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rously fought to have the facts in the scandal made public knowledge。〃
〃Just like a gaijin。〃
〃On the contrary； Nangi…san。 Just like a Japanese。〃
Nangi shifted position to ease the stiffness ing into his muscles。 〃I don't understand。〃
〃Unlike most of the iteki in SCAP； who had no concept of the lethal consequences of their planned public humiliation…for they saw it only as a revealing of the truth…Colonel Linnear knew what Shimada must do。 Oh； yes； Nangi…san； he wanted Shimada dead almost as badly as I did。〃
〃What is another Japanese life to an itekf！〃
Makita heard the bitterness in his friend's voice and wondered at the innumerable kinds of rationalization the human mind could unearth in order to protect itself from psychic trauma。 It was apparently easy for Nangi to believe someone like Colonel Linnear would engineer the death of a Japanese merely because he was a barbarian。 Did it occur to Nangi that he himself was the minister of justice in this case； meting out Shimada's death sentence in order to help speed Japan's high growth through the direct control of MITI。 Now who is rationalizing？ Makita asked himself。
He had no doubt about Nangi's brilliance； however。 The man had been dead right with his prediction of the Korean War。 America had put Japan on a war…materiel manufacturing blitz； and many of the nascent panies dragooned into gearing up were helplessly undercapitalized。
SCAP saw this immediately and allowed the Bank of Japan to step up its loan rate to the twelve city banks； who then passed the money on to the panies in need。 For weeks Makita had been thinking of a way to capitalize on this development； for he saw that a lack of adequate financing would leave many panies open to foreign takeover。 This he felt quite strongly must never be allowed to occur； and he was in the process of extending MITI's power in this area so that all foreign investors would have to e to MITI to seek permission to approach a pany。
〃How is our friend Sato…san making out？〃 he asked。
〃Quite well；〃 Nangi said； reaching for one of the mochi； concentrated rice cakes that Oba…chama had baked for them。 They were three days into 1951 and these were traditional new year's fare。 〃He has managed to rise to the vice presidency of his mining konzern； overseeing all coal operations。〃
Makita grunted。 〃Take care you drink plenty of water with those；〃 he observed。 〃My brother was a doctor and he used to dread the first two weeks of every new year because he was constantly running from patient to patient； trying to unblock intestines clogged with indigestible mochi。〃
〃I wouldn't let Oba…chama hear you say that；〃 Nangi said； taking another bite。 〃But just to be on the safe side； I think I'll have some more tea。〃 He leaned forward。
〃She misses him； you know；〃 Makita said after they had drained their cups。 〃Sato…san。 He's making a great deal of money and a solid name for himself。 But he's up north and he rarely gets a chance to see Oba…chama。 Now if only his konzern had an office here in Tokyo。 But they're much too small on their own。 It wouldn't be profitable。 Only the city bank that subsidizes them is located here。〃
A warning bell went off in Nangi's mind。 On the surface there seemed no relation to what Makita had just said and the problem he had been working on。 And yet he trusted his senses enough to know that if he took the time to probe beneath the surface； he would find the link。
The problem revolved around money and who had money other than banks。 For a moment Nangi's mind was blank； and then the meshing of ideas hit him with such dazzling force that he was rocked back on his buttocks。 Yes； of course！
His eyes cleared。 〃Makita…san；〃 he said softly。 〃May I have your assistance？〃
〃You have it gladly。 You have only to ask。〃
〃Here is what we must do； Makita…san。 MITI must resurrect the zaibatsu。〃
〃But they were our enemy。 At every turn they sought to draw power away from the ministries。 And in any event the Occupation Forces have banned zaibatsu forever。〃
〃Yes；〃 Nangi said excitedly； 〃the old zaibatsu。 But what I am speaking of now is something new； kin…yu keiretsu； financial linkages。 As a base； we will take a bank because only a bank has enough capital to finance such a setup。 Its capital will finance several industrial firms； oh； say； steel； electronics； and mining； and a general trading pany。 In times of expansion； as we have now； the bank will be able to underwrite its own panies and； conversely； during times of economic recession； which must surely hit us； Makita…san； the trading pany will be able to import raw materials on credit and promote the keiretsu's products overseas； thus avoiding any stockpiling in a contracting domestic market。〃
Makita's eyes were shining and he rubbed the palms of his hands together。 〃Call Sato…san immediately。 We'll start with the bank underwriting his pany。 We'll elevate him and in the process bring him home。
〃Oh； this is brilliant； Nangi…san。 Brilliant！ By next year SCAP will be gone and MITI can do whatever it feels is necessary to propel Japan to the forefront of international trade。〃
〃What about control？〃 Nangi asked。 〃We must ensure that what happened with the zaibatsu never happens with these new keiretsu。 We must bind them to the ministries as part of their charter。〃
Makita smiled。 〃And so we shall； Nangi…san。 Because MITI directs policy； because we can issue write…offs in certain areas and not in others； because we can authorize sizable payouts as insurance against bad debt trade contracts； we can totally control the trading panies。 And without the trading panies the keiretsu is useless。 Any bank will see that reasoning。〃
〃Ah； even the Prime Minister will see the pureness of the keiretsu； since it is a perfect way to direct what capital is available into the right economic channels。〃 They were like two children wonderingly examining a marvelous new toy。 〃It's the perfect long…range plan。 Because the individual panies within each keiretsu are totally financed by the bank； they can concentrate on market penetration； developing the best possible product； and not on shareholders' demands for short…term profitability。〃
Makita sprang up。 〃This calls for a celebration； my young friend！ Tomorrow is soon enough to speak to Sato…san。 Tonight； we are off to a place I know in karyukai。 A night in the willow world will do us both a great deal of good。 e； we are off to Fuyajo； the Castle That Knows No Night； where the sake flows until dawn and we will Ik on pillows that breathe with infinite softness and create patterns of eternal delight！〃
An exaltation of larks clung to the flame…decorated branches of the stately maple that grew on one side of the garden that had originally attracted Nangi and Sato to this house near Ueno Park。 Brisk October winds had scoured the sky； vaporizing the stringy clouds near the horizon and turning the air to crystal。
As Nangi watched； clad in a padded kimono； a black field with a pewter design； the larks burst from the maple in a fine spray as if he were on the bow of a ship churning through the Pacific。 Then； like the Occupation Forces； they were gone； swallowed up in the enormous cerulean sky； the color as transluc