〃Uh…huh。〃 Connor must have heard the skepticism in my voice。
〃Look；〃 he said； 〃Get this conspiracy stuff out of your head。 Do you want to take over Japan？ Do you want to run their country？ Of course not。 No sensible country wants to take over another country。 Do business； yes。 Have a relationship； yes。 But not take over。 Nobody wants the responsibility。 Nobody wants to be bothered。 Just like with the drunken uncle … you only have those meetings when you're forced to。 It's a last resort。〃
〃So that's how the Japanese see it？〃
〃They see billions and billions of their dollars； kōhai。 Invested in a country that's in deep trouble。 That's filled with strange individualistic people who talk constantly。 Who confront each other constantly。 Who argue all the time。 People who aren't well educated； who don't know much about the world； who get their information from television。 People who don't work very hard； who tolerate violence and drug use； and who don't seem to object to it。 The Japanese have billions of dollars in this peculiar land and they would like a decent return on their investment。 And even though the American economy is collapsing … it will soon be third in the world after Japan and Europe … it's still important to try and hold it together。 Which is all they're trying to do。〃
〃That's it？〃 I said。 〃They're just doing the good work of saving America？〃
〃Somebody needs to do it；〃 Connor said。 〃We can't go on this way。〃
〃We'll manage。〃
〃That's what the English always said。〃 He shook his head。 〃But now England is poor。 And America is being poor； too。〃
〃Why is it being poor？〃 I said； speaking louder than I intended。
〃The Japanese say it's because America has bee a land without substance。 We let our manufacturing go。 We don't make things anymore。 When you manufacture products； you add value to raw materials； and you literally create wealth。 But America has stopped doing that。 Americans make money now by paper manipulation； which the Japanese say is bound to catch up to us because paper profits don't reflect real wealth。 They think our fascination with Wall Street and junk bonds is crazy。〃
〃And therefore the Japanese ought to manage us？〃
〃They think someone ought to manage us。 They'd prefer we do it ourselves。〃
〃Jesus。〃
Connor shifted in his seat。 〃Save your outrage； kōhai。 Because according to Hanada…san； the Saturday meetings stopped in 1991。〃
〃Oh？〃
〃Yes。 That was when the Japanese decided not to worry about whether America would clean up its act。 They saw advantages in the present situation： America is asleep； and inexpensive to buy。〃
〃So there aren't Saturday meetings any more？〃
〃There are occasional ones。 Because of nichibei kankei： the ongoing Japanese…American relationship。 The economies of the two countries are interlocked by now。 Neither country can pull out； even if they wanted to。 But the meetings are no longer important。 They are basically social functions。 So what Sakamura said to Cheryl Austin is wrong。 And her death had nothing to do with the Saturday meetings。〃
〃What does it have to do with？〃
〃My friends seemed to think it was personal。 A chijou no motsure； a crime of passion。 Involving a beautiful； irokichigai woman and a jealous man。〃
〃And you believe them？〃
〃Well； the thing is； they were unanimous。 All three of these businessmen。 Of course Japanese are reluctant to express disagreement among themselves； even on the golf course of an underdeveloped peasant country。 But I have learned that unanimity toward a gaijin may cover a multitude of sins。〃
〃You think they were lying？〃
〃Not exactly。〃 Connor shook his head。 〃But I had the impression they were telling me something by not telling me。 This morning was a game of hara no saguriai。 My friends were not forthing。〃
Connor described his golf game。 There had been long silences all morning。 Everyone in the foursome was polite and considerate； but spoken ments were rare and reserved。 Most of the time； the men walked over the course in plete silence。
〃And you had gone there for information？〃 I said。 〃How could you stand it？〃
〃Oh； I was getting information。〃 But as he explained it； it was all unspoken。 Basically； the Japanese have an understanding based on centuries of shared culture； and they are able to municate feelings without words。 It's the closeness that exists in America between a parent and child … a child often understands everything； just from a parent's glance。 But Americans don't rely on unspoken munication as a general rule； and the Japanese do。 It is as if all Japanese are members of the same family； and they can municate without words。 To a Japanese； silences have meaning。
〃It's nothing mystical or wonderful；〃 Connor said。 〃For the most part it is because the Japanese are so hemmed in by rules and conventions； they end up unable to say anything at all。 For politeness； to save face； the other person is obliged to read the situation； the context； and the subtle signs of body posture and unstated feeling。 Because the first person feels he can't actually put anything into words。 Any speaking at all would be indelicate。 So the point must be gotten across in other ways。〃
I said； 〃And that's how your morning was spent？ Not talking？〃
Connor shook his head。 He felt he had quite clear munication with the Japanese golfers； and wasn't troubled by the silences at all。
〃Because I was asking them to talk about other Japanese … members of their family … I had to frame my questions with great delicacy。 Just as I would if I were asking whether your sister was in jail or any subject that was painful or awkward for you。 I would be attentive to how long it took you to answer； and the pauses between your statements； the tone of your voice … all sorts of things。 Beyond the literal munication。 Okay？〃
〃Okay。〃
〃It means you get the feeling by an intuition。〃
〃And what was the intuition you got？〃
〃They said； 'We are mindful that you have performed services for us in the past。 We feel a desire to help you now。 But this murder is a Japanese matter and thus we are unable to tell you everything that we might like to。 From our reticence； you may draw useful conclusions about the underlying issue。' That's what they said to me。〃
〃And what is the underlying issue？〃
〃Well；〃 Connor said。 〃They mentioned MicroCon several times。〃
〃That high…tech pany？〃
〃Yes。 The one that's being sold。 Apparently it's a small pany in Silicon Valley that makes specialized puter machinery。 And there are political problems about the sale。 They referred to those problems several times。〃
〃So this murder has something to do with MicroCon？〃
〃I think so。〃 He shifted in his chair。 〃By the way； what did you learn at U。S。C。 about the tapes？〃
〃For one thing； that they were duplicated。〃
Connor nodded。 〃I assumed that；〃 he said。
〃You did？〃
〃Ishiguro would never give us the originals。 The Japanese think everybody who is not Japanese is a barbarian； They mean it； literally： barbarian。 Stinking； vulgar； stupid barbarian。 They're polite about it； because they know you can't help the misfortune of not being born Japanese。 But they still think it。〃
I nodded。 That was more or less what Sanders had said； too。
〃The other thing；〃 Connor said； 〃is that the Japanese are extremely successful； but they are not daring。 They are plotters and plodders。 So they're not going to give us the originals because they don't want to take any chances。 Now。 What else did you learn about the tapes？〃
〃What makes you think there was something else？〃 I said。
〃When you looked at the tapes；〃 he said； 〃I'm sure you noticed an important detail that… 〃
And then we were interrupted by the telephone。
〃Captain Connor；〃 said a cheerful voice； over the speaker phone。 〃This is Jerry Orr。 Over at Sunset Hills Country Club？ You left without taking the papers with you。〃
〃The papers？〃
〃The application；〃 Orr said。 〃You need to fill it out； Captain。 Of course it's just routine。 I can assure you； there won't be any problem with it； considering who your sponsors are。〃
〃My sponsors；〃 Connor said。
〃Yes； sir；〃 Orr said。 〃And congratulations。 As you know； it's almost impossible to obtain a membership at Sunset these days。 B