CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Over the next couple of weeks I began to wonder if the scenario wasn'tgoing a little too smoothly. Everything about Noda's setup seemedsurprisingly pat. The answers came too easily. Was it all really whatit seemed?
I should also add that in the fortnight since Tarn's first contact withAmerica's shell-shocked industrialists, the situation had not goneunnoticed in Washington. Tuesday of the second week Jack O'Donnellcalled and left a message downtown with Emma, asking if I could arrangea meeting for him with the elusive Matsuo Noda. Although I'd tried tokeep Jack informed as to developments, he still wanted to confrontAmerica's New Age maker face-to-face.
"Walton," he said when I got back to him, "I just heard your guy's too'busy' to meet the press, but maybe he'd chat with a close, longtimefriend of his American attorney. That's me, in case you don't recognizethe description. Why not try and get me in to see him?"
"You're dreaming, Jack." I told him that a U.S. senator was about thelast person Matsuo Noda would be interested in meeting just now. "Don'thold your breath, but I'll bring it up and see what he says."
And what do you know! Noda declared that nothing would please him more.Naturally there had to be a few ground rules about confidentiality--thiswas after all a delicate corporate situation--but otherwise he'd bedelighted to chat. You could have knocked me over with a feather.
Thus around two P.M. Thursday, Jack O'Donnell arrived at the newtwelfth-floor operation, ready to get the truth or by God know thereason why. After he made his way past our Uzi- outfitted reception, Ibrought him on through the floor and introduced him to Dr. Richardson.Jack knew of her writings
and hit the ground running, asking who, why, when, where, etc., butbefore he could get any real answers, Noda appeared and took over.
O'Donnell confided later that his first impression of Matsuo Nodamatched perfectly my description of the man--every bit central casting'simage of the in-charge Japanese honcho. After the usual routinepleasantries, Jack said he'd like to record their talk. Noda politelydemurred, saying recording instruments stifled his spontaneity, thenproceeded to laud Jack's own articles and speeches urging Americanindustry to get its house in order. Senator Jack O'Donnell, hedeclared, was a visionary American statesman.
Jack accepted this praise warily, then asked if he could maybe have apeek at the computer operation on the floor below, the analyticalarmory I'd told him about. Again Noda begged off, claiming he'd behonored to guide the esteemed senator's tour personally, but surelythey'd both prefer to postpone that until such time as they had theleisure to review the operation in detail.
Jack sensed, and I did too, that he was getting a polite runaround, sohe decided to get down to business. He clicked open his briefcase andtook out a notebook.
"Mr. Noda," he began, "there's been considerable speculation inWashington this past couple of weeks regarding the specific intent ofJapan's sudden heavy involvement in America's high-tech sector. Mysubcommittee has monitored foreign investment here for a number ofyears, and frankly I've never seen anything remotely like what's nowunderway. I'd appreciate an informal briefing, unless you wish to openthe regrettable possibility of a formal subpoena to appear before oursubcommittee."
Whereupon Jack received the first whoosh of what soon blossomed into aroomful of aerosol bullshit. Noda started with some malarkey about thegreat tradition of economic cooperation between our peoples, advancedto balderdash about Japan's desire to share her resources with theworld's less fortunate, then outdid himself with triple-distilledcrapola about the timeless trust and regard his country's ordinarycitizens cherished in their hearts for our Christian nation (which hadmerely torch-bombed and nuked them a few decades past). Worst of all,Jack had to sit there and listen. I've never seen the guy souncomfortable.
Clearly Noda intended to give him pure _tatemae _- soothinggeneralities that added up to zip. The man was, by God, going to doexactly what he wanted, all of which was perfectly legal, so he didn'treally see any point in drawing a picture for the U.S. Senate.
Finally Jack just closed his notebook. "Let me put this differently. Iunderstand that your objectives are not merely acquisition, but also anattempt to rejuvenate U.S. business. Beginning, I take it, with thelackluster segments of our high-tech sector?"
"We hope to offer suggestions from time to time that may provehelpful." Noda just sat there like a sphinx. "Perhaps I can offer anexample. As you doubtless know, Senator, Japanese firms build plantsoverseas these days primarily to be more competitive in those foreignmarkets. You Americans, however, are moving your manufacturing abroadnow mainly to compete with foreign goods here it home in your ownmarket. You appear to think it as comparable, but of course it is not.What you are doing is exporting your own jobs. Your strategy isdefensive, ours is offensive."
