el.the miko-第48部分

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out　process。〃
　The　Board　of　Trade　that　Makita　had　mentioned　was　a　fascinating　institution。　Because　of　the　terms　of　the　Potsdam　Declaration　which　Japan　had　accepted　as　part　of　its　surrender；　no　private　Japanese　could　engage　in　international　trade。　Everything　had　to　go　through　SCAP。
　Therefore　the　Occupation　Forces　created　a　Japanese　organization　in　charge　of　accounting　for　and　distributing　imports　brought　in　by　SCAP　and　handing　over　to　SCAP　exports　manufactured　by　local　manufacturers。
　
　Nangi　had　never　had　much　to　do　with　the　EOT；　and　Makita's　mention　of　it　was　in　fact　the　first　time　he　had　thought　of　that　bureau　in　quite　some　time。　However；　when　he　returned　to　work　at　MCI；　the　Board　of　Trade　was　to　bee　a　major　force　in　his　life。
　As　it　happened；　Prime　Minister　Yoshida；　a　long…time　enemy　of　MCI's　since　he　had　a　distinct　distaste　for　their　linkage　to　the　old　wartime　ministries；　had　appointed　his　administrative　advisor　Torazo　Oda　to　head　the　BOX　three　months　ago　in　December　of　1948。
　As　Oda　began　to　clean　house　at　BOT　under　the　guise　of　removing　some　improprieties　he　was　purported　to　have　discovered　there；　it　began　to　circulate　that　Yoshida　planned　to　elevate　the　status　of　several　ministries　under　his　direct　control　to　help　decrease　MCI's　power。
　This　the　powerful　ministers　at　MCI　would　not　tolerate；　and　on　the　same　day　that　Nangi　was　out　of　the　office　interviewing　Makita　in　Sugamo　Prison；　there　was　an　emergency　high…level　meeting　at　MCI。
　The　ministers　decided　that　they　needed　to　forestall　Oda　and　Yoshida；　who　they　knew　were　working　in　concert　against　them。　To　this　end　they　were　in　agreement　that　they　needed　to　put　one　of　their　own　inside　BOT　to　keep　an　eye　on　Oda　and　report　back　to　them　his　every　move。　That　way；　they　felt；　they　would　always　be　one　step　ahead　of　him　and　therefore　could　deflect　him。
　There　were　few　candidates　to　choose　from；　principally　because　the　list　of　qualities　this　man　must　have　was　so　unusual。　He　must　be　highly　intelligent；　with　a　quick　mind。　But　just　as　important；　they　knew　he　had　to　be　someone　relatively　young　and　without　the　usual　gakubatsu　connection　that　would　inevitably　bring　him　under　Oda's　scrutiny　as　a　possible　rival。　In　short；　the　candidate　had　to　pass　through　BOT　virtually　unnoticed。
　They　came　up　with　only　one　name：　Tanzan　Nangi。
　When　Nangi　was　summoned　to　Vice…Minister　Hiroshi　Shi…mada's　office；　he　was　in　the　middle　of　amassing　his　mabiki　file。　In　fact　he　had　just　unearthed　several　interesting　tidbits　about　the　newly　appointed　vice…minister's　wartime　activities　at　precisely　the　moment　the　summons　came。
　He　listened　blank…faced　as　Shimada's　proposal　was　given。　There　was　really　no　question　of　not　accepting。　For　the　bureaucrat　as　well　as　for　the　mon　worker　A　isha　seishin；　devotion　to　the　pany；　obtained。　It　was　an　essential　part　of　kanryodo。　Yet　even　if　Nangi　had　had　an　actual　choice　to　make；　he　would　have　leapt　at　this　opportunity；　for　he　immediately　saw　in　this　what　Sun　Tzu　called　k'ai　ho；　to　open　the　leaf　of　a　door。　Thus　he　determined　to　swiftly　enter　this　gap　afforded　him；　his　eagerness　masked　by　humbleness　and　his　evinced　dedication　to　serve　to　the　best　of　his　abilities　Vice…Minister　Shimada　and　his　bureau。
　But　in　truth　it　was　Yoichiro　Makita　whom　Nangi　was　sworn　to　serve。　The　way　of　kanryodo　was　paramount　with　Nangi　just　as　it　was　with　Makita。　Each　recognized　in　the　other　that　which　was　inside　himself：　the　spirit　of　the　direct　descendants　of　the　Tokugawa　Shogunate　elite　warrior　caste；　the　true　samurai…bureaucrat。
