An Excerpt from KEIRETSU by Richard Brawer
An
interview with John Nagoya, excerpted from Keiretsu,
an explosive political thriller ripped from the headlines.
The
reporter for The United States Legal Journal looked a bit stunned when he entered
John Nagoya’s office, as if he had been escorted to the wrong place. The offices of other lawyers of Mr. Nagoya’s
stature that he had interviewed were opulently decorated with a lot of brass, chrome
and plush furniture.
The
décor of John Nagoya’s office seemed more fit for an junior associate—commercial
carpet, nicked and scratched wooden desk that looked like it came from a second
hand store, black lacquered sideboard, two visitor’s chairs and a couple of
Japanese wood block prints hanging on rice paper covered walls. No bar, no leather couch, no elaborate
bookcase with trophies and awards.
John
Nagoya: Come in. Please have a seat.
Reporter:
Mr. Nagoya, thank you for this interview.
Your story about how you were able to overcome your childhood hardships
and rise to such prominence as a lawyer will certainly be an inspiration to our
new subscribers who are just beginning their practice.
John
responded with a nod.
Reporter:
When did your family come to America?
John:
My grandfather immigrated in the mid 1890s.
Reporter:
Why did your grandfather leave Japan?
John:
Everyone knows how chaotic it was in Japan in the latter part of the nineteenth
century. Many were starving. My grandfather wanted a better life for his
children. My father said he was glad his father had died before he could see how
his dream for that better life had turned into a nightmare.
Reporter:
You’re referring to the incarceration of Japanese-Americans in the camps during
World War II. How old were you when you
were released?
John:
Nine
Reporter:
Do you remember anything about the camps?
John:
You keep calling them camps as if they were some kind of place to go to have
fun. We were American citizens and we were
thrown into prison. It was cold and
degrading. Families were crammed together with no privacy, and we never had
enough to eat.
The
reporter broke eye contact and looked down at his notes when he asked: How did you manage not to be forever
embittered when that mob murdered your parents after you were released?
John:
I was angry for a long time. I wanted justice for my parents.
Reporter:
How did you get past your anger?
John:
I grew up. I realized the best way to honor my parents was to do something with
my life that would make them proud.
Reporter:
Why the law?
John:
My father’s partner in a landscaping business before the war took me into his
house. He managed to re-establish their business and I worked for him after
school and on weekends, but didn’t want it for a career so I went to college
and law school at night.
Reporter:
Who was Mr. Ito, the other name on your law firm’s letterhead?
John:
The man who gave me my first job after I passed the bar.
Reporter:
And you eventually became a partner in his firm?
John:
Yes.
Reporter:
And he had Japanese clients?
John:
From before the war.
Reporter:
And Mr. Ito was able to re-establish relationships with them?
John:
Actually, no. Mr. Ito had passed by the
time one of those clients wrote him a letter asking to represent his company
again.
Reporter:
When was that?
John:
1973 I believe.
Reporter:
And that’s how you met your cousin in Japan you didn’t know you had.
John:
He had taken over a company after the owner died. Finding him was quite a shock. I found out our grandfathers were twins.
Reporter:
Your father never mentioned that?
John:
No.
Reporter:
It was through your new found relationship with your extended family that you
were able to take on your cousin’s conglomerate and many others Japanese
businesses as clients?
John:
I’m Japanese. It was a natural connection.
Let’s move on.
Reporter:
Your daughter is married to Senator Morrison’s son.
John:
That’s not a secret. What’s your point?
Reporter:
Senator Morrison is in a contentious committee hearing, accusing one of your
client’s companies of illegal labor practices.
Your son-in-law runs a large conglomerate here in the United States that
does a lot of business with your clients. Have you asked him to intervene with
his father on your client’s behalf?
John
stood: This interview is over.
Reporter:
Is helping Japanese clients circumvent American rules and regulations your way
of getting justice for your parents’ murders?
John
hit the intercom button: Sugita, please
come and escort my visitor out.
**********
Roger
knocked on the connecting door to his father’s office.
“Come
in, son.”
“I
saw the reporter leave. He seemed to be
in a huff. What happened?”
“He
became intrusive, and I asked him to leave.”
“About
what?”
“Our
clients and Danny.”
“I’m
sorry. When I talked you into it giving
that interview, Senator Morrison had not yet begun his hearings. We should have cancelled.”
“As
someone told me a long time ago, you can’t change what’s been done. So how’d it go?”
Roger
handed his father the signed contracts. “It’s done, but I still don’t think
it’s fair. Nine months ago just before the accident, Danny offered thirty-five
million for the Hanson company. Now when the executors are ready to settle the
estate he drops his offer to twenty-five million.”
“A
deal doesn’t stay on the table forever. Once it’s turned down, it’s considered
over.”
