George Abe

2.1. Birth and Family Background

George Abe was born Naoya Abe on May 17, 1937, in Tokyo City, Tokyo Prefecture, as the second son and youngest of four siblings to Masao Abe and Tamae Abe. His father, Masao, worked for Japan Mail Steamship Company. His mother, Tamae, was a descendant of Iwatani Matsuhei, a prominent figure of the Meiji era. This lineage was publicly revealed by Abe himself when he appeared on an NHK program discussing Iwatani Matsuhei in 1994. Abe's maternal grandfather, Nakaji Kajiwara, was a self-made man from Fukura village (present-day Yuza Town), Yamagata Prefecture, who overcame hardship to graduate from Tokyo Imperial University and became a banker. His mother's elder sister was married to the eldest son of Kiyoo Kishi, a Doctor of Law. On his paternal side, Abe's grandfather was a shipbuilding engineer who was a contemporary of renowned literary figures like Natsume Sōseki and Masaoka Shiki at Tokyo Imperial University.

2.2. Education and Overseas Experience

Due to his father's transfers with the Japan Mail Steamship Company, Abe spent parts of his early childhood in London, United Kingdom, and Rome, Italy. In 1941, with the escalating World War II, his family returned to Japan as the company withdrew its European branches. They settled in his mother's family home in Ikedayama (now Higashi-Gotanda, Shinagawa Ward) and he attended Morimura Gakuen Kindergarten. After Japan's entry into World War II, his father was dispatched to Shōnan (present-day Singapore) as a military employee in 1942. Left with his father's bookshelf filled with works by William Shakespeare, Natsume Sōseki, various world literature collections, Plutarch's Parallel Lives, and Meishō Gōgoroku (Records of Famous Commanders), Abe, even in his lower elementary school years, diligently read through them all. He was known as a "child prodigy" at Azabu Elementary School. During the final stages of the war, he was evacuated to his grandmother's villa in Atami, where Kyoichi Nitta, a director of Shochiku Robins, resided and taught him baseball. This connection later led to Abe's mother asking Nitta to introduce Abe to Kaoru Betto, a junior of Nitta's from the Keio Baseball Club, hoping he would pursue a career in professional baseball and abandon his yakuza life.

2.3. Youth Activities and Early Yakuza Contacts

During his time at Azabu Junior High School, Abe was a classmate of future Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto. Abe famously claimed he sat behind Hashimoto during the entrance exam, hoping to cheat off him, believing Hashimoto to be the smartest candidate. He recounted a later meeting with Hashimoto at a class reunion, where he sensed a similar aura in the politician, and they agreed to mutually keep silent about inconvenient truths. Abe's political commentary on TV often referenced his friendship with Hashimoto, leading him to seemingly defend the Liberal Democratic Party's policies, though this was often seen as a casual remark rather than a deep political endorsement by his co-commentators.

In his second year of junior high, Abe submitted an "abnormal sex novel" to a magazine edited by Edogawa Ranpo, who, upon reading it, reportedly remarked, "This child is mentally ill," and arranged for Abe to undergo sutra copying at a temple in Kamakura. While still in junior high, Abe became a sworn younger brother (kyōdai) to Kimio Abe, a high-ranking member of the Ando-gumi yakuza syndicate, and frequented their office. This association led to him being denied internal promotion to Azabu High School. In 1952, during a summer festival, he was involved in a dispute with several street vendors and committed an act of assault using a deba bōchō (a Japanese kitchen knife). Following this incident, his troubled father sent him to study abroad in England, where he enrolled in a boarding school in Wimbledon. There, he competed in a junior boxing tournament in South London, winning the light welterweight title. After four months, he was expelled from the boarding school after being found with an Italian female student. At 16, he moved to the Netherlands as a photographer's assistant and was involved in a brawl with Robert Mitchum over a prostitute.

3.1. Ando-gumi and Other Organizational Activities

Upon returning to Japan, George Abe enrolled in Keio Gijuku High School. Despite becoming captain of the boxing club, his full-fledged involvement as a yakuza member at 16, coupled with an incident where he and two friends defeated 16 Waseda University students in a fight, led to his expulsion in the spring of 1955 for "gravely damaging the school's honor." After his expulsion from Keio, he drifted through six different high schools, including Kobe Municipal Suma High School and Zushi Kaisei Junior and Senior High School, eventually enrolling in the night course of Hozen High School while already an Ando-gumi member.

