Chapter 184 - Name and Reality 107 {135 Solo} (323-325 Toward Crime 5, Oshima's Last Will 1)
"I will accept being suspected itself, as I bear responsibility for my own actions. However, regarding that matter, I have given no instructions whatsoever, nor have I been involved. That is the sole truth."
Oshima denied it flatly, emphasizing every word.
"To be honest, we believe the reason why the Shiun Association, to which the perpetrator Kagami belonged, and the Sunpu Group, to which the other perpetrator... a man named Higashidate, whom you might know from later reports, belonged, were wiped out in the bombing was primarily due to the internal conflict structure of the Aoi-ikka. Our view is that the purpose of concealing the incident was, in a sense, secondary. Therefore, even for us, the degree of suspicion that you requested it isn't that strong."
Nishida spoke frankly, admitting that while he suspected Oshima's involvement somewhat, he was mainly considering the line of a solo crime by the Aoi-ikka side.
"After the bombing occurred, I was curious and inquired with the Koan (Public Security Intelligence Agency) and the police, and I heard that they had been caught up in some trouble related to North Korea. When I had them investigate further, there was apparently a story that Takamatsu (the Prime Minister) had been using those two organizations for preliminary negotiations with North Korea for the sake of this current negotiation to establish diplomatic relations."
It seemed Oshima had obtained the same information as Nishida by utilizing his power.
"And because of that, even though they were under the umbrella of the Aoi-ikka, they prioritized their relationship with the Eda-gumi, which was involved with Takamatsu, and were thus targeted by the Aoi-ikka, who saw it as a betrayal?"
When Nishida tried to reconcile the story based on information from Takagaki, Oshima seemed quite surprised.
"That's exactly it! This might sound rude, but were you in a position to obtain such information from above, even though you're low-level investigators who seem poorly informed about public security matters?"
"Unfortunately, as you might guess, it's impossible for that kind of information to come down to low-level investigators like us. It's frustrating... It's information from a completely different route," Nishida replied with a wry smile.
"I see... Whether it's the Ministry of Justice or the National Police Agency, the upper management and specific departments like to keep this kind of information to themselves. General investigators almost never get involved. Even if it's related to other cases."
While accepting this, Oshima himself seemed to recognize it as a problem for the investigative agencies as a whole.
"Did you confirm that point with Takigawa?" Yoshimura questioned again.
"No, I did not," Oshima answered simply.
"Why didn't you?"
To Yoshimura, who continued to press him, Oshima explained clearly.
"There are two reasons. First, it wasn't clear to me how the bombing was specifically related. I knew Kagami, who was in the Shiun Association, was involved in the Kyoritsu Hospital matter, but I didn't know if that was related to the bombing. Second, even if Takigawa were involved, there's no reason for him to admit it to me. Those fellows aren't so foolishly honest as to confess their own crimes to someone who isn't directly involved in the incident. You two should understand that as well."
"I suppose that's true..."
Yoshimura muttered as if to himself, and seemed unable to find any further words to say in return.
"For now, at today's stage, I've understood the outline of the series of incidents from what you've told us. We intend to press further when creating the deposition from tomorrow onward, so please continue to cooperate."
Nishida ignored Yoshimura and moved to wrap things up.
"Umu. Of course, I understand that, and I will cooperate." Oshima nodded deeply.
"As an aside, regarding Secretary Nakagawa... I believe the current situation is that he won't consider speaking of his own accord out of loyalty to you. If possible, it would be helpful if you could urge Secretary Nakagawa to confess directly in your own voice... Naturally, meeting directly is impossible outside of court, so it would be in the form of a voice recording. We'll need to have the lawyers on both sides work it out, but we'll make the arrangements here."
When Nishida made the request, Oshima spoke with downcast eyes.
"Regarding that as well, I intend to cooperate if I can. He has served me very well in other matters until now, but in this case, I have done something terribly wrong to him, albeit late in the day... I dragged him into something that would ruin his life... I can only say I took advantage of the fact that he was a loyal secretary to me. I want him to be at ease soon."
"Then, we'll be counting on you for that point as well."
Nishida felt that Oshima's figure looked smaller than when the interrogation began, but he said that as if to ignore it and took a breath.
"By the way, about the condition you gave us, Onodera-san. Uh... was it your last will as a politician? If you're going to talk about it, please do so now. As promised, we'll listen properly."
