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The Bismarckian system of 〃monarchic constitutionalism〃 also served the Meiji oligarchs well since it made the prime minister and the army responsible not to parliament but to the monarch。 The interim result was a relatively weak and ineffectual Diet and a powerful bureaucracy laced with supporters of the Meiji oligarchs。 Thus was the will of the people carried out。
And yet for all its subterfuge and illicit lines of power； the growth of the non…political bureaucracy as the center of the government found great favor among the Japanese； for the corrosive memory of the privilege accorded the two families； Satsuma and Choshu； still burned like a fire within them。 What they appreciated about the formation of the bureaucracy was that it was open to all men who had trained diligently and well and who displayed the proper aptitude and fortitude in scoring highly in examinations which could not be more impersonal and thus impartial。
And yet the ultimate result was never perhaps anticipated by the Meiji oligarchs。 For with the solidification of the bureaucracy's power as the center of the new government； and with； at last； the passing of the last of the oligarchs； the true power within the government devolved entirely into bureaucratic hands both civilian and； just as importantly； military。
And all this； truly； was the legacy of the Tokugawa。 An important lesson； especially for a young man wandering the land of a soon…to…be…defeated country who must think toward the highly uncertain and volatile future。
Change was ing； and the sight of the Tokugawa mausoleum breaking through the stairway of trees between which he had been walking brought home to Nangi just how much he wanted to be part of that change。 Because the alternative was too horrendous to contemplate： to be swallowed whole in the inevitable war crimes tribunal of the occupation forces。
Nangi paused； looked quickly around him。 He appeared to be alone。 He turned and stepped off the path； moving quietly into the protection of the；trees。 In a tiny clearing he knelt down and； removing his army uniform from the small bag he was carrying that contained all his possessions； he rolled it into a rough ball and lit a match to it。 It took some time until it was all gone。 At last he stood creakily and ground the ashes into gray dust。
That done； he returned to the path to search out Seiichi Sato and bring him home。
Seiichi was not at all like his fallen brother。 For one thing； he lacked the wild sense of of humor that made Gotaro so easy to be with。 For another； he was not a Christian。 Seiichi was a swiftly maturing boy with a serious outlook on life。
On the other hand； Nangi found him to be supremely quick witted and a man…it was impossible to think of him as a boy… open to new and unusual ways of thinking。 Primarily because of this quality…fully as unusual as wild； gusting humor…the two formed a solid core of confidence and trust in and for one another。
As for Seiichi； he took the news of his older brother's death well。 Nangi had first caught sight of him as a black silhouette within the gloom of the mausoleum doorway。 He had introduced himself and they had spoken for a long time。
Then； in the intuitive way some younger people have； Seiichi's eyes shifted and he said； 〃You have e to tell me Gotaro…san has been killed。〃
〃He died a samurai's death；〃 Nangi said。
Seiichi looked at him peculiarly。 〃That might not have made him as happy as it makes me。〃
〃He was Japanese； after all；〃 Nangi said。 〃His。。。 faith in another God did not enter into it at all。〃 He turned as if changing the subject。 〃He saved my life； you know。〃
Ultimately what bound them was their mutual desire not to die at war's end。 Neither were soldiers of the Emperor； they certainly did not think of themselves as kamikaze； falling like cherry petals on the third day of their brief bloom。 Yet； for all that； they were patriots。 And it was this very love of country which spurred them on。 Nangi was farsighted enough to want to see Japan rise from the rubble this stupid and ineptly fought war had reduced it to； Seiichi was young enough to still believe in the idealism of the world。 Together； Nangi thought； they just might be unbeatable。
To this end； he began Seiichi's education in kanryddo； the modern Japanese's bushido； the way of the bureaucrat； while Seiichi was finishing his last year at Kyoto University。 Nangi thought that he would need a particularly salient example to hook Seiichi into this new way of thinking。 He asked Seiichi if he knew the best route to political power in Japan。
Seiichi shrugged his shoulders。 〃The National Diet； of course；〃 he said with the absolute surety of youth。 〃Isn't that where all politicians gain their experience？〃
Nangi shook his head。 〃Listen to me； Seiichi…san： not one of Tojo's cabinet ministers ever served in the parliament。 All were former bureaucrats。 Any time you feel your interest flagging； I urge you to remember that。〃
〃But I have no desire to bee a civil servant；〃 Seiichi plained。 〃And I can't understand your desire to bee one。〃
〃Have you ever heard the phrase tenno no kanri？ No？ It is the definition of the Japanese bureaucrat； an official of the Emperor。 Imperial appointment gives to them the status of kan； a word of Chinese origin that meant； in those faraway days； the home of a mandarin who presided over a city。 Kan is power； Seiichi； believe me。 And no matter what the American occupation forces do to us； in the end； kan will rule Japan and make it great once again。〃
Of course history proved the veracity of Nangi's words。 Though General MacArthur's SCAP； the occupation authorities； changed the bureaucracy drastically from 1945 onward for seven years； they did not and indeed could not eliminate it。 In fact； they unwittingly strengthened one area： the economic ministries。
SCAP did away with the military pletely。 This they were pelled to do； but not understanding the fundamental nature of Japanese government； they failed to see the ramifications of their action。 For the military had been the chief rival of the economic ministries。
But now the war crimes tribunal set in sights further afield and began calling in certain influential members of the zaibatsu； the great family…run industrial bines whose might had propelled Japan into the war in the first place。
With the transformation of the zaibatsu and the inevitable weakening of their influence as the tribunal's dedicated officers sifted through the rosters seeking out more war criminals in hiding； a power vacuum was created； into which the economic ministries again stepped。
Shortly after the Ministry of merce and Industry was purged of forty…two members…among the lowest percentage found within the government…Tanzan Nangi achieved a position in kosan kyoku； the Minerals Bureau。 This was in June of 1946 and Shinzo Okuda； the current vice…minister； was glad to have him。 Nangi had gone to the right schools and； just as importantly； came to the ministry without taint as far as the war was concerned。 He had never achieved a high enough rank or the kind of notoriety for him to have e under the scrutiny of the SCAP tribunal。 He had also worked at the Industrial Facilities Corporat