At 18, during a debt collection trip to Isezakichō, Yokohama, he was involved in a dispute with a foreign broker and experienced being shot at for the first time. At 19, in Yokohama, while attempting to collect a debt from foreign delinquents, he was nearly killed by a bodyguard. He retaliated, stole the assailant's handgun and car, and fled. This led to his arrest on charges of attempted robbery and murder and firearms law violation. He was transferred from a juvenile reformatory to Ōtsu Prison (now the Yokohama Prison Yokosuka Branch Prison). Initially sentenced to seven years in prison, he appealed the decision at the recommendation of figures like Hideomi Kujiraoka. Thanks to the efforts of his defense attorney in the appeals court, his actions were recognized as emergency defense, and the charges were reduced to theft, embezzlement, and firearms law violation, resulting in a sentence of two years and six months with a five-year suspended sentence and probation.

Following this, he was placed under the care of a prominent yakuza boss known as "Phantom Iron" from the Chūgoku region. While protecting the boss's family, he also fell in love with the boss's daughter. This boss is believed to be Yukio Iwata, a major right-wing figure whom Hideomi Kujiraoka used as a model for his novel Kaizoku (Pirate). In his younger years, Abe also engaged in underground boxing under the ring name "Bloody Nao," competing internationally. He reportedly sparred with world champion Sandy Saddler during Saddler's visit to Japan. In Hamburg, West Germany, he appeared as a villainous professional wrestler, and even Rikidozan suggested he quit the yakuza and pursue wrestling. In the 1980s, after he became an author, he claimed in a magazine interview that while in France, he won a 22-caliber shooting competition, which led to questions from others about how he could own a pistol given Japan's strict laws. He stated, "I'm a yakuza," which resulted in his deportation from France.

After the Ando-gumi disbanded in 1964, Abe was headhunted by the Koganei-ikka in Shinjuku in 1966.

3.2. Imprisonment and Transition

Abe experienced numerous arrests and periods of imprisonment throughout his life. After leaving Japan Airlines in 1965, he began another period of incarceration in 1966. In 1975, he was sentenced to prison for illegal firearm possession and Narcotics Control Act violations, serving four years at Fuchu Prison starting that autumn. During this time, he met Tsutomu Kinosaki, an activist from the Red Army Faction (later the Japanese Red Army). Abe's writings suggest that Kinosaki attempted to recruit him shortly before the Japan Airlines Flight 472 hijacking incident in Dhaka.

Abe officially abandoned his yakuza life in 1981. By then, his criminal record included a total of 14 domestic convictions for offenses such as assault, injury, gambling, drug offenses, and violations of youth protection ordinances. He also had multiple convictions abroad, totaling three. His cumulative time spent in prison, both domestically and internationally, amounted to eight years. These profound experiences in prison became the foundation for his literary debut, marking a significant transition from a life of crime to a career as a celebrated author.

4.1. Japan Airlines Steward

In 1959, at the age of 22, George Abe graduated from the night course of Hozen High School and enrolled in the International Hotel School. Despite his remarkably frequent school transfers, his status as a kikokushijo from a respectable family background and his fluency in English allowed him to join Japan Airlines (JAL) in January 1961, at 23. Among his同期入社 (classmates) at JAL was Keiko Tanaka, who later married Rikidozan.

After training, Abe worked as a flight attendant on both domestic and international routes, with photographs from his time on Honolulu and Frankfurt flights preserved. While dedicated to his duties, he was also known for his emotional outbursts. Anecdotes from this period include him taking a colleague's girlfriend, assaulting an arrogant branch manager, and even physically confronting a passenger. When commuting to work, he would remove his Ando-gumi yakuza emblem from his car and replace it with the JAL company badge.

During his tenure as a flight attendant, he married his colleague, Yoko Endo. He also became acquainted with Yusuke Fukada, who was then an employee in JAL's public relations department and later became an author; Fukada's wife was also a colleague in the flight attendant department. Fukada initially perceived Abe as a "typical pampered young man from the Yamanote area" due to his returnee background and had no idea of his yakuza affiliations until after Abe left the company.

Between April 17, 1963, and August 25, 1967, Abe was dispatched to the Second Hiroshima Conflict, a major yakuza war. Although portrayed in the film Battles Without Honor and Humanity as a full-scale conflict where "fighters from all over the country gathered in Hiroshima," Abe stated that it did not escalate into an all-out war. He spent his time playing baseball. During a baseball tournament for a shopping district, he hit a soft baseball out of the Hiroshima Municipal Stadium's outfield stand, a feat that led the shopping district's chairman to suggest he try out for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp.

