Read the Air

Season 1, Episode 03 (03)

**Read the Air** is the third episode of the first season of *Tokyo Vice*. It was released on 7 April 2022 along with the first episode, *The Test* and the second, *Kishi Kaisei*.

## Synopsis

Jake's persistence pays off when he receives an exclusive from Detective Katagiri — but catches the less ideal eye of someone else in the process. Meanwhile, Samantha hits it off with a new customer, as Sato chooses between words and fists.

## Plot Summary

At his home, Kume sees a doctor who takes blood samples and performs an ultrasound and exam. The doctor asks if Kume has been abusing alcohol, cigarettes, or red meat, but Kume doesn't answer. Later, Kume is seen in the bathroom applying foundation to his face to hide the bruise he got the previous night in the fight with Nakamura and the Tozawa gang.

Jake visits Hiroto's house and brings beers and ice cream for his children. Hiroto's wife initially turns Jake away, saying that Hiroto is not home, but Hiroto invites him in and offers him a drink. Hiroto asks what Jake wants, and Jake tells him that he needs a story to save his job. He respects Hiroto's warning from the previous night and didn't write about the encounter, but now he needs a story. Jake asks what happened at the bar, and Hiroto explains that the Yakuza has deep roots in Japan, so the police try to maintain peace between the different Yakuza gangs. The Tozawa have come to try to take over the territory of the Chihara-Kai, causing tensions within the Yakuza to rise.

Sato and Kume go to the bar where the altercation between the Tozawa and the Chihara-Kai took place the previous night. They talk with the business owner, who is angry that the Tozawa were allowed to conduct business in the club. Kume asks why they were serving Tozawa men, and the owner replies that they don't ask which Yakuza gang customers belong to. The owner sarcastically suggests paying the Tozawa for protection instead of the Chihara-Kai. Sato loses his temper and slaps the owner for his comment, much to Kume's dismay. Outside the club, Kume reprimands Sato for his behavior, pointing out that the owner would never pay the Tozawa because he knows Kume would kill him.

Jake meets up with Tin-Tin and Hasegawa and shows them his story in the newspaper. They congratulate him, but Tin-Tin is jealous and tells them that Buke told him he is a bad writer and laughed at him. Hasegawa and Jake tell him that he is an excellent writer and to ignore him, but he still seems down about the remark.

Meanwhile, Sato becomes concerned when he notices Jake in a video of Tozawa's men being arrested that airs on the news. He is worried about the potential consequences for Jake if Tozawa or the Yakuza find out he was present at the arrest.

Tensions rise within the Chiara-Kai when Kume warns the members that they must respect their Oyuban or be punished. Later, they tease Sato, citing that he likes to have sex with girls in the bathroom. Sato explains that he was trying to sell Samanta a dress and wasn't having sex at all with her. Sato tries to remain calm, but takes a social cue from Kume and invites the members of the Chiara-Kai to watch as they fight. As they go to the rooftop, Sato extensively beats the man and is pulled away by Kume, who tells him that he is done. Sato receives looks of disappointment from those around him but notices Oyuban watching in the distance. Whilst Sato tries to apologize to Oyuban, he is told that he is no better than a wild beast for putting one of his own brothers in the hospital.

Jake visits Hiroto's house and brings food for his family. He talks with Hiroto's wife about how long he plans to stay in Japan, stating that he now considers it his home and will not return to the United States. Jake praises Hiroto to his children and discusses a story that was published in the newspaper, which had been edited by Emi, his superior. Jake presents Hiroto with a matchstick box and the two discuss a loan shark business that resulted in two deaths. Hiroto regrets that he is unable to investigate further due to the involvement of the Yakuza and the Tokyo Police Department's prohibition on interfering in Yakuza affairs. However, he suggests that Jake might be able to find the company by looking into its registration number. As Jake is leaving, Hiroto's daughter gives him a file that she took from her father's desk.

Later that evening, Jake goes to a pub to meet Hasegawa and witnesses him with another man in an alleyway. When Jake asks about the man, Hasegawa denies that he was with anyone. Hasegawa, Jake, and Tin-Tin then go play baseball and discuss the identity of the loan shark company, but they are unable to come up with any ideas. The game is interrupted by two Yakuza members who force Jake to get in their car and take a ride with them. It is revealed that the men work for the Chiara-Kai.

## Cast and Characters

### Main Cast

* Ansel Elgort as Jake Adelstein
* Ken Watanabe as Hiroto Katagiri
* Rachel Keller as Samantha
* Hideaki Ito as Jin Miyamoto
* Show Kasamatsu as Sato
* Ella Rumpf as Polina
* Rinko Kikuchi as Emi