wish... Thanks for the advice, though~ Now I know what direction to take, writing parts of it now now that I feel inspired~ thanks again, guys~

Grim.

He is also widely considered a fraud and a BS artist.

Apologies, I didn't know that. I just read the book and didn't give it much thought. I was quite amazed by myself that I remembered his name after 6 years since I read it, only to hear he's a fraud.

In that case I suggest you stick to Michael Douglas ;)
 
And as for Jack Frost, I think the main (the foreigner, I meant) is more Jack Frost and he (the investigator) Lewis but a touch of Frost to it. If that makes that any sense.
Not entirely. If you plan to make story with a rogue sort of Japanese person in a position of such authority, you'd better flesh out how he got to that point clearly, or people will say it's not believable/acceptable. Ken Takakura makes it work as a yakuza, but in Black Rain he was seriously torn between his normal duties and obligations vs. trying to appease Michael Douglas' character. We never saw what happened to Ken after the incident where he went against authority, and that would really be telling! The movie was only from an American POV, which meant that the viewer didn't have to think about Japanese culture or repercussions.

This also sounds a bit like what you want. For people who don't care or know what Japanese harmony in the workplace is like, they will park their brains and read or not read deeply. Personally, to have part of the story involve "eventually falling in love, but super secy", I'd be put off. Sounds contrived, much like Tom Selleck's affair in Mr. Baseball.

BTW, what is "secy"? Sexy? Secretly? How does one fall in love in either of those manners, anyway?
 
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