At five o'clock that afternoon.
Tokyo, Marunouchi, Fuji Bank Head Office.
There were a few fewer people in the board meeting room than there had been at the executive director meeting two weeks ago.
The executive director in charge of Kansai business was in Osaka, and Mikami had gone to New York; the two empty chairs remained unoccupied.
Okabe sat at the end of the long table, with only a cup of tea in front of him.
When he received the notice of the ad-hoc meeting at four o'clock in the afternoon, a vague sense of unease had arisen in his heart.
Akasaka, certificates of deposit, Saionji—linking these words together, no matter how one thought about it, it couldn't be anything good.
Hori, the full-time auditor, sat in the observer's seat by the wall, his small notebook spread out on his knees.
Kagawa was the last one to enter.
Murase, head of the Risk Management Department, followed behind him, carrying two thick document boxes in his arms.
"The reason I called you all here temporarily is because something happened at the Akasaka Branch this morning."
Kagawa did not sit down.
"At 9:05 this morning, the Akasaka Branch received two requests for the redemption of matured time deposits."
He took a page of a report from Murase's hands.
"The depositors are both Chiyoda Kosan, with a denomination of ten billion yen each. On October 23rd, Sankyo Finance transferred Chiyoda Kosan's loan claims and accompanying pledge rights to Saionji Industrial. Therefore, the ones who came to the counter today to request redemption were representatives of Saionji Industrial."
"The Akasaka Branch subsequently checked the deposit ledger and accounting records."
Kagawa paused for a moment.
"There was no record of entry."
Someone on both sides of the long table shifted slightly.
"Furthermore, it's not just the two maturing today."
"Under the pledge rights currently held by Saionji Industrial, there are a total of twelve Akasaka Branch time deposit certificates, with a total face value of sixty billion."
"Today is just the first batch."
There was absolute silence throughout.
Okabe's hand holding the teacup froze in mid-air, and after two seconds, he slowly placed it back on the table.
Sixty billion.
And that was only the part already confirmed in Saionji's hands.
How many more the Akasaka Branch had issued, where the money had flowed, and how many people were involved—right now, no one knew.
Okabe did not ask questions immediately.
The Toyo Shinkin incident had only passed two months ago, and newspapers were cursing the chaotic management of credit associations every day.
If Fuji Bank were to be cornered at the counter with tens of billions in unrecorded certificates of deposit at this time, the matter would no longer be something a single branch manager or a few handling personnel could resolve.
Once the news leaked, reporters could print the four words "Fuji Bank" on the front page the very next day.
The people on both sides of the long table obviously thought of this as well.
Just a moment ago, someone was still subconsciously flipping through the materials in front of them, but now even the sound of paper stopped.
The silence lasted for ten-odd seconds.
Tanimoto's expression didn't look too good either.
But soon, he reached out and picked up the silver cigarette case on the table, gently turning it in his palm.
"However, since the one holding the certificates of deposit now is Saionji, at least there's still room for negotiation."
Several people raised their heads to look at him.
Tanimoto put the cigarette case back on the table, his voice having returned to its usual composure.
"What Saionji wants is money."
"Everyone knows how many non-performing loans they collected outside this year. Buying things at thirty or forty percent of their value is not just one or two transactions."
He paused slightly.
"Send someone over to negotiate."
"We'll buy back these twelve certificates of deposit at a discount based on their face value. Saionji gets the profit they want, and Akasaka's problem is resolved within the bank."
"In that case, the outside world won't know a single word about it."
Several directors looked at each other, and some had already nodded slightly.
Compared to letting a fake certificate of deposit make a fuss in the newspapers, spending money to buy peace of mind was obviously an easier option to accept. No one wanted to see the words "Fuji Bank" appear on the social pages in this economic climate.
Seeing this, Tanimoto shifted the topic and looked at Kagawa.
"However, there is one thing I'd like to ask clearly in front of everyone."
"From last autumn to this year, the Akasaka Branch was excluded from three consecutive surprise inspections, and the approval documents were all signed with the name of Deputy President Kagawa."
He smiled.
Strike first to gain the upper hand.
Anyway, someone would have to take the blame for Akasaka sooner or later. Rather than waiting for others to investigate, it was better to push Kagawa to the front first.
"The branch has opened up such a huge hole, yet the people responsible for inspections haven't been to check even once. Kagawa-kun, shouldn't you give everyone an explanation for this matter?"
Hori by the wall raised his head.
"Regarding the Akasaka Branch's consecutive exemptions from inspection, the Auditor's Office indeed has doubts as well. At the last executive director meeting, I asked the Risk Management Department to submit this year's branch inspection schedule precisely for this reason."
Everyone's gaze fell on Kagawa.
Okabe looked at him, a trace of uncertainty in his eyes for the first time.
Could even Kagawa...
Kagawa nodded.
"The schedule requested by Auditor Hori, I have brought it."
He motioned to Murase. Murase opened the first document box, took out a bound schedule, and delivered it in front of Hori.
"In addition, I brought one more thing."
Murase opened the second document box.
Inside was a stack of documents bound in a black hard-shell folder, fully two fingers thick. Kagawa took it out, placed it right in the middle of the long table, and opened the first page.
