Robin Cook: Cure

“Meaning they could end up controlling what promises to be a trillion-dollar industry, an industry that Japan rightfully should control.”

“Well said.”

“How much of a threat is this defector?”

“Enormous. iPS USA teamed up with a Yamaguchi-gumi cohort here in Tokyo with help from some New York Mafia connections in order to carry out industrial espionage in Kyoto. There was a break-in at their facility — a university security agent was killed — and they were able to acquire the only hard copies of the defector’s work. These highly valuable lab books were irresponsibly stored in an unlocked file cabinet in a Kyoto University lab. It’s a complicated and potentially disastrous mess.”

Hisayuki had heard vague rumblings about the Kyoto University break-in, even about the security guard’s death, but nothing about it involving the rival Yamaguchi-gumi. He knew there had been other attempted inroads by the Yamaguchi-gumi into his territory. In contrast to the other Yakuza families, the Yamaguchi, centered in the city of Kobe, flaunted tradition by being an expansionistic organization across Japan. But the idea that they were aiding an American concern by conducting industrial espionage in Kyoto was an outrage of the highest order. As the oyabun of Aizukotetsu-kai, he had to protect the investment in iPS Patent Japan.

“Why is this researcher’s work so important?”

“Because of what he did behind everybody’s back. As I understand it, he was working on mice stem cells and mice iPS cells as directed by higher-ups. But on his own time, he was working on human cells. In fact, he was working on his own cells from self-done biopsies from his forearms. As it turned out, he was the first to produce human iPS cells — not his bosses, who have taken credit. When he tried to point this out to his superiors at the university, he was ignored, then terminated, and then denied entrance back into the lab to collect his personal effects. Those personal effects included hard copies of his work that backed up his claims and that had been purposefully deleted from the university’s computer. The man was treated abominably, though by standing up for his rights, he has been ignoring Japanese custom. Competition in today’s academia, with its close association with industry, can be brutal.”

“What do you think is going to happen?”

“What is already happening!” Kenichi said indignantly. “In fact, how we originally became aware of this whole mess was internally, from the Japan patent office. With iPS USA’s help, our defector has already initiated suit against Kyoto University and against the validity of their iPS patents by retaining one of the most prestigious patent lawyers in Tokyo. In contrast to his previous lab bosses, he had no contract with the university concerning ownership of his work, meaning he owns it and not the university. He now has a series of U.S. patents pending, which will clearly challenge Kyoto’s patents at the WTO here in Japan, as well as those held by a university in Wisconsin, since the United States recognizes the time of the invention, not the time of filing. They’re the only country in the world to do so.”

“This is obviously an emergency,” Hisayuki snapped, with his face flushing. Inwardly he was bemoaning his decision to invest so heavily in iPS Patent Japan. If this scenario the vice minister was portending actually came to pass, the market value of iPS Patent Japan would fall to near zero. Angrily he demanded, “What is the name of this traitorous defector?”

“Satoshi Machita.”

“Is he from Kyoto?”

“Originally, yes. But now he and his immediate family, including both sets of grandparents, are now quasi-domiciled in the USA and are fast-tracked to become legal residents. This all happened thanks to the collusion between the Yamaguchi-gumi and iPS USA, but mostly the Yamaguchi-gumi, who were responsible for getting them out of Japan and into the States. We’re not sure why the Yamaguchi would do such a thing, but it could be due to a financial association with iPS USA. ”

“Where in the States is Satoshi living?”

“We have no confirmed information. We have no address. We’re assuming he is in New York, as that is where iPS USA is located and he is a member of the company’s scientific advisory board.”

“Does he have family remaining in Kyoto?”

“I’m afraid not. Not immediate family. The Yamaguchi moved everyone, including his wife, an unmarried sister, and all four grandparents.”

“It seems that you are informing me of all this rather late.”

“Most of what I am telling you has come to our attention only over the last few days after the patent office was alerted to the initiation of the legal action. And Kyoto University hasn’t helped. They only informed us what was missing after the break-in when we asked them directly.”

“What is it that you would have me advise the Aizukotetsu-kai to do if I had the power to make some suggestions, which I’m not about to admit to?”

The vice minister cleared his throat by coughing into his closed fist. He was not at all surprised by the oyabun ’s ridiculous caginess, and responded in kind. “I’m not going to presume that I can tell the Aizukotetsu-kai how to run their organization. I felt it was important for me to tell someone what the current situation is and what the immediate dangers are to the Aizukotetsu-kai and its portfolio, but nothing more than that.”

“But something has to be done and done soon!”

“I totally agree, as does the minister and even the prime minister, but for obvious reasons our hands are tied. Yours, however, are not. You do have branch offices in New York, do you not?”

“What branch offices are you referring to, Fugiwara-san?” the oyabun questioned innocently, raising his bushy eyebrows for effect. There was no way he was going to tacitly acquiesce to such a statement, despite its being relatively common knowledge on the street.

“With all due respect, Ishii-san,” the vice minister said with a slight bow, “there is no time for posturing. The government is well aware of Yakuza operations in America, and their ties with local crime organizations. We know it is happening, and, to be honest, we are actually happy about your sending as much crystal meth to America as you do, since it means that it is much less of a problem here at home. Your other activities in terms of gun smuggling, gambling operations, and vice we are not so fond of, but it has been tolerated in case your connections could prove beneficial in some future circumstance, as in the current unfolding calamity.”

“Perhaps there are some acquaintances to whom I can pass along this information you have graciously provided,” Hisayuki said after a short pause. “Perhaps they can think of something that may aid both of our interests.”

“That’s the way it is supposed to work, and we at the ministry — in fact, the entire government — would be most appreciative.”

“I cannot promise anything,” Hisayuki quickly added as he weighed ideas. He knew they had to find the defector immediately, which he felt would not be a problem. But the perfidy of some Yamaguchi-gumi gang flouting established rules and operating in his city of Kyoto without his permission was a different problem. It could not be tolerated. He hoped it involved an isolated, renegade gang, and it was done without the knowledge of the Yamaguchi-gumi oyabun . Before he embarked on any course of action here at home, he vowed to find out that crucial bit of information. But he was limited by the reality that the Aizukotetsu-kai were dwarfed by the Yamaguchi-gumi like a developing nation facing a superpower.

“One thing that I would like to emphasize,” the vice minister said. “Whatever is to be done, particularly in America, must be done with the utmost discretion. Any harm to the defector must appear to be natural, and the Japanese government cannot be implicated in any way or form whatsoever.”