Could the groom please raise his right shoulder a little?
I'll definitely take you there with me, to the highest position.
If their goal is our financial power,
We could use that to advance your political career. It would be a convenient marriage, wouldn’t it?
He is, as it is, creating the route for his political ambition.
Ah, please, could you move inside a little?
Yes, that's fine. Thank you.
Ma'am, a little closer inside...
Marriage...was never an option for us.
I may lose everything.
If you insist on being with her,
please cut off all ties with the Arikawa family!
I will decide what to do with my own life.
A little more inside, ah, thank you.
I thought I'd give you an inside scoop as a reward.
A scandal about the Prime Minister.
Everyone, please look towards the camera.
Say cheese!
Democratic Party's daughter marrying the heir of a big hospital
Sorry to keep you waiting.
Is this length for your hair okay?
PM Takizawa and an ex-China spy:
THIS IS THE SITE OF THE SECRET MEETING
Mr. Hasebe! Have you met with the PM?
Where is the PM right now?
Due to illness, the PM has been admitted to hospital.
That's not true right, Mr. Hasebe!
Yes...yes, please excuse me.
Couldn't we have done something about it?
I'd never have thought the weekly magazine would have exposed this.
Then, where is the PM now?
He's in my villa in Hakone.
The chairman of the executive council is waiting.
I know.
Now that it's come to this, we have to ask Mr. Takizawa to step down.
That's our only option.
To think this would happen just before the House of Councilors election!
How hateful!
Sir...
Finally, it's about time.
Ah, here's the Chinese woman I was talking about.
Her name is "Qiqi".
Destiny 1969-2010 Once upon a time in Tokyo
HaroRangers http://harorangers.com/
Translation: yuch Editor: RaspberryLatte Timing & typesetting: Drazic Encoding: Cry5tal
This affair must have worried the Arikawa family too.
Takashi-kun must have been surprised to have heard the news the moment you got back.
You must have seen this.
What has the PM said regarding this article?
He says it's a complete misunderstanding
and that she was just a normal friend.
What's this about?
He said he'd merely had a meal with her.
Whether or not they had an affair is really not the issue.
The problem is, that woman is an ex Chinese spy.
If they've known each other since 12 years ago,
this dates back to period when Mr. Takizawa was the Minister of Health and Welfare
PM - arrangements have been made for food.
If you don't eat it will harm your health.
At that time, she came to Japan as an interpreter for the Chinese government.
Even Mr. Takizawa probably didn't know that she was a spy at that time.
If this article is true, what will happen to the PM?
Well, without a doubt,
it will be his downfall.
Then, what will happen to Takashi?
The PM was supposed to be Takashi's go-between for the marriage.
That's true - that may have a negative impact on Takashi's future.
Why would the PM's scandal affect Takashi?
In the political world, if someone agrees to be your go-between
it means that he is giving you political backing.
Even if he really isn't, that's how it will be seen.
It's all right, there's no need to worry.
There's still some time before my political debut in Iwate.
By that time,
Mr. Shirai would have taken over as PM.
Why do you say that?
I belong to the Takizawa faction, you know.
If my boss goes down...
I don't know what will happen to me -
Before the House of Councilor elections,
The PM wouldn't want the largest faction in the Democratic Party to break down half way.
Isn't there a possibility that the PM could withdraw gracefully before that happens?
In such a case, his natural successor would be none other than Mr. Shirai.
That's what I think.
When that happens, please take care of us.
Here, Takashi.
Thank you.
You must be tired from the jet-lag.
That's true.
By the way, about the reporter from Tokyo Weekly who's covering our marriage...
Mr. Tokitou?
Does he visit your place often?
Yeah, relatively often. It seems Father takes care of him.
Speaking of, I wonder if Mr. Tokitou knew about the article...?
Why?
Because if he knew, he'd have told Father earlier.
He's that close with your Father?
They were from the same hometown.
And it seems that he has high hopes for Father to succeed politically.
TO: Tokyo Weekly editor
I'm much obliged for the wedding reception.
More importantly, when you got back last night, you were surprised right?
Yeah, I didn't think the PM would...
I wonder how a mere weekly magazine could have gotten hold of such a big scandal.
That's what worries me.
That is actually old news.
The Foreign Affairs Section had already discovered this in the past.
The Public Safety Commission?
That was quite long ago.
If so, why wasn't anything done about it?
We were stopped by the people on top.
Mr. Takizawa became party chief around 98-99 when he was Minister of Health and Welfare.
After that he frequently visited China.
At that time the Ministry of Finance was cautious because we were getting increasingly more free financial aid from China.
In the end, Mr. Takizawa's woman problem hasn't been made public.
The Chief of the Public Safety Commission should have received that report.