Abe was promoted to purser during his time at JAL, but his career ended after he physically assaulted a demanding passenger, leading to the revelation of his past criminal record (three prior convictions at the time) and his status as a yakuza member on probation. Consequently, he was forced to resign in January 1965, after the dissolution of the Ando-gumi.

4.2. Entrepreneur and Other Ventures

Following his departure from Japan Airlines and a period of incarceration in 1966, George Abe diversified his professional activities significantly. In the same year, Daiei Film produced the movie Fukuzatsu na Kare (The Complex Guy), starring Jiro Tamiya, based on Yukio Mishima's novel, with the protagonist, Joji Miyagi, modeled after Abe's JAL era. This character's name, Joji, later became Abe's pen name when he debuted as an author.

After the Ando-gumi disbanded, Abe was headhunted by the Koganei-ikka in Shinjuku. Simultaneously, he embarked on various entrepreneurial and entertainment careers. He and his wife managed the restaurant "Sausalito." He also worked as a commentator for kickboxing broadcasts (specifically, Golden Kickboxing), managed live houses and jazz clubs, served as a promoter, and even worked as a horse racing tipster.

During the late 1960s to the 1970s, Abe operated a jazz club called "Rob Roy" in Aoyama. He reportedly entrusted the main branch to his wife and other branches in Akasaka, Roppongi, and Mita to his mistresses. During this period, he lived lavishly, driving a white Cadillac Fleetwood, keeping Doberman Pinschers, and residing in a 700-NaN Q ft^{2 (NaN Q m2)} mansion in Unoki, Ōta Ward. Noted musicians like Kunihiko Sugano and even the then-high school student Akiko Yano performed at "Rob Roy." Yoko Endo's memoir about this period, "Aoyama 'Rob Roy' Monogatari," was later adapted into a television drama.

In September 1974, Abe claimed to have served for six months as a navigator on a gunboat for the Bolivian government army, tasked with shelling revolutionary villages. In 1975, he allegedly infiltrated Saigon just before its fall to acquire 25-NaN Q lb ^{(NaN Q kg)} cans of French-made methamphetamine at a low price, which was reportedly for the South Vietnamese government army. He claimed to have purchased the methamphetamine for 15.00 M JPY but lost it to a crowd and narrowly escaped with his life.

5.1. Literary Debut and Major Works

George Abe began writing novels in 1983. Initially, he struggled to find a publisher for his works. However, in 1984, the literary critic Natsuhiko Yamamoto recognized his talent, which proved to be a turning point. Yamamoto helped Abe begin serializing his experiences from prison, titled Fuchu Mokujo no Menmen (The Inmates of Fuchu Woodworking Factory), in the magazine Shitsunai. Abe consistently acknowledged Yamamoto as his "teacher and great benefactor" for giving him the opportunity to embark on his writing career.

In 1986, the serialized pieces were compiled and published by Bungeishunjū as Hei no Naka no Korinai Menmen (Unrepentant Inmates). The book quickly became a bestseller and was adapted into a film, solidifying Abe's status as a popular author. The success of this work was so profound that the phrase "hei no naka" (inside the walls) became a widely recognized colloquial term for prison in Japan. Following this success, he published numerous other significant novels, expanding his literary portfolio.

5.2. Manga Original Works

Abe also established himself as a successful manga writer, collaborating with various artists. His most notable work in this field is Rainbow: Nisha Rokubō no Shichinin (RAINBOW - The Seven from Cell 2, Block 6), which he co-wrote with artist Masasumi Kakizaki. This work achieved significant critical acclaim, earning him the 51st Shogakukan Manga Award in the general category in 2005. His other manga original works include Shibuya Honky Tonk (illustrated by Masahito Tanaka), Akai Dangan (illustrated by Naoshi Kishiyama), Apsaras (illustrated by Yukio Miyama), and Gurentai no Kamisama, Manshuichi Densetsu Guren (illustrated by Nobuaki Minegishi).

5.3. Television and Radio Appearances

Leveraging his engaging personality and unique life story, George Abe became a prominent media personality, appearing frequently on television and radio. He gained widespread public recognition as a regular Friday partner on the Nippon TV information program Tsūseki. His presence on television expanded to include roles in dramatic productions, such as his regular appearance as Police Chief Shigezo Oshima in the Ishihara Promotion-produced detective drama Daihyō Torishimariyaku Keiji (Managing Director Detective) from 1990 to 1991. He also appeared on variety shows like Quiz Sekai wa SHOW by Shōbai!! and Sekai Marugoto 2001nen, and hosted his own show, George Abe's Dangerous Night, on TV Tokyo.

