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xtraordinary measures。 Regimes came and went。 Alliances were hastily formed and just as hastily dissolved。〃 Sato poured them both more wine。
〃I understand。 Many enemies could have been made then； as well as friends。〃
Sato nodded。 〃Those were pressurized times。 I often think that decades were pressed into years； years into months。 We acplished so much in such a small amount of time； ing back from the abyss of defeat； regaining our self…confidence。 It was as if we had to begin all over again。 The holocaust purged us in a way of many of the worst elements we had allowed to run our society。
〃Like the contents of Noah's Ark； we stepped ashore on Mount Ararat prepared to begin a new society。 And we did just that。 We overcame runaway inflation； we directed the growth of our industry through MITI and allowed picked sections to enjoy the most high speed growth known in the world。〃
He looked at Nicholas and smiled。 〃We were even successful at turning the slogan 'Made in Japan' from a derogation into a status symbol。
〃None of this was an accident； none of it was luck。 Our karma is great； and we continue to thrive though we sometimes experience growing pains。〃
He poured more sake； slopping some onto the lacquer。 〃But do you know the one thing we still cannot tolerate； Linnear…san？ It is the knowledge that even in times of an oil glut there is what amounts to a caravan of tankers arriving and departing Japan； day and night； dotting the Pacific in an endless stream。
〃The world must feed us in order for us to survive。 Like a mewling infant who cannot make his own food； we are stuck on these beautiful islands； on rock devoid of all fossil fuels。
〃Can you understand how galling that is for us； Linnear…san？〃 He nodded sagely。 〃But of course you can。 You are part of us； after all。 I can see that even if others cannot。 And you know there is truth to the saying that misfortune never lasts a lifetime。〃
He sighed heavily。 〃But I tell you that sometimes I am not certain。〃 His hair hung lankly on his head and his kimono had e partly unwrapped so that Nicholas could see a broad section of his hairless chest and the edge of one dark nipple。
〃The truth is；〃 he said； his voice slurring slightly； 〃that there are times when I miss my wife。 Oh； not Akiko。 No； no。 I was married before。 Mariko was her name。 Beautiful Mariko。 She was very young when we met。〃 He smiled again and Nicholas could discern a light； boyish quality pushing through the years of accumulated sorrow。 〃And I？ Well； I was a good deal younger； too。
〃Nangi…san and I already knew each other。 He was in MITI and I was in business。 I had several kobun in those days and all were successful。 In some matters I relied on Mariko's judgment。 It was she who had remended that I buy the Ikiru Cosmetics pany。 This was in 1976。 Ikiru manufactured face creams and astringents； and when I purchased it the Japanese cosmetics boom was just beginning its sharp upswing。
〃The investment was fantastic。 In the first year of acquisition alone the keiretsu made back its purchase price and even showed a small profit from Ikiru。 The future looked bright indeed for the second year。
〃As part of her familial duty Mariko began to use Dtiru's products herself； rationalizing that she certainly could not expect all her friends to use Ikiru's products if she herself did not。
〃Because her perfect porcelain skin was her pride she used the face cream and astringent twice a day as she had with her former brands。 Several months later she began plaining of headaches of migraine intensity。 These would often last several days。 She would bee alarmingly dizzy on and off during that time。
〃I took her to a doctor。 He could find nothing wrong with her and suggested a week at a spa for relaxation。 Dutifully following his advice； I packed her off to the peaceful countryside。 But at the spa Mariko became ill with a fever that went well above 103。 When another physician was summoned by the worried proprietors； he found her heartbeat irregular and far too rapid。
〃At their urging； he phoned me。 I went immediately and fetched her。 In Tokyo； she was referred to a specialist； who after administering a battery of tests informed her that she was having trouble with her gall bladder。 He prescribed some。medicine。
〃But the fevers persisted and now she began to feel that the flesh of her face was sticky beneath the glossy skin； so she used the astringent even more religiously after each application of the face cream。
〃Until one morning she woke up to discover that the skin all over her body was as slick and smooth as that of her face。 Running her hand down her leg； it seemed more the appendage of a wax doll than that of a human being。
〃More upset than ever； she returned to the specialist； who subjected her to yet another battery of tests。 This time he assured her it was her pancreas。 More medicine was prescribed and dutifully consumed。
〃A week later Mariko awoke in a sweat。 She sat up with a start； her heart beating like a triphammer。 She had been dreaming。 Blood in her dreams。 And now looking down at her pillow she saw a reddish brown stain there。
〃Automatically she put her palm up to her cheek。 It came away smeared with blood and some other discharge she could not name。 Hysterical now； she called out for me； and this time I insisted she be admitted to the hospital。
〃She had lost a lot of weight and now she had trouble breathing。 Yet the doctors could detect nothing wrong with her lungs or indeed her respiratory system。 Matter continued to ooze from her pores and Mariko had to be restrained lest the incessant itching cause her to lacerate her skin。 She continued to insist that something was under her skin。
〃The matter she exuded was sent to the hospital's lexicological lab for analysis but the technicians were overworked； and in any event testing takes time。
〃In the interim； Mariko went on continuous IV； unable to eat。 Slowly she slipped away from me； submerged in a a that was as inexplicable to the physicians as were all of her other symptoms。
〃She died less than a week later； drifting from the twilight of a； from half…death to the full measure of sleep； without ever having regained consciousness。 I cannot remember having said good…bye to her or even that I loved her during those long days and even longer nights。〃
There was no more food and even the wine was gone。 Empty plates stared at them from the litter of the table。
〃It was only some consolation；〃 Sato said； 〃when the toxico…logical lab finally worked out the problem。 It seemed that the face cream she had been using contained a paraffinlike polymer； similar to one used in the manufacture of enamel paint。 The astringent dissolved that particular polymer； thus allowing it to be absorbed by her bloodstream。 It had blocked the pores of her skin； suffocating her by minute degrees； and had affected a number of her internal organs； including her gall bladder and pancreas。
〃At once thunderstruck and heartsick； I immediately took steps to alter the formulas of Ikiru's products and； that done； began to list all the ingredients in Ikiru products on their containers。 But it was not until 1979 that the Japanese Ministry of Health and