At Yoshimura's sudden remark, Nishida realized he had forgotten something important because he had been focused on Oshima's story. He had accidentally pushed the condition he had accepted to get Oshima to confess to the back of his mind.
"It's shameful for a criminal to ask for such a thing to be allowed. However, I feel that I cannot die like this as a politician... or rather, as a man who was a politician, without saying this. That said, if asked whether I have the right to say it to the general voters, naturally it wouldn't be permitted. That's why, in exchange for speaking the truth, I shamelessly asked you two at least to hear my thoughts."
Oshima looked at Nishida and Yoshimura alternately, revealing his inner thoughts as if savoring each word.
"Anyway, please feel free to speak. We'll listen in silence."
Prompted by this, Nishida encouraged him to speak.
"Then I shall do so without hesitation."
After Oshima finished saying that, he took a deep breath.
※※※※※※※
"What do you two think of Takamatsu—yes, Prime Minister Takamatsu?"
The two, who thought they only had to listen to Oshima's story unilaterally, were quite bewildered by being asked a question right from the start, but Nishida managed to speak.
"Let's see... I'm not well-versed in politics, but it seems the public's expectations are quite high for him to break down the existing vested interest structures. His claim to even destroy his own Minyu Party and the fact that he's different from previous ruling party politicians might be attractive to many people... Personally, I don't expect that much. To begin with, as a member of the civil service myself, I feel that the Japanese administrative system isn't so loose that it can be changed that easily, for better or for worse."
He gave a non-committal opinion, keeping his own affiliation with the police in mind.
"Umu. It's true that Takamatsu's statements are drawing attention, and there's no doubt he enjoys high support from the masses. And I'm naturally aware that 'old' politicians like us are his targets for attack."
Oshima went that far and gave a straight, wry smile, but immediately returned to a serious face.
"However, I have to say that the citizens (they) are ultimately being deceived by Takamatsu."
To this, Yoshimura spoke hesitantly, as if representing the opinions of the citizens and voters.
"It's true that since it's a politician speaking, there's a good chance there's some deception involved, or rather, it's a kind of exaggerated advertisement. But... I'm very sorry to say this, but isn't it precisely because 'political dealers' like you, Onodera-san, have done whatever you wanted until now that things have turned out this way? I'm sorry if I sound like a green youth saying something very insolent from your perspective."
"I see, what Yoshimura-kun says is also reasonable. I have no intention of denying it, nor can I. But beyond that, what we must consider is the essence of politics."
"The essence of politics?" Nishida questioned, as if to interrupt Oshima's story.
"Nishida-kun, have you ever heard the term 'night-watchman state'?"
"Vaguely... was it a state that only carries out the minimum necessary tasks, like national defense and maintaining public order like the police?"
Nishida replied cautiously in front of his subordinate Yoshimura, making sure not to say anything off the mark.
"Exactly. As opposing views of the state, there are concepts of the welfare state and the administrative state. And you two must know that almost all modern advanced nations are on the almost opposite side of that. Even the United States is no exception, where libertarian political thought—libertarianism—which thoroughly dislikes government intervention since the country's founding, still holds a certain power."
After explaining that much, he continued.
"In other words, there is no room for doubt that modern Japan is also such a state. This point should be clear to anyone who looks at reality, even if they lack knowledge in that area. And if we think about politics conducted on the premise of that view of the state, politics inevitably reaches the challenge of how to plan the 'distribution of vested interests held by the state.' That is... of course it's not just that, but in a sense, it's the essence of modern politics. To whom, what kind of interests, and to what extent should they be distributed? Thinking about that is the role of a politician, and the citizens entrust that to politicians; politics has such an aspect. There are many people who don't realize that social welfare is also, in other words, a distribution of interests."
He spoke and placed both arms on the desk, leaning forward toward the two. The figure of Oshima, who had looked shrunken compared to usual after confessing the details of the incident earlier, was no longer there.
"Onodera-san. What you want to say is, in short... are you trying to say that the previous construction-priority politics using public works projects was correct?"
Nishida showed a very skeptical view after Oshima suddenly brought the conversation to public works projects.