Jack looked him squarely in the eye. "Quite frankly I must tell youthat not everyone in Washington these days trusts Japan's 'offensive'in international trade. I for one would be very interested in knowingexactly why Japan has chosen to invest billions of dollars in keepingAmerica's manufacturing alive. Particularly when so much of it iscompetitive with your own."
"Yes, Senator, I realize you Americans prize frankness." He wasn'tgiving an inch. "Very well. Quite honestly, no one in Japan believes itis in the interest of the Free World to allow your industrial base tocontinue its current decline. Our economic condition is linked toyours, like the vital organs of Siamese twins. We cannot afford to letyou atrophy. For one thing, you are our only defense shield, since wehave none of our own. I might also add, though it is a comparativelylesser concern, you are Japan's primary customer."
"So what you're proposing--if you'll permit me to paraphrase--is to takecertain of our strategic industries, the ones in trouble, by the neckand institute the management, investment, and research necessary tokeep them competitive."
Noda just smiled. "Dai Nippon expects to offer occasional
advice in the spirit of friendly cooperation. Which is why," he wenton, "I am so happy to have this opportunity to review our program withsomeone such as yourself. Your understanding of America's industrialmalaise has not gone unnoticed by those Japanese who take the longerview, who worry about world economic stability."
Jack tugged at his silk tie and nodded his thanks. Then Noda continued.
"You will be pleased to know I have been in contact with the Japanesetrade organizations that have political action committees, or PACs asyou call them, in Washington. Last year we distributed over fiftymillion dollars . . . at least if you believe the Senate ForeignRelations Committee's staffers . . . in an effort to clarifymisunderstandings about Japan's trade and investment position here." Hesmiled. "That averages out to about a million dollars per state, totake a somewhat clinical view. Of course I will try to use my influenceto see what our PACs can do to help you next fall."
"Mr. Noda, your expression of support is, naturally, appreciated." Jackwas turning politician again. "However, you should be aware of Section441(e) of the Federal Election Campaign Act, which states that 'noforeign national shall make a contribution, or an implied promise tomake a contribution, in connection with any federal public office.' Idon't think this discussion is proper."
"That law says nothing about PACs of duly incorporated Americansubsidiaries of foreign-owned organizations, Senator. For example, Sonyof America and a coalition of Japanese investors recently contributedhundreds of thousands to legislators of Florida and California toencourage the defeat of those states' unfair unitary taxes on foreign-owned companies. Sometimes it's necessary to remind your federal andstate governments that Japanese investment can be very problematical inan uncongenial environment." He smiled. "Americans investing overseashave a long history of making their interests known to thosegovernments; why should Japanese businessmen be expected to dootherwise?" All of a sudden Noda glanced at his watch, rose abruptly,and bowed. "Well, the afternoon seems to have gotten away from us. Iwish you to know I am extremely honored you've taken time from yourundoubtedly busy
schedule to visit with us, Senator. It has been mostpleasant."
He shook hands with Jack as he continued. "Of course I have not yet hadthe opportunity to review the thinking of the man expected to opposeyou in next fall's senate contest. I believe he is Representative MarkReynolds, is he not?"
Jack's polite smile sort of froze on his face.
"But, I'm sure I will," Noda proceeded blandly. "Again let me stressthat voices such as yours are important. There are so few opinion-makers in America, individuals such as Dr. Richardson and yourself, whohave the receptivity to appreciate the importance of Dai Nippon'sprogram and its objectives."
I quickly offered to show the distinguished senator to the door, hopingI wouldn't need that Christmas-gift dog muzzle. He was still closinghis briefcase as we passed the guards, a couple of guys who looked likethe heavies in an old Bruce Lee karate epic. Click, we were on theelevator, click, we were headed down.
"Good Christ!" He exploded. Before he could say anything else, I wavedfor silence. Around here the walls probably had ears. (Shortlythereafter I discovered I'd underestimated even that.)
In minutes we were on Third Avenue, autumn wind in our hair, withO'Donnell positively awestruck by Matsuo Noda's balls.
"Matt, did I hear what I thought I did?" His eyes were grim.
"That he's got X million bucks that say you get retired if you fuckwith him?"