　Nangi's　subsequent　appointment　as　chief　of　the　Trade　Section　of　the　Bureau　of　Trade　did　not　long　deter　him　from　continuing　with　his　pilation　of　dossiers。　In　fact　it　provided　him　with　a　new　source　of　confidential　information。　So　that　by　the　time　Makita　was　depurged；　he　had　a　four…inch…thick　stack　of　folders　within　which　were　revealed　the　peccadillos；　petty　and　not　so　petty；　thievery；　connivery；　and　outright　bribery　by　perhaps　two　dozen　bureaucrats　of　the　first　and　second　dan。
　On　the　day　after　Makita　became　a　free　man；　before　he　and　Nangi　had　a　chance　to　review　this　parade　of　malfeasances；　Nangi　was　summoned　to　the　office　of　Torazo　Oda。　What　the　minister　of　BOT　had　on　his　mind　came　as　a　total　shock　to　Nangi。
　Tea　was　served　on　a　polished　tray　of　filigreed　European　silver；　in　cups　of　bone　china；　poured　from　a　tall　acid…etched　silver　pot　with　curling　feet。　The　set　seemed　grotesque　and　immensely　overstated　to　Nangi；　as　all　things　European　appeared　to　him；　yet　he　smiled　like　a　monkey　and　heartily　plimented　the　senior　bureaucrat　on　his　exquisite　taste；　though　the　words　threatened　to　stick　in　his　throat　and　make　him　gag。　The　tea；　too；　was　not　to　his　liking。　It　was　an　execrable　and　ill…advised　bination　of　several　teas；　dominated　by　Orange　Pekoe；　that　somehow　managed　to　cancel　each　other's　aromas。　He　might　have　been　drinking　used　dishwater。
　When　he　plimented　Oda　on　the　tea；　the　older　man　told　him　it　was　an　American　import　called　Lipton。
　〃The　importance　of　America　cannot　be　overemphasized；　Nangi…san；〃　Oda　said。　He　was　a　heavy　set　man　with　the　overbearing　paunch　of　a　sumo。　He　was　impeccably　dressed　in　a　three…piece　pinstripe　suit　hand…tailored　for　him　on　Saville　Row。　His　black　wingtip　shoes　shone　like　mirrors。　〃It　is　time　for　us　to　put　away　our　kimono　and　geta；　time　for　the　Rat's　Head；　Ox's　Neck；　time　for　us　to　begin　thinking　about　more　than　our　gardens　and　the　perfection　of　the　tea　ceremony。〃
　He　watched　Nangi　for　a　moment　as　if　gauging　his　response　to　this　speech。　〃We　have　a　job　to　do　here；　and　since　the　gaijin　Joseph　Dodge　has　stopped　our　runaway　inflation　with　his　extensive　reduction　of　demand；　we　have　only　the　future　to　think　about　again。　And　our　future；　Nangi…san；　the　salvation　of　the　new　Japan；　lies　in　one　area：　international　trade。　Tsushd　daiichi…shugi；　trade　number　one…ism。〃
　He　paused　for　a　moment　to　sip　some　of　the　unpalatable　tea。　'Tell　me；　Nangi…san；　do　you　speak　English？〃
　〃No；　sir。〃
　〃Then　I　think　it　high　time　that　you　learn。　The　Prime　Minister　has　created　a　number　of　courses　for　bureau　personnel。　He　remends　joining；　and　so　do　I。〃
　〃I'll　look　into　it　immediately；　sir。〃
　〃Good。〃　Oda　seemed　genuinely　pleased。　〃My　secretary　will　provide　you　with　all　the　information　you　need　on　your　way　out。〃　He　sipped　at　his　tea　again。　He　had　ceased　to　watch　Nangi　with　such　scrutiny　and；　in　fact；　had　turned　partially　away　from　him　to　watch　the　busy　streets　through　the　window　behind　his　desk。
　〃Tsushd　daiichi…shugi。〃　He　said　it　softly；　almost　as　if　he　had　forgotten　Nangi's　presence。　〃An　admirable　goal。。。　and　a　necessary　one。　But；　really；　it　seems　to　me　that　in　this　new　atmosphere　of　what　we　must　term　high…speed　growth　we　will　require　an　entirely　new　ministry。〃　He　spun　around　to　face　Nangi　suddenly；　his　eyes　dark　and　…penetrating。　〃What　do　you　think　of　that　idea；　Nangi…san？〃
