Summary

• Tokyo Drift was filmed in Tokyo without permits due to strict regulations on filming in the city.
• Director Justin Lin used guerrilla filming tactics to capture scenes in Shibuya, resulting in an arrest.
• Universal Studios hired a "fall guy" to take the blame for the illegal filming, protecting Lin from facing jail time.

The characters featured in the Fast & Furious franchise don't shy away from breaking the law, but the infamous The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift illegal scene shows that there was also some lawbreaking behind the camera too. Tokyo Drift was the third installment in the Fast saga, and also was the first directed Justin Lin, who would later be credited with bringing the franchise back to life with Fast Five. Rather than focus on Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) or Brian O'Conner (Paul Walker), Toky Drift shifted across the globe to follow Tokyo's illegal drifting community.

Though Tokyo Drift was the lowest-grossing movie in the Fast and Furious franchise, it was an exciting and bold new direction for the series thanks to the Tokyo setting giving it a fresh and vibrant feel. As it turns out, choosing to set the movie in Japan proved to be a challenge for the filmmakers, with the cast and crew having a difficult time getting legal permits to film in the city. However, with some bold moves from the filmmakers and some clever planning from the studio, Tokyo Drift pulled off an illegal scene that Dom and his crew would be proud of.

The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift is available to stream on Peacock

Tokyo Drift Filmed In Tokyo Without A Permit

It Is Notoriously Difficult To Get Filming Permits In Tokyo

When Tokyo Drift was still in development, Lin wanted to film in Tokyo to get the authentic look and feel of the city. More specifically, the director had his sights set on Shibuya, one of the most crowded locations in Tokyo. The thought was to have a sequence featuring a group of racers drifting through the cross-section. Getting a film permit is difficult in Tokyo, especially when it comes to foreign film crews.

Justin Lin and Universal Studios were well aware of the difficulty in acquiring film permits in Japan. In fact, most movies set in the city are shot at other locations and reproduced to look like Tokyo. Ever since the 1967 James Bond film, You Only Live Twice, Japanese laws and regulations around what is and is not permitted while filming a movie have become stricter. The process is expensive and frustrating, so Tokyo-set movies are rarely authentic.

While this technique has been used by filmmakers many times before, Lin's actions did result in an arrest.

Some directors went to great lengths to shoot on-location, like the case with Sofia Coppola negotiating heavily to film 2003's Lost in Translation. Not being able to acquire a permit through those typical means, Lin decided to film the illegal Tokyo Drift scene guerrilla style with no permits to ensure he got the shot he wanted. While this technique has been used by filmmakers many times before, Lin's actions did result in an arrest.

Universal Protected Justin Lin When He Broke The Law During Tokyo Drift

A "Fall Guy" Was Hired To Be Arrested For Tokyo Drift's Illegal Scene

While Lin went ahead with filming the illegal Tokyo Drift scene in Shibuya, the crew was quickly kicked out of the area by law enforcement. When the police attempted to arrest the director, another member of the crew claimed that he was Lin and spent a night in jail. Unknown to Lin, Universal had hired this "fall guy" to take the punishment on behalf of Lin and avoid having to face any jail time himself.

Lin managed to get some footage, but the majority of the Shibuya sequence was created through special effects. As for the rest of Tokyo Drift, the majority of the movie was filmed across California, specifically Los Angeles. Lin stayed out of trouble and had a good enough experience to return as one of the key aspects of the reinvigorated Fast and Furious franchise.