"My reading was, I play ball with him and his crowd and he'll write ablank check for my campaign next year. I cross him and I'll be watchingthe Mark Reynolds show every night on prime time right through electionday." He was livid. "Matt, take my advice and get out of this thing.That bastard thinks this country's for sale. If he expects me to runinterference for him on the Hill while he gears up for World War Three,he's making a big mistake."
"Jack, I can't quit now. Who else is going to keep an eye on this guy?Besides, he'd never let me. I know too much."
"So what? He's got to be stopped."
"Look, if you're so worried, then deliver a major speech on the Senatefloor. About all these Japanese billions rolling in, absorbingcompanies, with a lot of samurai fanning out to take
names and kick ass across the boardrooms of America. It ought to getpicked up by the Nightly News. Then we'll see what the country wants todo about it."
The problem, obviously, was what _could_ the country do about it. Andmore than that, where would it eventually lead? Did anybody--TamRichardson included--seriously believe this was merely a temporaryhelping hand? History had a practice of going in one direction--forward.So after Noda had acquired a lot of our high-tech outfits, maybe evenkept them from going the way of Mostek and others, what next? More andmore I was beginning to wonder if this was really preferable to ourblundering along as best we could on our own.
After gazing at the sky a minute, he declared he was going to doexactly what I'd said. Blow the whistle. He was about to write a speechthat would be read the length of America, maybe even in the WhiteHouse--unless, as Henderson claimed, nobody there these days readanything but TelePrompTers. Nobody was going to buy off Jack O'Donnell.
I watched as he bulldozed a matron and her fur-collared pooch out ofthe way to grab the next cab for his midtown office. On the way backthrough the lobby I stopped off and grabbed a copy of _Time_. Had wemade the weeklies yet?
Yep. Lead article, all about how the Japanese loved investing here.Going up in the elevator, though, I happened to flip past a profile ofsome recently disappeared luminary in the academic world, the guy whowas supposed to have been the father of artificial intelligence. Itoccurred to me the piece might be of interest to Tam. She'd been sobusy she was probably out of touch.
When I got back up to twelve, Noda was gone. Vanished almost as thoughhe hadn't been there. I wanted to huddle with Tam about his evasive newsong and dance, but since I was holding the magazine, I showed her theitem. The rest of what happened you can probably guess. She had beenout of touch.
"Oh, my God, Allan!"
"Friend of yours? I'm sorry."
"Nobody told me." She grabbed it and quickly skimmed the article.Finally she headed for her office. "I've got to call Sarah."
"Tam." I caught her arm. I'd finally made the connection.
"I think I already know the story." Then I recounted Henderson'sbizarre tale.
That was the first time though not the last that I saw Tam Richardsonlook scared. She obviously knew something I didn't.
"Matthew, something is very, very wrong."
"Just repeating what I heard." I looked at her, now twisting themagazine in her hands, and decided to press. "Is there more to thisthan you're telling me?"
"I don't know." She glanced around. "I really don't want to talk aboutit here."
"Whatever you say." I paused. "How well did you know him?"
"He had dinner at my apartment not more than a couple of months ago."She tossed down the magazine. "And he asked me to do something forhim."
"Did you?" Don't know why I asked. It just seemed relevant.
"No. I guess you could say I did just the opposite. Now it all makes mewonder if . . . if maybe it has some connection with . . ." Her voicetrailed off.
"What? What connection?"
"Nothing." She was starting to clam up.
She didn't say anything more. And, so far as I know, that phone callnever got made.
Besides, something else occurred that night to occupy her mind. Whenshe got home, she picked up her mail and decided to crash. She'd beenso busy she still hadn't finished with all the odds and ends that hadstacked up during the Tokyo trip, but that night she was too knocked-out to bother. She poured herself a glass of white wine, quicklychecked the mail, and was getting ready for bed when she first noticedthe light flashing on her answering machine. For a minute sheconsidered just letting it wait. There was nobody she wanted to talkwith who wouldn't still be there in the morning. But finally curiositygot the upper hand, and she pushed "Play."
There was only one message. In Japanese.
Ms. Akira Mori wanted to see her Friday morning, at the DNI offices. Itwasn't a request; it was a summons.
Wait one minute! Mori? When did she get into town? And more to thepoint, where did Mori-san come off summoning Tam Richardson for acommand appearance? She had another
glass of wine and finally went to bed wondering who exactly was nowrunning the show at DNI.