On radio, he served as a respondent on TBS Radio's Zubari Kaitō! Telephone Minoue Sōdan (Direct Answers! Telephone Life Consultation) and was a frequent guest on Hikaru Ijuin's Deep Midnight (TBS Radio), where he was reportedly subject to humorous, unconventional requests from director/producer Mamoru Nagata, grandson of Masaichi Nagata, to whom Abe felt a deep obligation. He also hosted Dōdō! Tenka Gomen on Nippon Broadcasting System.

6.1. Relationships and Friendships

Abe was married to Yoko Endo, an entrepreneur and essayist, who later wrote "Aoyama 'Rob Roy' Monogatari," a memoir about their seven years living together. Their son, Shojiro Endo, is involved in game software as a writer and director. After the economic bubble burst in the early 1990s, Abe faced significant debt and divorced Yoko Endo, losing most of his assets and his Porsche as part of the settlement and alimony.

Abe maintained a wide network of friendships with prominent figures from diverse fields, including fellow yakuza members, actors, musicians, and public figures. Among those he spoke highly of in his book Ore ga Shibireta Otoko-tachi - Nihon Kai Danji Retsuden (Men Who Thrilled Me - Biographies of Japanese Brave Men) were Noboru Ando, Yujiro Ishihara, Munetaka Izumi, Yutaka Enatsu, Kōsuke Ōkawa, Bampaku Ono, Masaaki Kanahira, Mitsuyoshi Koganei, Toshinari Koshida, Sad Sam Ichinose (manager of Dado Marino), Jō Shimada, George Kawaguchi, Kimio Takamoto, Takanori Hatakeyama, Genji Hanamura, Piston Horiguchi, Mac Suzuki, Kuniaki Miyazawa, Katsuji Murata, Masaru Morita, Masaru Yamate, and Yoshikuni Yusa. Figures from the underworld he mentioned included Seihei Unabara, Yukio Iwata, and Masamitsu Moriwaki. Internationally, he mentioned Lope "Papa" Sarreal from the Philippines.

He felt a profound sense of obligation to Masaichi Nagata, the founder of Daiei Film, to the extent that he reportedly could not refuse requests from Nagata's grandson, Mamoru Nagata, a director and producer at TBS Radio. This led to peculiar appearances on shows like Hikaru Ijuin's Deep Midnight, where he was asked to perform impressions of actresses like Yuki Uchida and Kumiko Endo, or even Sharon Stone, and to compete with other cast members on dating sites.

Abe was close friends with Tatsuo Umemiya, a contemporary, often calling each other "Tacchan" and "Joji." He was also a devoted fan of actress Nana Okada, even casting her in film adaptations of his works.

6.2. Hobbies and Political Views

George Abe had a strong passion for shogi, achieving amateur dan rank. In 1989, he serialized "Maketemo Korinai Juni Ban" (Twelve Unrepentant Games Despite Losing) in Shogi Magazine, published by the Japan Shogi Association, detailing his struggles in handicap matches against top A-class professionals and title holders. He famously shed tears when he defeated Yasuharu Oyama, the 15th lifetime shogi master. This series was later published as a book, Totsugeki Shogi Juni Ban: Top Kishi to no Ni-mai-ochi Fusenki (Assault Shogi Twelve Games: A Record of Hard Fights in Two-Piece Handicap Against Top Players).

He was also a devoted cat lover. He once wore a shirt with a cat illustration, which reportedly displeased his yakuza boss.

Abe's political views were idiosyncratic and often reflected a populist sensibility. He stated that he consistently voted for the Japanese Communist Party in elections. However, he recounted an anecdote where he witnessed Ryokichi Minobe, who was serving as Governor of Tokyo with the support of the Japan Socialist Party and the Japanese Communist Party and was known as a champion of the common people, eating breakfast at the upscale Hotel Okura. Abe, disturbed by this perceived hypocrisy, reportedly confronted Minobe. In the 2009 House of Representatives election, Abe stated he voted for the Democratic Party but later expressed regret, labeling them a "second LDP" due to their perceived similarities to the established ruling party. From the 2000s onwards, Abe openly stated that he used computers for his writing and occasionally browsed 2channel and Wikipedia. He also notably appeared in advertisements for anti-smoking products, claiming he "easily quit smoking," despite confessing in his own blog that he had not actually quit. Abe had a knack for spotting talent; he once saw Ryo Fukawa perform at a comedy live show and predicted his success, later remarking, "See? He made it!" upon seeing Fukawa on TV.