At that time, the PSC Chief was...
I'm innocent.
Yes...
At that time, when I destroyed the report from Foreign Affairs Section 2,
I had already warned you -
Nothing happened between me and that woman.
This time too, it was merely to discuss her plans to work in Japan...
But, will the country accept this explanation?
What did the Party Chief say?
That you should make the decision to step down yourself.
PM, you also wouldn't want to disgrace yourself just before you retire, right?
I understand...
I will bravely and honorably
retire from political world.
Please take over the leadership of the faction.
We should discuss this with the other leaders...
You are a really lucky man.
Just as Shirai National was going bankrupt,
Like a godsend, the Arikawa family came to the rescue.
No one will object to you taking over, now that you have found new financial support.
But, before that, I have a condition.
Akiko is your second daughter, right?
Yes...
Would you take my second son Kimihiro,
let him marry Akiko, and adopt him into the Shirai family?
Then Kimihiro can use the Shirai name and make his political debut.
There should be a space in the Iwate electoral prefecture.
Put him there.
Now that this has happened, he can't debut under the Takizawa name.
Even though I'm giving up the Takizawa faction to you now, eventually I'd like Kimihiro to take over.
That's why I'm asking you
to make an alliance through marriage.
If you adopt him as your son-in-law,
not only will you get control over the faction,
all that I have now will be yours.
Ah, I didn't think I'd be able to contact you after that other time.
That woman involved with the PM is Qiqi, right?
Yamase, did you know her real identity?
Of course not, I thought she was just a normal foreign student.
It's been 6 years since we first met her in New York.
That means, at that time the PM had already...
There was a photo taken of us together.
And on top of that she was making eyes at you too, eh?
What a dirty woman!
Don't be mistaken.
We were just friends as foreign students.
But she might not have thought so.
Please stop it, Yamase.
But isn't it bad that you got photographed with a spy?
That's why I came here, right?
That's true, and
I find it difficult to say this, but
Sasayama has the photo.
Sorry. Please excuse me.
Why are you hesitating?
I will take on your son as my adopted son.
With that, everything I have will now belong to you.
Thanks for the check.
It was a great help.
Did you cut your hair?
I'll be going to New York next Monday.
That's why I wanted a change of image.
I heard from Yamase...
Qiqi's photo, right?
I sent it to Tokyo Weekly.
I wonder what people will think when they see it.
Whether that photo is made public...
depends on how lucky you are.
I thought that was the best way.
Goodbye.
Hello? This is Arikawa. Can I speak to Mr. Shirai?
Sir, Takashi just called.
Yes...how ironic.
He's waiting for your reply. There's still time if you want to.
Is there any way...?
Yahiro.
Yes?
I didn't hear this from you.
What?
I won't take the PM's seat this time round.
Sir, you shouldn't do that.
Whoever takes over as PM after Mr. Takizawa will be affected by the consequences of the scandal.
In this case, it's better to stay clear this time.
Besides, I will be helping Mr. Takizawa's second son to debut in Iwate.
But, isn't Takashi...?
A perfect excuse to reject him may have just come up...
Anyway, thanks to your "mistake", I wasn't able to be contacted.
Let's do it this way.
Extra! Extra!
Takizawa retiring from politics
Huh, so he's calling it quits eh? That's just disgusting!
Takizawa denied the relationship all the way to the end.
"Retiring due to health reasons" my ass!
"The man in the photo is Arikawa Takashi"
"The woman with him is a Chinese woman called Qiqi."
"Isn't she PM Takizawa's lover?"
Tokitou!
Sir...the photo is out.
Dad, Mom.
What's up?
Look at this!
Takashi...?
A love triangle tangle / The ex-PM's lover?
Why didn't you inform me before this happened?
You were busy handling the fallout from PM Takizawa's resignation...
I made the decision not to inform you because it was a small matter...
You idiot!!
I'm deeply sorry!
This is serious, Takashi.
For bringing you much inconvenience -
I deeply apologize.
Please forget about your political debut.
For the present, stay close to me.
Apologize to the part.
This way, it's not as though you're completely destroyed.
Try your best!
I'm sorry, even though I promised you...
I met Mr. Shirai.
It seems that my political path is blocked.
I'll ask Father again.
Yes, this is the Shirai residence.
Hello, Akiko? Is Father in?
Ah, elder sis, what's happened?
I want to talk to him about Takashi.
I think he'll be back soon.
I have something to tell you too.
I fully acknowledge that Takashi should be paying for his mistakes,
but his future is linked to Mr. Shirai's influence,
could you put in a good word for him?
I understand how angry he must be.
But, I humbly beg of you...
Please, you don't have to bow.
Takashi is Naoko's husband.
We won't leave him in the lurch.