"To be precise, there are naturally parts that are correct. Public works projects themselves are absolutely necessary for any state, provided they are appropriate. This is not a personal view, but a mere fact. However, I have no intention of denying that we went too far with unnecessary things, and I deeply recognize, with self-reflection, that there is criticism toward us there. However, Japan's post-war high economic growth was established by widely distributing corporate profits—obtained by utilizing the Cold War structure and the Korean (War) and Vietnam (War) special procurement—to the entire citizenry. In other words, Japan's redistribution certainly bore fruit as the economic growth of the entire nation, leading to further growth of export industries thereafter, the cultivation of thick domestic demand industries accompanying the acceleration of redistribution, and public works projects in rural areas serving to distribute profits concentrated in urban areas to the countryside. The problem is that the distribution through those public works projects and such didn't visibly ripple down to many workers like salarymen in urban areas. This likely created significant dissatisfaction for them, especially after the bubble burst. However, as a distribution of profits to rural areas, it's also a fact that 'pork-barrel' spending like public works projects was the most efficient, including even now. Unfortunately, there isn't much else people in the countryside can do... Of course, I won't deny the ulterior motive of public works projects as the source of our voting blocks, but even if you remove that, the reality was that distribution methods to rural areas other than public works projects were quite difficult to find, even if they seemed to exist."
While there were likely excuses involved, Oshima analyzed it calmly.
"Then, even if you were to start over from the post-war period, are you saying you should repeat the same thing?"
Yoshimura seemed still unconvinced.
"There are parts that should be corrected, but as a direction of transferring income from those with high income to those with low income, it is not wrong in its broad framework. I repeat, Japan grew economically because of that and created the thick domestic demand structure that has continued to this day. To begin with, you two likely have almost no complaints about the distribution of social welfare other than public works projects, right? In other words, if it's a vested interest that concerns them, the citizens will ultimately accept it without any complaint."
He asserted. It was indeed a point that even Nishida found hard to deny.
"However, now the citizens want to rebuild that structure anew, and that's likely what's leading to the high support and expectations for the Takamatsu administration."
Nishida didn't counter directly but launched a gentle counterattack by stating the current situation.
"Exactly. The slogan of 'thorough restructuring' championed by Takamatsu resonates with the citizens and voters, and they are expecting the destruction of conventional vested interest structures."
Oshima affirmed that, but immediately dismissed such opinions.
"However, I have to say that they lack understanding."
"Even so, if we keep going this way, won't we just become 'boiled frogs' as Takamatsu says?"
Nishida was a little surprised that Yoshimura, who usually seemed uninterested in politics, was engaging so enthusiastically, but he surmised that it was precisely because he was that type that Takamatsu's existence likely piqued his interest.
"Unfortunately, I can only say that is largely wrong. Japanese citizens have always been very weak toward words like 'reform,' 'restoration,' or 'revolution.' Despite the fact that they extremely dislike big changes in their daily lives!"
As he said that, the old man flashed a momentary ironic smile.
"No, isn't reform necessary?"
Nishida also felt a sense of incongruity with this and tried to fight back, but Oshima brushed it off, his eyes almost bulging.
"Everyone knows that! The problem isn't the necessity of change itself, but the problem of direction!"
"Direction?"
"Nishida-kun, yes, direction! If you get the direction wrong, it won't be a reform but a change for the worse. Awareness of that is lacking, especially among the Japanese citizens and voters today. They mistakenly believe that all changes will go in the right direction. And once a change is made, in most cases, they don't even properly verify the results. Change itself has become the goal, and they have no interest in the outcome. And the direction of Takamatsu's politics is certainly wrong."
"I don't quite understand that part..."
The initial recognition that they should just listen to what the other party had to say in silence was already gone for the two. Nishida and Yoshimura were naturally being drawn into the exchange of opinions that they had initially thought would be troublesome, but they had no awareness of it at all.
"Takamatsu is trying to privatize state-owned businesses and public projects or transfer them to the private sector based on the logic that things that can be left to the private sector should be. He's also trying to abolish various regulations and introduce competition principles into every part, believing that is the right direction... No, he might just be pretending to believe it... Behind it, annual economic external pressure from America (Author's Note: Annual Reform Recommendations) might be involved, but since that's been the same until now, there's no point in just picking that out... Anyway. It's true that efficiency might worsen due to the involvement of civil servants or the state, or that regulations that don't fit the times might be hindering economic growth, and things that are harmful to the lives of the citizens also unfortunately certainly exist. I don't deny that."
"He's also saying he'll privatize the postal service. Surely he won't do that to the police, though."
Yoshimura shrugged his shoulders jokingly, keeping their own position in mind.