His novels often depict Yakuza and it has been said that in this respect, they are autobiographical - Asada has admitted that he was once connected to a gang, specifically someone who ran businesses to raise funds for organised crime. Asada was connected to a "Nezumi kou" (a pyramid scheme fraud). However, Asada has denied ever having been actual member of a gangster organization. There was a period when he was living on money earned from gambling, and thus he has written many essays related to horse racing.