Thank you, I am relieved to hear you say that.
We are also concerned about Takashi.
We will help if Takashi wants to start a new business.
Business?
He can't return to the Ministry,
and the hospital will be taken over by your second son, right?
Is he finding alternative employment, or starting out on his own?
What I'm saying is, he wants to go all the way in politics...
That's impossible.
The Iwate position is gone.
That's not what we discussed!
I'm sorry to say this but, due to Shirai National's bankruptcy,
you need to rely on our financial power!
Shirai National is back on its feet.
PM Takizawa's second son is marrying Akiko,
and the Shirai family is adopting him.
Takizawa's financial base was Hyakujou Construction, which is acquiring Shirai National.
From now on, they will be supporting Shirai's political activities.
Is that so...
You have no more need for the Arikawas...
That's why Takashi is being...
Shirai also wants to climb to the top.
Since he was a student it was his dearest wish.
You should know that too.
40 years ago, you met Shirai.
You entrusted your dreams to Takashi.
I heard you built up a financial base.
It's a real pity that
those dreams have come to waste.
Shirais are politicians.
This was the natural choice for us.
This is the world
you wanted 40 years ago.
That's why Father cut ties with Takashi so calmly.
That's awful!
That's too cruel!
It's not me who decided, it's Father.
Tell Father that if we cut ties with the Arikawa family,
I'll cut ties with the Shirai family!
Naoko...
This is unforgivable...
What does he take us for!
Elder sis - I'm marrying the Takizawas' second son
for exactly the same reasons you were marrying Takashi.
Stop behaving like you're always in the right.
It seems Father has returned home.
Well then, good night.
Hey hold on, Akiko! Akiko!
Akiko! Akiko!
Welcome home.
Ah, you were here?
Naoko...
Hold on...
Hello?
Bro, is Mom with you?
No.
We haven't been able to contact her at all.
It seems she left the hospital 2 hours ago.
Have you tried her cellphone?
We called but there was no answer.
If Mom contacts you, call us.
Got it.
Takashi, sorry for worrying you.
Where's Mom?
Still no news.
Should we contact the police...?
How about the hospital?
Of course, we've already tried looking.
Mina...
Mom...
Takashi...
What happened?
I went to beg Mr. Shirai...
It didn't work...
I wasn't able to help you...
when you needed it most,
Arikawa Corp. couldn't help.
Mother!
What were these 40 years for?
Mr. Shirai is abandoning us...
It's pointless...what should we do...?
What should we do...?
Mom...
And so, my fellow Americans,
ask not
what your country can do for you,
ask what
you can do for your country.
To have the words of a Japanese Prime Minister move the entire world,
and change the consciousness of mankind.
It'd be nice if that happened one day.
Be the one, Takashi.
I will always carry on Mom's ideals
inside me.
Mother.
I will believe in and follow Takashi.
No matter how much time it may take,
If it's Takashi, one day he shall surely...
Thank you.
You'd better get some rest. Let's go to the bedroom.
Naoko...
I may have to challenge your father again some day.
Even so, would you come with me?
Ah, but it's really regrettable, Mr. Shirai.
If not for that scandalous article on Arikawa Takashi,
you would have undoubtedly been a candidate for PM.
More importantly...
What was the relationship between that woman and Arikawa?
Ah, that. It's not a big deal, isn't it?
He was just a young student playing around in America, eh?
Welcome back.
Do we have a visitor?
Yes, Takashi is over there.
How's Naoko? Is she in better spirits now?
Yes, she is, thanks to you.
It seems you have decided on your future job, right?
Yes.
Well, it's better for you to gain more experience in life.
If you're ignorant of the ways of the world,
you'll end up making a mistake like how Mr. Takizawa did.
That was really a treason, to be frank.
If Mr. Takizawa was a traitor, then what about the people who knew about it but covered up for him?
In addition, you used your powers as Chairman of the Public Safety Commission to cover up this fact.
Alternatively, if the media finds out about how you set up the nation's PM for the fall...
What are you saying?
More than anything, to treat government like a private game,
is bad for the country.
"Even a benevolent dictatorship is wrong."
The words of someone kicked out of the political arena.
It's just the opinion of one citizen.
Is it your opinion, that citizens should be treated as outsiders to politics?
No matter what ideals one originally has, once he enters the pillar of political power,
he forgets all his ideals.
Is this the kind of victory you dreamed of?
One day I will definitely
defeat you in the political arena.
Are you going to challenge me...?
Yes.
I have recognized that...
this is my destiny.
Kimihiro is a really great person.
He really fits you, Akiko.
Excellent career!
Welcome, to the team.
I hope you're going to be a good team prayer, Nobuko?
I'm sure. I will Jams.