Friday late she awoke still thinking about Allan. What was going on?She was beginning to get worried, and maybe a little frightened.Finally, just before lunchtime, she got her briefcase and hailed a cabfor uptown.
After she cleared the checkpoint at the twelfth-floor elevators, shespotted Mori-san, right there in the midst of the action. This womanwastes no time, she told herself. Mori, an incongruous peacock ofdesigner elegance in the midst of the bustling, short-haired staff, wasporing over a stack of printouts assembled on a desk in the center ofthe floor. Meanwhile, the office was going full tilt: the green printof CRT screens glowed; printers hummed all around; data bleeped betweenterminals; and staffers were hurrying over selected documents for Morito review. Also, since heavy buys were underway, the latest SEC filings(required when one entity acquires more than five percent of the stockof a given company) were being readied.
As it happens, I was already on hand too, over in Noda's office wherewe were going over some paperwork. The day's news as far as I wasconcerned also was Mori-san. She'd appeared bright and early, held aclosed-door confab with Noda, proceeded to do some photocopying, thencommandeered an office.
By purest coincidence I was doing some copying of my own round aboutthen and ended up on the copy line right behind her, inhaling herperfume. Next an odd thing happened. As we all sometimes do whenrushed, she'd snatched up her copies while the last original was stillon the machine. Then she asked me if I wanted regular size or legal.Legal, I said, and she reached to flip the switch. As she did, though,she accidentally clicked the "print" button with those longfingernails, whereupon she stalked off, rummaging thro
ugh her copiesand forgetting the original.
Not for long. Two seconds later she was back to claim it, but by thattime an unauthorized copy was lying in the output bin. I didn't evensee it. However, when I scooped up my own pages a minute later, mixedin with them was a sheet listing some names and numbers with REVISIONSlettered across the top. I started to toss it, then paused to glanceover the names for a moment.
Hang on, everybody, this is very out of line. That's when I decided toslip it into my briefcase.
When Mori saw Tam come in, she quickly stacked the printouts she wasreviewing into a neat pile, then beckoned her toward the far corner ofthe floor. Tam noticed that Mori's new office was at the opposite endof the building from Noda's.
"I understand Noda-san has appointed you director of this division."Mori was ushering Tam into the office, all the while running herfingers nervously through her sculptured black hair. "Congratulations."
Not exactly a great opener. It sounded even harsher in Japanese, sinceit was so at odds with the usual polite greetings.
"I've been hired to do a job, Mori-san, and I intend to do
it."
"_So desu ne_," Mori concurred in Japanese, her voice a triflestrained. Tam thought she looked a bit bleary-eyed after her flight infrom Tokyo, but there were no half measures about the woman. She wasall business in a prim silk suit shading to gray with a bright bluescarf tied at the neck. She wore high heels, but they didn't slow herbrisk stride as she paced around her desk. "I am sure you will do itwell. I would like you to know I am prepared to assist you at everystep."
Well, Tam had a pretty clear idea of how she intended to proceed, whichdidn't really include a lot of assistance from Akira Mori. What exactlyhad Noda been telling this woman? Maybe, she mused, Mori-san justhadn't been fully brought up to speed.
"I noticed that you're reviewing our analytical sheets." Tam continued,"Those are the firms we're going to start restructuring first."
"And if you do not receive the desired cooperation? What will you dothen?" Mori asked evenly, as though she didn't already know the answer.
"We'll just keep up stock acquisition till we have whatever we need.Also, I intend to appoint a representative to sit on the board ofdirectors, to monitor performance and make sure our program isimplemented."
"That is my understanding as well." Mori went on, "And concerning thematter of who will be assigned--"
"I've just finished putting together a list of management experts.They're dedicated people. Most of them will probably help us for asmall honorarium instead of their usual consulting fees."
"These personnel are an area I wish to discuss with you," Mori pushedahead, almost as though not listening. That was when Tam realized shewas finally getting around to the real agenda of the meeting. "It isour opinion that, at this stage, the heavy involvement of Americans inthat capacity would be counterproductive."
"'Our opinion'?" Tam didn't like the sound of this. "Who exactly is'our'?"
"I have reviewed Dai Nippon's program in some detail with . . . theinterested parties in Tokyo." Mori appeared to be making anannouncement. "They have concurred that at this stage it would be moreefficient if we assigned our own specialists to assist in themanagement of these companies."
"Your own specialists?" Now Tam was starting to bristle. "Just whom doyou have in mind?"