7.1. Circumstances of Death

George Abe died on September 2, 2019, at 1:18 AM, at the age of 82. The cause of his death was acute pneumonia. His passing was widely reported in Japanese media, reflecting his enduring popularity and the significant impact he had on Japanese society through his distinctive life story and literary contributions.

8.1. Novels

• Hei no Naka no Korinai Menmen (Unrepentant Inmates), Bungeishunjū, 1986
• Hei no Naka no Playball (Playball Inside the Walls), Kodansha, 1987
• Gokudō Tosei no Suteki na Menmen (The Wonderful People of the Yakuza World), Shodensha, 1987
• Gokudō no O-kaeshi: Abe Jōji Waru no Bakengaku (Yakuza's Return: George Abe's Horse Racing Theory), Nesco, 1987
• Hei no Soto no Otoko to Onna-tachi (Men and Women Outside the Walls), Wani Books, 1987
• Boku no Musho Shugyō (My Prison Training), Kodansha, 1987
• Naguri Nagurare (Beat and Beaten), Shueisha, 1987
• Saraba, Gokudō (Farewell, Yakuza), Kadokawa Shoten, 1987
• Nakibokuro (Tear Mole), Kodansha, 1988
• Abe Jōji no Kyōki Juku (George Abe's Chivalry School), Magazine House, 1988
• Hei no Naka no Korinai Menmen 2, Bungeishunjū, 1988
• Jet Stream, Kodansha, 1988
• Kumori Nochi Hare Butai: Korinai George no Endless Live (Cloudy, Then Sunny Stage: Unrepentant George's Endless Live), Tokuma Shoten, 1988 (collection of dialogues)
• Kaiketsu Zorome (Miracle Zorome), Bungeishunjū, 1988
• Chōeki E-zushi (Prison Term Illustrator), Kobunsha, 1988
• Chinpira Tosei (Small-Time Gangster Life), Jitsugyo no Nihon Sha, 1988
• Hei no Ue no Kyokugeishi-tachi (Acrobats on the Wall), Shodensha, 1989
• Sugome, Salaryman! (Intimidate, Salaryman!), Tokuma Shoten, 1989
• Shō Nashi Batsu Ari Neko mo Iru (No Prize, Some Punishment, Even Cats Are Here), Bungeishunjū, 1989
• Pro Yakyu Shindemo Moraimasu: Moto Gokudō no Ore Dakara Ieru (I'll Make Pro Baseball Die: What Only a Former Yakuza Can Say), Gakken, 1989
• Ōgon no Akumu (Golden Nightmare), Shodensha, 1989
• Tsubute no Uta Kichi (Stone's Song Kichi), Asahi Shimbun Publications, 1989
• Onna ni Sugatte Gokudō Tosei: Waga Itoshi no Gusai, Akusai, Seijo, Majo...tachi (Yakuza Life Relying on Women: My Beloved Foolish Wives, Evil Wives, Saints, Witches...), Shufu to Seikatsu Sha, 1989
• Mimizu no Hana Uta (Earthworm's Nose Song), Bungeishunjū, 1990
• Ore-tachi wa Tenshi Janai (We're Not Angels), Kodansha, 1990
• Otoko no Jōken: Motto Tsuyoi Otoko ni Naritai (Conditions of a Man: I Want to Be a Stronger Man), Goma Shobo, 1990
• Kinoko (Mushroom), Chuokoron-Shinsha, 1991
• Jisoku Jūyon Knot, Higashi e (Fourteen Knots Per Hour, Eastward), Kodansha, 1992
• Hakakawareta Kishu (The Jinxed Jockey), Shodensha, 1992
• Hei no Soto no Korinai Futari (Two Unrepentant People Outside the Walls), Jitsugyo no Nihon Sha, 1992
• Itsumo Inochigake! Shōsetsu George Kawaguchi Monogatari (Always Life-Threatening! The Novel of George Kawaguchi), Nippon Television Network, 1992
• Kokoro no Hei wa Jibun de Koero: Abe Jōji no Sukaretai Hito ni Sukareru Hō (Break the Wall of Your Heart Yourself: George Abe's Way to Be Liked by Those You Want to Be Liked By), As Communications, 1992
• Chōeki no Tatsujin: "Amerika-ban" Hei no Naka no Korinai Menmen (Master of Prison Term: "American Version" Unrepentant Inmates), Shueisha, 1992
• Daireissha Ryokō: Orient Express 15000 Kilometer (Grand Train Journey: Orient Express 15000 Kilometers), Bungeishunjū, 1992
• Totsugeki Shogi Juni Ban: Top Kishi to no Ni-mai-ochi Fusenki (Assault Shogi Twelve Games: A Record of Hard Fights in Two-Piece Handicap Against Top Players), Japan Shogi Association, 1992
• Shūjin Dōro (Prisoner Road), Kodansha, 1993
• Kaze no Mukō ni (Beyond the Wind), Kadokawa Shoten, 1993
• Damashite Gomen: Watashi ga Shita o Maita Gonin no Sagishi-tachi (Sorry for Deceiving You: Five Swindlers Who Impressed Me), Crest Publishing, 1993