　〃I。。。　would　have　to　hear　more　about　it；　sir；〃　Nangi　said；　to　cover　his　shock。
　Oda　waved　a　meaty　hand。　〃Oh；　you　know；　a　ministry　whose　primary　function　was　to　oversee　and　control　all　foreign　trade；　technology。　It　would　have　the　power　to　dispense　preferential　financing　to　those　industries　the　government　had　chosen　for　development；　and　to　grant　those　industries　tax　breaks　to　make　their　growth　easier　and　speedier。〃　Oda　was　back　to　his　careful　inspection　of　Nangi。　〃Does　this　kind　of　ministry　sound　feasible　to　you；　Nangi…san？〃
　Nangi　was　caught　between　a　rock　and　a　hard　place。　How　should　he　answer？　Was　Oda…san　friend　or　foe？　Certainly　he　was　an　enemy　of　Nangi's　superiors　at　MCI；　but　that　was　not　really　the　issue　at　hand　because　from　the　moment　he　and　Makita　had　formulated　their　long…range　plans　in　the　prison　courtyard；　Nangi　had　for　all　intents　and　purposes　ceased　to　work　for　MCI。　At　least　in　his　heart。
　The　issue　now　was　whether　or　not　Oda　was　inimical　to　their　plans。　He　could　be　an　enormous　aid　to　Nangi　and　Makita　if　he　agreed　with　their　theories。　However；　if　Nangi　leaked　any　part　of　the　plan　to　this　man　and　Oda　turned　out　to　be　antagonistic　to　it；　he　would　certainly　destroy　the　nascent　plot　immediately。
　What　to　do？
　〃It　seems　clear　to　me；〃　Nangi　said　cautiously；　〃that　until　the　Occupation　Forces　leave　Japan　we　are　bound　to　them　hand　and　foot。　However；　I　have　heard　rumblings　from　Korea。　If　the　munists　there　carry　out　their　threats　to　reclaim　all　of　their　country；　I　believe　America　will　drag　us　into　that　conflict　with　them。〃
　〃Oh？〃　Oda's　eyes　were　heavy…lidded　and　the　overhead　lighting　made　it　impossible　now　to　see　them　clearly。　Nangi　made　a　mental　note　to　remember　the　effect。　〃How　so？〃
　〃I　think　they　will　have　no　choice；　sir。　Obviously　they　will　need　all　the　paraphernalia　of　war：　uniforms；　vehicles；　munication　equipment；　ammunition；　and　so　forth。　Korea　is　a　long　way　from　America。　We　are　close。　It　is　my　opinion　that　they　will　use　our　economy　and　put　it　to　work　for　them。〃
　〃That　will　be　good　for　us。〃
　〃Yes　and　no；〃　Nangi　said；　knowing　he　was　taking　a　chance。
　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　Oda's　face　was　absolutely　impenetrable；　and　Nangi　cursed　the　lighting。
　〃Precisely　this；　sir：　of　course　the　business　we　will　get　will　be　good　for　our　economy　because　there　will　be　a　high　degree　of　turnover　and　therefore　profits　will　blossom　like　cherry　petals　in　April。　However；　there　is　a　danger　inherent　in　the　very　speed　required。　Our　panies　are　all　undercapitalized；　and　it　seems　to　me　that　even　a　six　months'　delay　in　payment　will　be　enough　to　send　them　into　bankruptcy。　The　business　could　kill　us。〃
　〃More　tea？〃　Oda　was　refilling　his　own　cup。　Nangi　shook　his　head；　he　had　already　done　his　duty　on　that　score。
　Oda　slowly　stirred　his　tea　with　a　tiny　filigreed　spoon。　〃How　would　you　avoid　the；　er；　negative　aspects　of　this　situation；　Nangi…san？〃
　〃Your　new　ministry　would　do　nicely；　sir。〃　There；　it　was　done；　Nangi　thought；　willing　himsejf　not　to　sweat。　It　had　been　said　yet　not　been　said。　Now　it　was　Oda…san's　move；　and　depending　on　what　it　was；　Nangi　would　have　his　answer。
　〃You　know；　young　man；　that　your　own　Vice…Minister　Shimada　would　oppose　the　creation　of　a　new　ministry。〃
　〃He　is　no　longer　my　vice…minister；　sir；〃　Nangi　said；　neatly　sidestepping　the　trap。
　〃Ah；　yes。〃　Oda　put　down　his　cup。　〃Of　course　that　is　true。　It　had　slipped　my　mind　for　the　moment。〃
　And　now　Nangi　had　his　answer　and