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〃I'm doing the best I can；〃 Nangi said with an edge to his voice。 〃But I cannot swim against a tide。 Keio is not a well…known university。 I know of only one other man in the ministry from there。 He's a junior and not a classmate； so he's no use at all。〃
〃Oh； stop sniveling； Nangi；〃 Oba…chama snapped。 〃You sound like a baby。 I'll not have such a demeaning display in this house； is that clear？〃
Nangi wiped at his eyes。 〃Yes； Oba…chama。 I apologize。 For a moment my frustration seemed too much to bear。〃
Oba…chama snorted again and Nangi winced； now the object of her derision。 〃What do you know of the capacity to bear pain； disappointment； and suffering？ You are only twenty…nine。 When you get to be my age you might have some inkling although； Buddha protect you； I hope not。〃
She squared her shoulders。 〃Now。 We do what must be done。 And that does not include crying over the inequity of a system which all young men must abide by。 Obviously gakubatsu；《 The bond between school and university classmates。》he first and； at least as far as the ministers are concerned； the strongest of the factions that will help you in your life； is of no use to you here。 But there are others。 We may rule out zaibatsu as well； since that bond is based on money and you have very little at this moment。
〃That leaves keibatsu and kyodobatsu。 Of the first； as far as you have told me you are not related by blood or marriage to any minister or vice…minister and the chances of you marrying into such a family at any time in the near future seems nil。 Am I correct？〃
〃Yes； Oba…chama；〃 Nangi said softly。 The bursting of his months…long frustration had brought no relief。 Rather it had given rise to a feeling of dull depression。
〃Lift your head up； Tanzan…chan；〃 the old woman said。 〃I want to look in your eyes when I speak to you。〃 Nangi did as he was told。 〃You look as if all is lost； my son。 It is not。〃 Her tone had changed； softening just a bit。 〃You speak to me of how ingenious your thinking is at the ministry。 It is time to bring some of that home； to guide yourself。
〃It is my understanding that in order to receive promotions each junior bureaucrat must have a senior to champion him。 Tell me； my son； who is your sempai？
〃I have none； as yet； Oba…chama。〃
〃Ah。〃 The old woman put down her cup and folded her mottled hands in her lap。 〃Now we e to the root of the problem。 You must have a sempai。〃 She knitted her brows together； her eyes crossed in concentration； the stylized mie used in the kabuki theater and in art。 〃The first three factions have been put aside； but what about kyodobatsu。 Have we； by chance； a vice…minister who es； as you do； from Yamaguchi prefecture？〃
Nangi thought for a moment。 〃The only bureaucrat of such senior position is Yoichiro Makita。 He was born in Yamaguchi just down the road from me。〃
〃Well； then。〃
〃Oba…chama； Makita…san was minister of the Munitions Ministry during the war。 He is now a class A criminal serving time in Sugamo Prison。〃
Now Oba…chama smiled。 〃You have been so busy working away at your ministry you have no time to read the newspapers。 Your Makita…san has been in the news lately。 You know that as well as being munitions minister； Makita…san had also been granted s cabinet minister status by Tojo。〃 Nangi stared at her clear…eyed。 It seemed as if he had suddenly awakened from a dream。 What was in Oba…chama's mind？
〃When the Americans captured Saipan in 1944； Makita…san publicly expressed his belief that the war was over for Japan and that we should throw up our arms in surrender。
〃Tojo was outraged。 Well； who can blame him； really。 In those days the word 'surrender' had been struck from the language； and rightly so； in the spirit of the intense patriotism we all rallied around。〃
〃But Makita…san was right；〃 Nangi said。
〃Oh； yes。〃 She nodded her gray head。 〃Just so。 But Tqjo called him to task。 Cabinet minister or no he would have no more of this defeatist talk。 As the head of the Kempeitai* he could have had Makita…san executed。 But he did not。 As it happened the minister had a number of influential friends in the Imperial Household； the Diet； even the bureaucracy； and they were strong enough to stay Tojo's hand。〃
Oba…chama picked up her tiny cup； poured herself more tea。 〃These facts have just e to light。 Last week； Makita…san's status was changed to unindicted class A war criminal and the machinery is currently under way to depurge him。〃 Those dark eyes watched Nangi carefully over the rim of the delicate tea cup。 She swallowed and said； 〃You know； my son； Makita…san served as vice…minister of merce and industry under three cabinets and as minister under a fourth。 That would certainly make him sempai； would it not？〃
〃Hai。〃
Oba…chama smiled charmingly。 〃Now eat your rice cakes； my son。 I baked them especially for you。〃
Sugamo Prison was a depressing place。 It had nothing to do with the physical aspect of the place； which was altogether ordinary。 In fact； in those areas not given over to cells； it might have been the repository for any one of the myriad ministerial bureaus housed across the city。
The indifference of those who ran Sugamo appalled Nangi more than anything else。 Yes； there were iteki…as Oba…chama would call them…always present。 But it seemed to Nangi as if the everyday administration of the prison had been given over to the Japanese； and it was the behavior of these people that affected Nangi so intensely。 To a man they exuded the shame and indignity the SCAP forces had put them through incarcerating their own people。 The daily horror of feeding； exercising； observing； and； most of all； punishing these war criminals was tattooed on their faces as clearly as if they were the inky artwork covering Yakuza flesh。
It took Nangi three weeks to burrow through the labyrinth of red tape guarding the entrance to Sugamo like a Gordian knot。 His vice…minister was of some help； though the man himself was
〃The military； then secret police。 unaware that his signature on a form in triplicate helped Nangi open the steel…clad doors of the prison。
The scent of defeat rather than despair perfumed the atmosphere inside Sugamo。 Bars were everywhere in evidence； and during his hours there the resulting striped sunlight gradually came to seem normal to Nangi。
Because Makita…san had been declassified and was in the process of being depurged； they allowed him to sit across from Nangi without the usual steel net screen between them。
Nangi could remember having seen Yoichiro Makita only once… in a photograph in the newspaper announcing his appointment as munitions minister。 That man had been hearty and as rotund as a Chinese； with a fine； wide face and broad； heroic shoulders。 The Makita who now appeared before him had another appearance entirely。 His body had lost most of its weight。 Because one could now see that he was a relatively large…boned man； his undermus…cled flesh appeared as thin as the skin over it。 He had an unhealthy pallor that made him appear almost jaundiced。
But oddest of all； his face had lost none of its roundness。 If anything； that moonlike quality had inexplicably increased； bloating his features。 All save his eyes； which seemed sunken i