"Industrial experts such as Kenji Asano, for example, may be involved."She continued, "We have a great reservoir of talent to choose from,particularly within the Ministry of International Trade and Industry."
"MITI?" Tarn stared at her, dumbfounded. She couldn't believe her ownears. That was like calling in a fox to fortify your henhouse. "You'vegot to be joking."
"The decision was made last week." Mori fixed her coldly. "Noda-san hasbeen informed, and he finds the suggestion . . . acceptable."
"Well, I don't," Tam flared. "It's outrageous."
"There is something you must understand, Dr. Richardson," Moricontinued in Japanese. "The management of a company should representits ownership. Since Dai Nippon will be holding what amounts to acontrolling interest in these firms, we are obliged to assist themusing whatever international specialists we feel are most qualified tocontribute. For now we believe that the expertise in our Ministry ofInternational Trade and Industry is most appropriate since it hasguided corporate growth in Japan for many years with undeniablesuccess."
"That's irrelevant." Tam steamed. "First, most MITI executives don'tnecessarily understand American business. And second, MITI has no rightinvolving itself in the operation of our industry. It's a flagrantconflict of interest."
"There I must disagree with you. On your first point, many Japanesefirms have been manufacturing here and have an excellent record oflabor relations and management success. As to your second point, usingspecialists trained by MITI is simply the most efficient way totransfer Japanese expertise."
"It won't be allowed."
"Why shouldn't it be? Any people we bring here will be on leave ofabsence. Hence they will no longer have any official ties to theJapanese government. No law prevents us from appointing whomever wewish."
Ouch, Tam thought. She's right. Nothing could stop Dai Nippon fromrestructuring the boards of directors of the companies in which it helda voting majority of shares. In fact, several Japanese firms hadalready taken over and reopened the manufacturing facilities of some ofthe very companies MITI's "targeting" had decked only a few yearsbefore, bringing in Japanese board members as part of the deal. What'smore, Americans loved it. Governors were falling over themselves toattract Japanese joint ventures to their states.
"Does Noda-san understand the significance of bringing in MITIpersonnel?"
"There are many interests to be addressed . . ."
At this point I wandered in, together with Noda, to talk about settingup a meeting that afternoon. We'd been reviewing DNI's plans for a newprogram of real estate investment and construction, part of expandingthe research or manufacturing facilities of the firms it was now in theprocess of absorbing.
I passed a pleasantry with Tam, then studied her, puzzled. "You look alittle distressed this morning."
"I'm receiving an update on a change in our program." Tam glared backat Mori, then turned to Noda. "What's this about bringing in peoplefrom MITI?"
Noda smiled, but he looked a trifle uncomfortable. "Think of it as atemporary measure." He nodded toward Mori, then looked back at Tam. "Wealways like to operate by consensus. And that consensus among the fundmanagers who have joined us appears to be that our investments shouldinitially be monitored by our own people."
"I thought this office was going to be in charge of determining who ourpeople would be, not somebody in MITI." Tam fixed him coldly, thenturned on me. "Did you know anything about this?"
"Bringing in honchos from MITI? News to me." I examined Noda. "Iunderstood the management end of this was going to be directed by Dr.Richardson."
He was smiling again. "But it will be. She will continue to meet withthe CEOs of the firms we intend to assist to provide our preliminaryanalysis of their operations, and she will be with us every step wetake."
"It hardly sounds that way." Tam was boiling. "The way it looks now, Iset up a reorganization plan, then MITI's people come in and takeover."
"Merely for consultation, Dr. Richardson. I assure you." He glanceduncomfortably at Mori-san. Both Tam and I had the same hunch at thatpoint: Noda's backers had started to get a little edgy about hisinvestments, so they'd decided to send in some brass from the DeltaForce to keep an eye on things. But you'd never have suspected that ashe continued, "Dr. Richardson, surely you must be aware that MITIpersonnel are not in the habit of, as you phrase it, 'taking over.' Atmost MITI merely recommends policies to enhance competitiveness.Furthermore, the individuals we will engage will no longer beassociated with MITI. They will merely be specialists in our hire.Their participation will be extremely beneficial, please believe me."
"If making decisions like this is your idea of consensu
s, then I don'tthink much of it." Tam was getting increasingly wound up. "And I'lltell you something else. I intend to review the government connectionsof anyone you bring in. I'm going to have final say."
