〃I guess。〃
〃What are you going to do now？〃 he asked。
〃I don't know；〃 I said。 〃I feel like going somewhere else。 But there's nowhere to go。〃
He nodded。 〃Leave the department？〃
〃Probably。 Certainly leave Special Services。 It's too 。 。 。 unclear for me。〃
He nodded。 〃Take care； kōhai。 Thanks for your help。〃
〃You； too； sempai。〃
I was tired。 I climbed the stairs to my apartment and went inside。 It was quiet； with my daughter gone。 I got a can of Coke from the refrigerator and walked into the living room； but my back hurt when I sat in the chair。 I got up again； and turned on the television。 I couldn't watch it。 I thought of how Connor said everybody in America focused on the unimportant things。 It was like the situation with Japan： if you sell the country to Japan； then they will own it； whether you like it or not。 And people who own things do what they want with them。 That's how it works。
I walked into my bedroom and changed my clothes。 On the bedside table； I saw the pictures from my daughter's birthday that I had been sorting when all this started。 The pictures that didn't look like her； that didn't fit the reality anymore。 I listened to the tinny laughter from the television in the other room。 I used to think things were basically all right。 But they're not all right。
I walked into my daughter's room。 I looked at her crib； and her covers with the elephants sewn on it。 I thought of the way she slept； so trustingly； lying on her back； her arms thrown over her head。 I thought of the way she trusted me to make her world for her now。 And I thought of the world that she would grow into。 And as I started to make her bed； I felt uneasy in my heart。
Transcript of： March 15 （99）
INT： All right； Pete； I think that about does it for us。 Unless you have anything else。
SUBJ： No。 I'm done。
INT： I understand you resigned from the Special Services。
SUBJ： That's right。
INT： And you made a written remendation to Chief Olson that the Asian liaison program be changed。 You said the connection with the Japan…America Amity Foundation should be severed？
SUBJ： Yes。
INT： Why is that？
SUBJ： If the department wants specially trained officers； we should pay to train them。 I just think it's healthier。
INT： Healthier？
SUBJ： Yes。 It's time for us to take control of our country again。 It's time for us to start paying our own way。
INT： Have you had a response from the Chief？
SUBJ： Not yet。 I'm still waiting。
If you don't want Japan to buy it； don't sell it。
AKIO MORITA
Afterword
〃People deny reality。 They fight against real feelings caused by real circumstances。 They build mental worlds of shoulds； oughts； and might…have…beens。 Real changes begin with real appraisal and acceptance of what is。 Then realistic action is possible。〃
These are the words of David Reynolds； an American exponent of Japanese Morita psychotherapy。 He is speaking of personal behavior； but his ments are applicable to the economic behavior of nations； as well。
Sooner or later； the United States must e to grips with the fact that Japan has bee the leading industrial nation in the world。 The Japanese have the longest lifespan。 They have the highest employment； the highest literacy； the smallest gap between rich and poor。 Their manufactured products have the highest quality。 They have the best food。 The fact is that a country the size of Montana； with half our population； will soon have an economy equal to ours。
But they haven't succeeded by doing things our way。 Japan is not a Western industrial state； it is organized quite differently。 And the Japanese have invented a new kind of trade … adversarial trade； trade like war； trade intended to wipe out the petition … which America has failed to understand for several decades。 The United States keeps insisting the Japanese do things our way。 But increasingly； their response is to ask； why should we change？ We're doing better than you are。 And indeed they are。
What should the American response be？ It is absurd to blame Japan for successful behavior； or to suggest that they slow down。 The Japanese consider such American reactions childish whining； and they are right。 It is more appropriate for the United States to wake up； to see Japan clearly； and to act realistically。
In the end； that will mean major changes in the United States； but it is inevitably the task of the weaker partner to adjust to the demands of a relationship。 And the United States is now without question the weaker partner in any economic discussion with Japan。
A century ago； when Admiral Perry's American fleet opened the nation； Japan was a feudal society。 The Japanese realized they had to change； and they did。 Starting in the 1860s； they brought in thousands of Western specialists to advise them on how to change their government and their industries。 The entire society underwent a revolution。 There was a second convulsion； equally dramatic； after World War II。
But in both cases； the Japanese faced the challenge squarely； and met it。 They didn't say； let the Americans buy our land and our institutions and hope they will teach us to do things better。 Not at all。 The Japanese invited thousands of experts to visit … and then sent them home again。 We would do well to take the same approach。 The Japanese are not our saviors。 They are our petitors。 We should not forget it。
Acknowledgments
For advice and assistance during my research； I am grateful to Nina Easton； James Flanigan； Ken Reich； and David Shaw； all of the Los Angeles Times； Steve Clemons of the Japan America Society of Southern California； Senator Al Gore； Jim Wilson of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory； Kevin O'Connor of Hewlett…Packard； Lieutenant Fred Nixon of the Los Angeles Police Department； Ron Insana of CNBC/FNN； and Keith Manasco。 For suggestions and corrections of the manuscript at various points； I am indebted to Mike Backes； Douglas Crichton； James Fallows； Karel van Wolferen； and Sonny Mehta。 Valery Wright shepherded the manuscript through seemingly endless revisions； Shinoi Osuka and later Sumi Adachi Sovak assisted ably with the Japanese text； and Roger McPeek gave me his understanding of video technology and future security systems。
The subject of Japanese…American relations is highly controversial。 I wish to state clearly that the views expressed in this novel are my own； and are not to be attributed to any of the individuals listed above。
Bibliography
This novel questions the conventional premise that direct foreign investment in American high technology is by definition good； and therefore should be allowed to continue without restraint or limitation。 I suggest things are not so simple。
Although this book is fiction； my approach to Japan's economic behavior； and America's inadequate response to it； follows a well…established body of expert opinion； much of it listed in the bibliography。 Indeed； in preparing this novel； I have drawn heavily from a number of the sources below。
I hope readers will be provoked to read further from more knowledgeable authors。 I have listed the principal texts in rough order of readability and pertinence to the issues raised in this novel。
PRINCIPAL SOURCES
Clyde V。 Prestowitz； Jr。； Trading Places： How We Are Giving Our Future to Japan and How to Reclaim It （New York： Basic Books； 1989）。
James Fallows； More Like Us： Putting America's Native Strengths and Traditional Values to Work to Overe the Asian Challenge （Boston： Houghton Mifflin； 1989）。
； 〃Containing Japan；〃 The Atlantic； May 1989； pp。 40…54。
； 〃Getting Along with Japan；〃 The Atlantic； December 1989； pp。 53…64。
Peter F。 Drucker； The New Realities （New York： Harper & Row； 1989）。
Ezra F。 Vogel； Japan as Number One： Lessons for America （Cambridge； Mass。： Harvard University Press； 1979）。
Karel van Wolferen； The Enigma of Japanese Power （New York： Alfred A。 Knopf； 1989）
Chalmers Johnson； MITI and the Japanese Miracle （Stanford： Stanford University Press； 1982）。
Michael T。 Jacobs； Short…Term America： The Causes and Cures of Our Business Myopia （Boston： Harvard Business School Press； 1991