“I
know, but—”
“Obviously
if the trustees had gotten a better offer they wouldn’t have accepted Danny’s.
How old is the child?”
“I
think two by now.”
“Twenty-five
million will give him a hell of a start in life.”
“I
think he’d rather have his parents back.”
John
shrugged. “Wouldn’t we all.”
Continuing
to think about the Hanson child, Roger mused, Will the boy still be dwelling on his parent’s deaths sixty-seven years
from now like my father continues to do about his own parents? Of course there
are a couple of huge differences between that child and my father. Where a mob beat Dad’s parents, my
grandparents, to death, this child’s parents died in an accident. Where my
father was an orphan with no relatives and not a cent in his pocket, the Hanson
boy has $25 million and loving grandparents to raise him.
When
Roger didn’t get up to leave, John asked, “Is there something else, son?”
“Danny’s
business, is doing very well.”
“Is
that a question? You’re not begrudging his success?”
“No,
of course not.”
“Good,
because you should be happy for your sister. Danny has provided well for her
and your niece and nephew.”
“I
know, but I mean, it just seems so strange. He went from one electronics store
you had to talk him into starting to becoming the CEO of a huge conglomerate.”
“Look,
Roger, after Danny got his feet wet running a business, he really liked it. He
came to me and said he wanted to expand. I told him electronics retailing is a
cutthroat business, and I’m not going to live forever. After I’m gone his
connections with the Japanese suppliers may fade. I suggested he diversify into
other businesses. I set him up with a couple of hedge funds for capital and he
proved himself. That’s all there is to it.”
Except, it’s quite a coincidence
that the owners of four of the last six companies Danny acquired died in
accidents leaving no partners to take over, forcing the trustees into quick
sales. There was no way he would verbalize
that thought to his father without further investigation.
“Dad,
I don’t mean to be contrary, but Danny’s never been to Japan. He never met our
clients. He delegates each of his company’s presidents to handle their own
business.”
“What
are you trying to say, son?”
“I
mean, the companies in Danny’s United Industries of America do a lot of
business with our Japanese clients because of your connections. Wouldn’t Danny
be in the same situation as he would have been with the retail store?”
“No.
First of all Danny’s companies have become important to our clients. By
purchasing products from the United Industries of America’s group, a lot of
politicians’ demands that Japan import more from American companies has been
blunted. Danny’s companies sell so much to our clients that the balance of
trade argument has been turned away from Japan and toward China.”
“True,
but our clients could buy the same goods from Danny’s competitors. What if they
decide to do that once you retire?”
“That’s
where you come in. Japanese businessmen don’t make new affiliations easily. You
have gone with me to Japan and met all our clients. Your association with them
will assure their continued business dealings with Danny’s companies.”
“It’s
been a couple of years since I’ve gone with you. Maybe I should take this trip
instead of you to reinforce my relationships?”
“Not
this time. I have some complicated
issues to discuss with cousin Toshio.”
What was he hiding from me? Why does he only give me some insignificant
work when it comes to cousin Toshio? “Don’t you think it’s time you briefed me on
those issues? You do expect me to take
over the firm when you retire?”
“Of
course, son. You’re practically running
the firm now―”
Except for any dealings with
Toshio.
“When
I get back, I’ll fill you in.”
I’ll look forward to it.
“Good. I’ll hold down the fort.”
“I
know you will, son.”
And maybe I’ll do a little
digging into the Danny’s company files.
******************
While the
United States is focused on diffusing Iran’s and North Korea’s nuclear programs
the ultra-nationalist CEOs of Japan’s eight largest Keiretsus plot to build
nuclear weapons to protect their country from a menacing China, and a large
political action committee within the U.S. to thwart the expected U.S. cease
and desist demands.
Conspiracy, Lust, Infidelity, Treachery, Betrayal
and Murder. Marriages are destroyed; A
son abandons his father; A sister chastises her brother for disloyalty; A
cousin distrusts his cousin, questioning his fidelity; A mother-in-law openly
professes her dislike for her daughter-in-law; forbidden love becomes obsessive
lust.
Read more about Keiretsu
at my website: www.silklegacy.com
Link
to the Amazon page for Keiretsu. It is available in trade paperback and for
Kindle.
Link
to Barnes and Noble page for Keiretsu.
It is available in trade paperback and Nook.
Keiretsu
is also available on Kobo and other ebook sites and can be order in a trade
paperback from any bookstore.
Richard Brawer's Bio:
After graduating the University of Florida and a stint in the National
Guard, Richard worked 35 years in the textile industry. Always an avid reader, Richard began writing
mystery, suspense and historical fiction novels in 1994. When not writing, he spends his time sailing
and growing roses. He has two married
daughters and lives in New Jersey with his wife. Keiretsu is his seventh novel.
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