"These are the special investigation records of the Akasaka Branch by the Risk Management Department over the past fourteen months."
Fourteen months?
Several people in the meeting room raised their heads simultaneously.
Kagawa lowered his head and read item by item.
"In August of the second year of Heisei, Shimamura, deputy manager of the Akasaka Branch, issued two time deposit certificates with a total face value of five billion, depositor Chiyoda Kosan, with no entries whatsoever in the account."
"In September of the same year, Chiyoda Kosan used these two certificates of deposit as collateral to borrow four billion from Sankyo Finance. That same month, 1.8 billion of it was remitted to Nasu Kogen Sightseeing Development Co., Ltd."
Tanimoto was still gently turning his cigarette case just a moment ago.
Upon hearing this name, his movement stopped.
Nasu Kogen Sightseeing Development.
His expression changed slightly.
What does this company have to do with the current situation?
Tanimoto raised his eyes and looked toward the other side of the long table.
That trace of composure from just now had faded significantly.
"In April of the third year of Heisei, Nasu Kogen Sightseeing Development paid two billion in consulting fees to a design consulting company in the Cayman Islands."
Tanimoto's gaze froze instantly.
Cayman.
This time, he even forgot to continue turning his cigarette case.
That company shouldn't have appeared in any internal investigation report of Fuji Bank.
Back then, in order to route this money out, they deliberately avoided accounts directly related to the Akasaka Branch, changed companies in the middle, changed the pretexts, and even separated the remittance times by several months.
Tanimoto's back began to tense up.
No.
This was no longer a matter of accidentally investigating Nasu Kogen Sightseeing Development.
"Kagawa-kun."
Tanimoto suddenly spoke up.
His voice was still relatively steady, just a bit lower than before.
"Is it necessary to put all these things together here to discuss along with today's certificate of deposit issue at the Akasaka Branch?"
Kagawa still kept his head lowered.
"It is necessary."
He turned the page.
"Because three weeks later, 1.9 billion of this two billion was remitted back to Tokyo from this design consulting firm."
Tanimoto's Adam's apple moved slightly.
The others in the meeting room were already beginning to sense that something was wrong.
Just moments ago, some people were still looking down at their materials, but at this point, they slowly raised their heads as well.
Kagawa continued reading.
"What it was remitted into was a personal account."
He paused slightly.
Tanimoto stared at the piece of paper in his hand.
At this split second, several possibilities even flashed through his mind.
No way.
It was impossible to trace it there.
That account was not directly registered under his own name.
At least not at the very beginning.
Later on, in order to facilitate handling that sum of money, it was—
"Account name: Masato Tanimoto."
The last shred of wishful thinking in Tanimoto's mind snapped instantly.
The cigarette case in his hand slipped from his grip and slammed onto the tabletop.
The silver metal box bounced once and slid another dozen centimeters before stopping.
The meeting room fell completely silent.
Tanimoto did not go to pick it up.
He just sat there, looking at Kagawa.
Just a moment ago, he was still thinking that no matter how far the Akasaka matter escalated in the end, it would ultimately amount to nothing more than branch violations, internal disciplinary actions, and finding a few people to take the blame.
But now it wasn't just Akasaka anymore.
Masato Tanimoto.
That was his eldest son.
When he got married last year, half of the Fuyo Group had gone to drink at the wedding banquet.
Not a single person present didn't know this name.
How could this be?
That line clearly bypassed the Caymans, bypassed three companies, and even he himself had to flip through his notes to match them up—how had Kagawa investigated and found out?
Kagawa didn't stop; he flipped back a few more pages and finished reading the last line.
"As of September 30th of this year, the unrecorded certificates of deposit issued by the Akasaka Branch totaled 410 billion yen."
Okabe's complexion turned thoroughly unsightly.
410 billion.
He didn't speak, just leaned back in his chair, staring at the black document on the table, his brows pressing lower bit by bit.
A single Akasaka Branch.
Right under the sign of Fuji Bank, during his tenure as President, had issued 410 billion yen in certificates of deposit that had absolutely no corresponding deposits.
Yet until someone walked into the counter with two of them today, he, this President, knew about it for the very first time.
The executive director of finance subconsciously picked up a pen and wrote a few numbers on the back of the materials, stopping halfway through writing.
Even without counting any interest, lawsuits, and subsequent losses, the single figure of 410 billion already exceeded the total profit of three years' first half-terms.
To fill the hole before them would take more than three years of such profits.
The air in the meeting room seemed to sink all at once.
Tanimoto sat there, motionless.
Just a moment ago, he could still tell himself that as long as Akasaka's problem could remain within the bank, and as long as the certificates of deposit could be bought back, there would still be room to handle the matter.
But 410 billion...
This number was simply impossible to fill quietly and silently.
The Ministry of Finance would definitely intervene, and the auditor would definitely investigate.
Once they continued flipping down along Akasaka's accounts, that funding line that Kagawa had already laid out on the table could no longer be hidden either.
Tanimoto suddenly felt his chest tighten.
