The intriguing premise of Tokyo Swindlers immediately leans to the idea that it may be a true story. It’s not a true story, but it is based on Ko Shinjo’s contemporary Japanese crime thriller novel of the same name.
I can be forgiven for thinking it is a true story, as the scenarios displayed in the Netflix series do appear realistic. The story follows a group of land swindlers carrying out land fraud for highly valuable estates in Tokyo, Japan. On the flip side of the story, two police detectives try to unearth the conspiracy.
The series is not far-fetched at all. Land fraud is a real thing, and judging by quick Google searches, it does happen in Japan. As The Japan Times reported on June 10th, 2020, a “Tokyo man gets 11 years for bogus land sale to major home builder”, with the article saying:
“A man was sentenced Wednesday to 11 years in prison over a 2017 fraudulent Tokyo land sale to a major Japanese home builder that caused a loss of about ¥5.5 billion ($51 million).”
In the series, the land swindlers cause heavy losses to their victims, often resulting in their livelihoods being taken away and businesses crumbling overnight. One such report, by Nikkei Asia, explains how the Japanese developer business Sekisui House missed multiple warnings of land fraud back in 2017.
This story is very similar to the company in Tokyo Swindlers. In the series, the company that is swindled is called “Sekiyo House.” which is conveniently very similar to Sekisui House. In the story, they also use a “middle-man” to facilitate a deal that leads to them being frauded. It’s very possible that the story is based on the same crime as Ko Shinjo’s book was released afterward.
However, according to Bamboo Routes, land fraud is rare in Japan, and it’s not something for folks to worry about. Always carry out due diligence and compliance first:
“Japan is widely regarded as one of the safest countries in the world, and this reputation extends to its real estate market. Property scams are relatively rare, thanks to strict government regulations.
However, one notable scam that emerged in recent years involved the resale of empty or abandoned houses in rural areas. Unscrupulous sellers marketed these properties to unsuspecting buyers, only to discover that the properties required significant renovation and investment.
While this scam was a wake-up call for the market, the Japanese government responded swiftly by tightening regulations to protect buyers from such deceptive practices.”
It is possible that the author of Tokyo Swindlers used his knowledge of land fraud in Japan to create their story, which ultimately led to a highly intriguing Netflix thriller series.
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