Tokyo Swindlers (地面師たち)

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?