• Hei no Naka no Korinai Menmen 3, Bungeishunjū, 1994
• Korinai Otoko to Iwaretemo... (Even if Called an Unrepentant Man...), Kosaido Publishing, 1994
• Fujichaku (Emergency Landing), Sandke Publishing, 1994
• Dōhan Tobaku (Joint Gambling), Jitsugyo no Nihon Sha, 1994
• Neko no Iibun, Neko no Mikata (Cats' Say, Cats' Perspective), Kawade Shobo Shinsha, 1995
• Bakuchi, Gamble, Tabigarusu (Gambling, Gamble, Traveling Bird), Playgraph Sha, 1995
• Boku wa Hyakujū (110) no Ō (I am the King of Beasts (110)), Nagumo-do, 1995
• Shiai Shōmon: Chushingura Gaiden (Battle Documents: Chushingura Gaiden), Yuraku Publishing, 1996
• Okiro, Neboke Tora! Aishite Iru Kara Iu. (Wake Up, Sleepy Tiger! I Say This Because I Love You.), Sony Magazines, 1996
• Koitsu Dake wa Yuruse nee: Seken ni Kawatte Waru o Utsu (I Can't Forgive This Guy: Striking Evil on Behalf of Society), Nihon Bungeisha, 1996
• America Higashikaigan Danron Fūhatsu (Discussions on the US East Coast), Kosaido Publishing, 1996
• Kaiketsu! Golf ni Korita Hito ga Umaku Naru (Solution! How Golfers Who Gave Up Become Better), PHP Institute, 1997
• George Kara Ai o Komete (From George with Love), Kosaido Publishing, 1997
• Omoide no Goronyan (Memories of Purr), Dobutsu Shuppan, 1997
• Tenka Gomen no 13 Nin (13 People Permitted by Heaven), PHP Institute, 1998
• Aa!! Onna ga Nihon o Dame ni Suru (Ah!! Women Ruin Japan), Chukei Publishing, 1998
• Aki wa Nijinde Mieta (Autumn Looked Blurry), PHP Institute, 1998
• Ninchi de Gozaru (Being Yakuza), Yuraku Publishing, 1999
• Final Round, Kodansha, 1999
• Kiritobi Blues, Tokuma Bunko, 1999
• Kōfuku no Susume: "Yūki" to "Shin'nen" de Ikiru (Recommendation for Happiness: Living with "Courage" and "Conviction"), Yamato Shuppan, 2000
• Hei no Soto no Dōsōkai (Class Reunion Outside the Walls), Bungeishunjū, 2000
• Okane Mochi wa Kuni no Takara Desu: Hara ga Tatsu Konna Shakai o Dō Ikiru (Rich People Are National Treasures: How to Live in Such an Annoying Society), Palsu Shuppan, 2000
• Ore ga Shibireta Otoko-tachi: Nihon Kai Danji Retsuden (Men Who Thrilled Me: Biographies of Japanese Brave Men), Futabasha, 2001
• Yatsugatake Akagera Nisshi (Yatsugatake Woodpecker Diary), PHP Institute, 2001
• Kāsan, Gomen Nasai: Haha to Gureta Musuko no Monogatari (Mom, I'm Sorry: A Story of a Mother and Her Delinquent Son), PHP Bunko, 2001
• Rokujūsai Kara no Yancha Michi (The Naughty Path from Sixty), Y&F, 2001
• Kioku ni Nokoru Kengō-tachi (Fist Heroes Remaining in Memory), Shogakukan, 2001
• Ore no Shakkin Jigoku: Defure, Risutora, Dontokoi! (My Debt Hell: Deflation, Restructuring, Bring It On!), Shodensha, 2002
• Nihon Kaishi-jin Retsuden (Biographies of Japanese Mysterious Deaths), Fuso Publishing, 2002
• Hei no Naigai Kuishinbo Uōsaō (Gourmand's Coming and Going Inside and Outside the Walls), Kodansha+α Shinsho, 2003
• Neko no Shippo (Cat's Tail), Kodansha, 2003
• Number One ni Naranai Ikikata (How to Live Without Becoming Number One), Nihon Jitsugyo Publishing, 2004
• Aiiro no Umi (Indigo Sea), PHP Institute, 2004
• Tosei no Gakkō (School of Life), Leed Publishing, 2004
• Ōnuma Dake ni Mōke Sasenai: Ura-gawa Kara Mita Bakensū (Don't Let Only Horse Owners Profit: Horse Betting Techniques from the Underbelly), Haruki Bunko, 2005
• "Atama no Ii Waru" Dakara, Jinsei Umaku Iku! (Because You're a "Smart Bad Guy," Life Goes Well!), Mikasa Shobo, 2006
• Ura mo Omote mo Arumon Ka: Kakusa Shakai o Dashinuku Kōdōgaku (There's No Front or Back: Action Science to Outwit the Class Society), Leed Bunko, 2008
• Zetsumetsu Kigusyu no Yuigon (Testament of an Endangered Species), Kodansha Bunko, 2009
• Mō, Neko Nashi Dewa Ikite Ikenai. (I Can No Longer Live Without Cats.), Seishisha, 2013