He raised his head and looked at Kagawa, who was still standing on the other side of the long table.
Fourteen months.
This investigation had been underway for fourteen months.
That meant Kagawa hadn't learned about Nasu Kogen Sightseeing Development today, hadn't traced the Caymans today, and even less had seen Masato Tanimoto's name today.
This person had known all along.
A whole year.
Tanimoto stared at Kagawa, the muscles on his face tightening more and more.
By this moment, fear was gradually suppressed by another emotion instead.
"You..."
The moment he spoke, his voice turned somewhat hoarse.
Tanimoto swallowed hard, suddenly supporting himself against the edge of the table and standing up.
"You knew a year ago?"
His voice suddenly rose sharply.
"If you knew about these a year ago, why didn't you report it!"
"Report it to whom?"
Kagawa raised his head and looked at him.
"To the executive director meeting?"
He paused slightly.
"Sitting at the executive director meeting was you, executive director."
Tanimoto looked as if he had been struck square in the face by these words.
The momentum that had just rushed up snapped instantly.
His lips moved a few times, his complexion looking so awful that there was hardly any trace of color left, yet he never managed to say the next sentence.
At the end of the long table, Okabe hadn't spoken the whole time. He looked at Kagawa, his voice hoarse.
"Then why didn't you tell me first?"
"President."
Kagawa bowed slightly toward him, his tone still respectful.
"If I had placed this document on your desk a year ago, would you also have done as Executive Director Tanimoto just said, finding someone to negotiate privately, spending some money, and resolving the matter within the bank?"
Okabe opened his mouth, and in the end, said nothing at all.
He couldn't answer. Because he knew he definitely would have.
Kagawa shifted his gaze back to the other end of the long table, his tone calming down again.
"As for why the Akasaka Branch was always exempt from inspections, the reason is also very simple."
"Once a surprise inspection went in, Shimamura and the others would stop their hands, the accounts would be wiped clean, and the people would run away. To get a complete set of accounts, the only way was to make them believe that they had always been safe."
He pushed that black document in front of Hori, turning to those pages clipped with red tabs.
"For every approval document exempting inspection, I additionally wrote an investigative memo explaining why we didn't inspect and how far the investigation had progressed. Every memo was stamped with a confirmed date seal at the notary office, with the date being one day earlier than the approval document."
Hori pulled those pages in front of him, picked up his glasses, put them on, and checked them page by page.
The notary office's confirmed date seal was blue, stamped in the upper right corner of each memo, with the date crystal clear—no one could forge it afterward.
The more he checked, the less steady his hands became.
After the last executive director meeting, he had investigated privately for two weeks, always thinking he had caught evidence of the deputy president shielding the branch, and had even thought of the phrasing for questioning.
He never expected that a year ago, the other party had already notarized every single step on record.
There was only the sound of turning pages left in the meeting room.
After a long time, Hori took off his glasses, closed the document, and pressed both hands on the cover.
"The Auditor's Office accepts this document."
He turned toward the end of the long table.
"President Okabe, according to regulations, this matter must be reported to the Banking Bureau of the Ministry of Finance within tonight."
Okabe did not answer immediately.
He sat there, looking at the cup of tea in front of him that had already gone cold, looking at it for a long time.
Once reported, his tenure as President would come to an end.
But if he didn't report it, was he going to wait for Saionji to take the certificates of deposit to find newspaper offices tomorrow?
In the end, he still reached out and pressed the internal telephone on the table.
"Connect me to the Banking Bureau of the Ministry of Finance."
...
That night, Hongo, Saionji Main Residence.
Endo put down the telephone in the study and turned around.
"It was from Kagawa. President Okabe called the Banking Bureau of the Ministry of Finance at 7:20. The councilors of the Banking Bureau have already gone to the Fuji head office overnight."
Satsuki was leaning over the desk writing a course report. Hearing this, her pen didn't stop until she finished writing the last half-sentence, and only then did she raise her head.
"What about Tanimoto?"
"Still at the head office. Kagawa said that ever since he came out of the meeting room, he has been making phone calls, and has been calling for over an hour."
"Then let him call."
Satsuki snapped the cap onto her fountain pen and stretched lazily.
"At this time, there probably aren't many people willing to answer his calls anymore."
Kenjiro was also in the study.
After returning early from Akasaka in the morning, he hadn't taken this matter to heart anymore. In the afternoon, he went to the head of household's office as usual, finished processing a few accumulated documents, and didn't come over until evening.
The one who actually stayed at the Akasaka Branch until closing was that lawyer.
At 3:00 PM, after the counters stopped operating, the branch manager personally came down to see him.
Of course, the money was not paid out.
The other party only repeatedly stated that head office confirmation was needed, invited him to come again the next morning, and at the same time issued a maturity redemption receipt stamped with the branch seal.
That receipt was now on the coffee table in front of Kenjiro.
Satsuki turned her chair at this moment and looked at him.
"Uncle, remember to wake up early tomorrow."
Kenjiro was slightly stunned.
"Do we still need to go to Akasaka tomorrow?"
"No need to go."
Satsuki laughed.
"It's just that tomorrow morning's newspapers are going to be very interesting."