"We all want to work together," Noda continued smoothly. "Our plans arecontinuing to evolve. Of course I will insist on full American-Japanesecoordination and cooperation at every stage." He looked squarely atTam. "You have my word."
She glanced over at me, trying her best to keep cool. I was toying withmy papers, still posing as a neutral observer, but I was equallypuzzled. Why would Japan's Ministry of International Trade and Industrylet its people be used to assist American companies? Okay, MITI's elitetechnocrats were probably the cream of Japan's management talent, butthey already had their hands full.
More to the point, given MITI's sorry history of rule bending andeconomic guerrilla warfare, why would it now cooperate in Dai Nippon'splan to restructure the high-tech segment of U.S. manufacturing? Iasked Noda point-blank.
"Mr. Walton, if you choose to see Japan and the U.S. as competitors,then I suppose you could regard this as our ancient tradition of'giving salt to the enemy.'" He smiled awkwardly.
Bullshit. That's what I thought, not what I said, which was nothing.
Tam in the meantime had her own question to chew on. Mori had mentionedKen Asano. Was he involved too? Since Mori had specifically named himas being on the MITI team that she or somebody now planned to enlist,was this a tip-off that Ken was in with them up to his neck? Was thisthe "trust" he'd talked about?
Since Tam looked as if she was getting ready to resign on the spot, Ifigured a little cooling-off time for everybody might be in order.
"Dr. Richardson, if we're about through here, could you help me aminute?" I thumbed toward the open door. "Tanaka wants you to approvethe final setup for the partitions."
I quickly discovered I was wrong about the idea she would quit. As weworked our way past the computer terminals and stacks of printouts,retreating toward the center of the floor, she declared war. "MITI orMori or whoever's behind this is going to have a fight on their hands.We don't need them involved."
"Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I think we're being kept in thedark about a lot of what's cooking." I kept my voice low, scarcelyabove a whisper, as the Japanese staff milled in and out. "There's asheet of paper in my briefcase that I'd like to go over with you. Yetanother example of the curious new developments around this place."
She poured herself a cup of green tea from the large urn stationed inthe middle of the floor. "What do you mean?"
"We'll talk about it later." I poured some tea for myself. "I thinksomething's gone haywire."
That startled her, and she began to tune in. "Things are pretty haywirenow."
"This may be even worse. I came across something a while ago thatdoesn't add up." I looked at her. "I think we ought to talk about it."
"Now?"
"Not here. How about tonight?"
"Can't. There's a damned faculty dinner I have to attend."
"Then tomorrow night?"
"Where?"
"What would you say to my place downtown? I think you live right aroundthe corner from me."
"This has to be strictly business, Matt."
"Guaranteed." I raised my palm.
"Well, I've got a lot of work--"
"Shall we make it for seven?" I was handing her my card, address andnumber thereon. "The cocktail hour?"
She was still glaring at Mori's office as she absently took it. "Well .. . all right." She glanced back. "Seven."
"See you there."
. . . Jack O'Donnell's speech, to be delivered to the Senate thatTuesday, sort of slipped to the back of my mind. Maybe it shouldn'thave. After getting back to his office that afternoon he dictated aboutthree versions before he had it the way he wanted it. Friday morning hemessengered a copy down to my office, and I can tell you it was abeauty. He'd got it all, and he'd got it right.
Later Friday, however, he received a phone call from Matsuo Noda. Afterthe usual preliminaries, saying how much he'd enjoyed their meeting,Mr. Noda confided he was calling as a personal favor to the senator,since they'd hit it off so well the previous day. Turns out he'd justbeen talking to the CEOs of various Japanese outfits scheduled to setup manufacturing operations in some of the "rust-belt" mill towns inupstate New York. Here was the distressing development: seems they wereall of a sudden taking another look at sunny Tennessee. The problemwas, they were upset by the anti-Japanese tone a lot of New Yorkpublications were taking these days--Japan bashing in the Timeseditorial pages, things like that. Noda, however, felt all this wasvery shortsighted of those Japanese investors; and he wondered ifSenator O'Donnell would like him to put in a word for the Empire State.Pause. He hated to mention this, but people were even talking ofclosing certain Japanese-operated factories already in place, such asthat big one in Elmira, Jack's hometown, and moving them south. But hethought threats such as that were very impolite and he was hoping hecould find time to straighten the whole thing out.
Like I said, it would have been a hell of a speech.