8.2. Co-authored and Edited Works

• Yume o, Jitsugen Suru. Ashi o Aratta Ore no Ikikata, Jinsei no Hirakikata Tsūkai Katari-oroshi (Realize Your Dreams. My Way of Life After Quitting Yakuza, How to Open Up Your Life - A Refreshing Retelling) with Masatada Sato, Keizaikai, 1989
• Nihon no Meizuihitsu Bessatsu 56: Tobaku (Japan's Master Essays Special Volume 56: Gambling) (editor), Sakuhinsha, 1995
• Ōshōbu: Nomura Hanshin VS Nagashima Kyojin Otoko no Puraido o Kaketa Saigo no Tatakai (Big Match: Nomura's Hanshin vs. Nagashima's Giants - A Final Battle Waged on Men's Pride) with Yutaka Enatsu, Chukei Publishing, 1999
• Hito wa Naze Ikiru no Ka: Ikite Ite Yokatta to Omoeru Tame ni (Why Do People Live: To Feel Glad to Be Alive) with Eita Namioka, Bungeisha, 2001
• Hei no Naka Kara Mita Jinsei (Life as Seen from Inside the Walls) with George Yamamoto, Canary Shobo, 2004
• Jinsei Sōdan Gekijō (Life Consultation Theater) with Eimi Yamada, Chuokoron-Shinsha, 2014

8.3. Translated Works

• Ronald Richard Roberts, Edison-gun no Dobu (The Sewer of Edison County), Fuso Publishing, 1994
• George Foreman, Yaburezarumono (By George: The Autobiography of George Foreman), Kadokawa Haruki Corporation, 1995

8.4. Manga Original Works and Columns

• Shibuya Honky Tonk (illustrated by Masahito Tanaka, published in Weekly Playboy, Shueisha)
• Akai Dangan (Red Bullet) (illustrated by Naoshi Kishiyama, published in Big Comic Spirits, Shogakukan)
• Apsaras (illustrated by Yukio Miyama, published in Weekly Young Sunday, Shogakukan)
• Rainbow: Nisha Rokubō no Shichinin (RAINBOW - The Seven from Cell 2, Block 6) (illustrated by Masasumi Kakizaki, serialized in Weekly Young Sunday and Big Comic Spirits, Shogakukan)
• Gurentai no Kamisama, Manshuichi Densetsu Guren (God of the Hoodlums, Manshuichi Legend Guren) (illustrated by Nobuaki Minegishi, published in Kindai Mahjong Gold, Takeshobo)
• Korinai Henchō Abe Jōji no Nandakanda (Unrepentant Editor George Abe's This and That) (serialized column in Daily Sports)
• Rival Nihonshi 3 (Rival Japanese History 3) (by NHK Reporting Team, Kadokawa Shoten)

8.5. Adaptations

Works based on George Abe's novels or manga have been adapted into various media, reaching a broader audience and cementing his cultural impact.

