It can be difficult to find a reliable private investigator in Japan.  It is not clear whether there is a formal licensing procedures and some may also be connected with organized crime, i.e. Yakuza. Certainly there are reputable ones, but it is important to be careful in your selection.  Please report any good or bad experiences to webmaster [AT] crnjapan.net.

Essays

1. •How to Retrieve Your Child Abducted To Japan
   

2. •Tips on How to Find Your Child In Japan
   

3. •Non-Legal Options to Extract Your Abducted Child
   

4. •Shalom, Japan: A Sabra's Five Years in the Land of the Rising Sun a book by Shifra Horn - reportedly "An eminently readable book in which the author explains in part how she taught Hebrew to a lady who snatched her son back from Israel in a cloak and dagger type move."
   

5. •Locate missing or unknown defendants/witnesses/heirs;
   

6. •Asset searches of defendants/potential defendants;
   

7. •Due Diligence background research on businesses in Japan;
   

8. •Direct Service of Process.
   

9. •Overview of costs for private investigative services in Japan.  (TBD)
   

Recommended List

These investigators have demonstrated experience in Japan and have been recommended by someone willing to put their name on it.

Recovery

1. •ZAMORA & ASSOCIATES - International Security Services, Investigations and Child Recovery. 
   

2. •http://www.zamoraandassociates.com.  Not exactly your every day ordinary private investigator.  Gus Zamora has over 56 successful child recoveries under his belt.   He is known to have assisted a left behind parent or two in recovery from Japan.
   

Private Investigations

1. •Intersec.  http://www.intersecusa.com We have first hand reports from people who have used this agency successfully for investigations in Japan. Offices in Los Angeles and Tokyo with services in English, Japanese, Mandarin/Cantonese, and Korean. They come well recommended. See the website or contact them at intersec@usinter.net. 
   

1. •Japan Private Detective.  http://www.japanpi.com/  We have had recent recommenations from LBP’s in regards to this new agency -
   

            From Their Website-

            “Reunion and Lost Contact

We have been a leading agency for people search services in Japan. We are specialized in searching long-lost friends, benefactors, first-love and other long-lost persons that you want to reunite with.

We are almost 100% confident of successful tracing if we are provided with crucial leads to identify the individual such as previous address, previous telephone number and parent’s address.”

Experience Unknown in Japan

These investigators have demonstrated experience in recovery.  They do not to our knowledge have verifiable experience in Japan.  When they demonstrate knowledge in Japan we will move them into the Recommended List.  All of their information is available on the web.   MAKE SURE YOU DO YOUR RESEARCH BEFORE HIRING ANYONE on this list.

1. •ChildAbduction.eu - http://www.childabduction.eu
   

2. •Dabbagh & Associates - http://dabbaghandassociates.net
   

Black List

1. •Delta International - http://www.abductedchildrecovery.com
   

Previously Delta International was listed in “experience unknown in Japan.”  It has come to our attention that the owner of Delta International Philip Wolfe was indicted and charges with five counts of wire fraud for bilking a father out of $65,000 when the father sought the return of his daughter from Argentina.  Google Delta International and Philip Wolfe for further information.  His website has been removed.

1. •no other entries yet.  please contribute.
   

Others Lists of Private Investigators

The following is just here for your information and is not a recommendation by CRN Japan.  Use these references carefully, and please let us know of your experiences.

1. •Okano International Investigations Office; 617-21 Aja, Naha, Okinawa, Japan; President:  Mr. Kensei Heshiki; Mr. Heshiki is an experienced investigator.  Between 1966 and 1969, Mr. Heshiki served as the Chief Investigator for a Public Prosecutor’s Office.  Since then, Mr. Heshiki has been in private practice, and the Okano Office has helped resolve countless issues.  The Okano Office is a member of the Tokyo Investigation Co-operative, which has over 400 member firms throughout Japan.  (This information found on website of Law Offices of Toshimitsu Takaesu.)
   

2. •Tokyo Investigation Co-operative 2-10-1 Shimada Building, Iwamoto-cho, Kanda, Tokyo, Japan; President:  Mr. Hiroki Koshi; Mr. Koshi is also an experienced investigator.  Mr. Koshi was made President of the All-Japan Investigation Association in 2001.  The Tokyo Investigation Co-operative specializes in locating missing or unknown defendants, heirs, and witnesses. (This information found on website of Law Offices of Toshimitsu Takaesu.)
   

3. •Teikoku Detective Agency 3-21 Truck Building, 3rd Floor, Yotsuya, Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan; President:  Mr. Masa Hukuda; As with the principals of the other affiliated investigative agencies, above, Mr. Hukuda has many year of experience in the investigative field.  Mr. Hukuda is a member of the All-Japan Investigation Association and the Tokyo Investigation Co-operative.  Mr. Hukuda’s notable clients include various television and radio stations, large businesses, and famous Japanese personalities.  (This information found on website of Law Offices of Toshimitsu Takaesu.)
   

4. •Teikoku Detective Agency Mr. Jun Teruya is frequently called upon by Law Offices of Toshimitsu Takaesu for support and assistance.  Mr. Teruya is the President of American Seminar House, an organization dedicated to training Japanese for life in the United States and in other English-speaking countries abroad.  In addition, Mr. Teruya is a member of the Gusikawa City Council. Mr. Teruya earned his law degree summa cum laude from the Okinawa International University.  He subsequently earned an MCJ (Master of Comparative Jurisprudence) from New York University School of Law.  Mr. Teruya has also taught U.S. Law at Okinawa International University.  (This information found on website of Law Offices of Toshimitsu Takaesu.)
   

5. •Names from the US Embassy Website page on private investigators.
   

1. ◦Argus Johoku Tantei Jimusho; 3-6-13 Nishi Nippori, Arakawa-ku, Tokyo 116-0013; Tel: 03-3277-0099. Fax: 03-3823-3838.
   

2. ◦I. I. Service Co., Ltd.;  Shinjuku Sumitomo Bldg. 13F; 2-6-1 Nishi Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 163-0213; Tel: 03-3342-0705. Fax: 03-3346-2149; New York Office: 520 Fifth Ave. 5F, New York,; New York 10036    Tel: 212-827-0254
   

3. ◦KF Care; Kyouritsu Bldg. 3F; 2-8-18 Nishishimbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-0003; Tel: 03-3503-4621. Fax: 03-3501-0685.
   

4. ◦Nihon Detective Association; 1-23-15 Hyakunin-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 169-0073; Tel: 03-3365-0015. Fax: 03-3365-1750.; URL: http://www2.odn.ne.jp/tantei/ ; E-mail: ndahonbu@pop16.ocn.ne.jp
   

5. ◦Nihon Shoko Research; Kaikei Bldg. 2F; 15 Kanda Iwamoto-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-0033; Tel: 03-3251-8121. Fax: 03-3251-8128/ 8193.
   

6. ◦Sato Midori Research, Inc.; 27-5-202 Sakuragaoka, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0031.; Tel: 03-3463-5211. Fax: 03-3461-6203
   

7. ◦Teikoku Tanteisha; 4-20-1 Sendagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 151-0051; Tel: 03-3403-5151 Fax: 03-3401-1185