9.1. Television

• Golden Kickboxing (Nippon TV network) - Commentator
• Quiz Sekai wa SHOW by Shōbai!! (Nippon TV network)
• Tsūseki (Nippon TV network) - Friday Partner
• Abe George no Sports ZANMAI (George Abe's Sports Frenzy) (MBS)
• Sekai Marugoto 2001nen (The Whole World 2001) (MBS, TBS network)
• Abe George no Abunai Yoru (George Abe's Dangerous Night) (TV Tokyo)

9.2. Television Drama

• Daihyō Torishimariyaku Keiji (Managing Director Detective) (1990-1991, TV Asahi network) - played Police Chief Shigezo Oshima
• Getsuyō Drama Special Hei no Naka no Korinai Menmen (Monday Drama Special: Unrepentant Inmates) (TBS network)

9.3. Television Anime

• City Hunter TV Special: Good-Bye My Sweetheart (1997, Nippon TV network) - voiced Erika (special appearance)

9.4. Radio

• Zubari Kaitō! Telephone Minoue Sōdan (Direct Answers! Telephone Life Consultation) (TBS Radio) - Respondent
• Hikaru Ijuin's Deep Midnight (TBS Radio)
• Dōdō! Tenka Gomen (Magnificent! Heaven's Permission) (Nippon Hoso)

9.5. Films

• Hei no Naka no Korinai Menmen (Unrepentant Inmates) (1987, Shochiku) - played Junichi Mizuta
• Hei no Naka no Playball (Playball Inside the Walls) (1987, Shochiku)
• Gokudō Tosei no Suteki na Menmen (The Wonderful People of the Yakuza World) (1988, Toei) - played Kiyoshi Ariga
• Crazy Boys (1988, Shochiku Fuji) - played the Ramen Shop Owner
• Comeback (1990, Shochiku)
• Shura ga Yuku 4: Tokyo Dai Sensō (Shura Goes 4: Great Tokyo War) (1997, KnacK) - played Iwao Onizuka
• Shakkin Ō 1 & 2 (King of Debt 1 & 2) (1998, Nikkatsu) - played the Head of Naniwa Minami Police Station, Osaka Prefectural Police
• Gokudō no Onna-tachi Kessaku (Yakuza Wives: Settlement) (1998, Toei) - played Egashira
• Gokudō wa Christian / Shura no Kōsō (Yakuza is Christian / Conflict of Carnage) (2004, KnacK) - played Kenji Suematsu

11.1. Cultural and Social Impact

George Abe's most significant cultural and social impact stemmed from his groundbreaking novel, Hei no Naka no Korinai Menmen (Unrepentant Inmates). This work, drawing directly from his extensive personal experience in prison, became a runaway bestseller and was widely adapted into films and television dramas. It played a pivotal role in popularizing the phrase "hei no naka" (literally, "inside the walls") as a common idiom for prison in Japan, changing how the public perceived and discussed incarceration. His narratives offered a raw, often humorous, yet deeply human perspective on the lives of inmates, revealing their daily routines, relationships, and even their unexpected resilience. This unique viewpoint, coming from an author who had lived through the very experiences he depicted, allowed for a discourse that moved beyond simple condemnation or romanticization of crime, instead presenting a nuanced look at individuals within the correctional system. Abe's work thus contributed to a broader societal understanding of the challenges and realities faced by those on the margins, fostering a more empathetic, albeit sometimes controversial, public conversation. His voice, blending a former yakuza's candor with a writer's sensibility, carved out a distinct niche in Japanese literature and media, leaving a lasting imprint on how stories of redemption and societal integration are told.

11.2. Criticisms and Controversies

Despite his popularity, George Abe's life and narratives were not without their criticisms and controversies. A notable point of contention was his own admission, as recorded by interviewer Go Yoshida, that "roughly only 10% is true, the rest is exaggerated embellishment" regarding his yakuza-era stories. He further stated, "Authors, like politicians and bureaucrats, never tell the whole truth." While this self-acknowledgment may be seen as an author's artistic license, it did raise questions about the factual accuracy of his autobiographical claims, particularly given the public's fascination with his "former yakuza" identity.

His association with organized crime, even after his purported departure, remained a shadow over his public persona. Some criticized his continued connection to, and occasional glorification of, certain aspects of the yakuza world, even if presented through a literary lens. Furthermore, his shifting political stances, such as his historical vote for the Japanese Communist Party contrasting with his public support for his former classmate Ryutaro Hashimoto (a prominent figure in the conservative LDP), and his later regret over voting for the Democratic Party (which he called a "second LDP"), could be seen as inconsistent by some observers. The anecdote of his confrontation with Governor Ryokichi Minobe over Minobe's breakfast at a luxury hotel, while perhaps reflecting a populist sentiment, also highlighted a sometimes confrontational and unpredictable nature that drew both admirers and detractors. These aspects collectively contributed to a complex public image, where his past, his statements, and the content of his works often intersected to provoke discussion and debate.