Fumou Chitai – Episode 17 Synopsis

Episode 17: Code and secret agreement

Iki and Hyodo approach Dr Forzy, a close aide of the King of Iran, to obtain information on the bid prices of rival companies in the international bid for Iran’s Sarvestan oil field. With the help of Beniko, who has close ties to the former queen of Iran, they secure a promise for a meeting with Dr Forzy. However, the place Dr Forzy has appointed for the meeting is Moscow, the capital of the Soviet Union. It is a country that Iki does not want to set foot in again after spending eleven punishing years of detention in Siberia. However, Iki steels himself, overcomes the objections of his daughter, Naoko, and heads for Moscow.

Meanwhile, Samejima, who has gone into the international bid for the Sarvestan oil field with Goryo Corporation and Goi Trading as part of Japan Oil Corporation’s consortium, sends the leaders of major corporations to Iran on a trade mission, and wins the understanding of the Iranian government. At that moment, Samejima obtains information that Hyodo has disappeared from Tehran, and has a suspicion that Kinki Corporation may be up to something.

Tanigawa visits Iki’s apartment. He tells Naoko, who is worried for her father, that four members of Korea’s Sakuhukai had also visited the Soviet Union after their return to Japan. Trying to reassure Naoko, Tanigawa says Iki had been in Siberia 20 years ago, and this time, a visa was officially issued so there is no need to worry.

Iki and Hyodo visit the villa of Dr Forzy’s representative, Dr Petrosyan, who is a doctor at the Soviet Medical Academy. They learn that Dr Forzy comes from a distinguished clan in Eṣfahān, Iran. There was civil strife. At the age of ten, he witnessed the brutal murder of his entire clan. Dr Forzy soon arrives at the villa, and Iki daringly talks about the Eṣfahān incident. Dr Forzy withdraws the hand he was about to extend, and responds by asking Iki how many years he had been in Siberia? Iki had ventured to say what Dr Forzy did not want to be reminded of in order to make him understand how prepared he was to come to the Soviet Union.

Samejima bribes a matron at a Tehran hotel, breaks into Hyodo’s room and learns that Hyodo was headed to Moscow. Then, he makes a phone call to his daughter-in-law, Naoko, speaking as if something has happened to her father, and hears that Iki had gone to Moscow. Convinced that Kinki Corporation is approaching the King’s close aides, Samejima tells Kamio from Goryo Corporation and Arita from Goi Trading that they should add $500 to the bid price that had previously been arranged.

At the same moment, Chisato visits her brother, Seiki, at Mt Hiei. She tells him that after the Japanese pottery exhibition ends, she is going to the Silk Road to follow the roots of ceramic arts.

Meanwhile, Iki, who has returned to Japan, tells Daimon about the condition stipulated by Dr Forzy in exchange for the information on the bid prices. What Dr Forzy wants is the F14 fighter jets owned by the US Forces. Iki has obtained the agreement of Chairman Seedle of Capsi Cola, who is well-connected with President Nixon, to act as a go-between.

Two days before the submission of the bids, Hyodo visits Dr Forzy’s residence. He is handed a poetry book on the Rubaiyat and told that this is the prescription.

The next night, Dr Forzy calls Kinki Corporation’s Tehran office and slowly reads two poems. Higashiyama writes this down while listening in with Hyodo, and searches the poetry book for the poems that Dr Forzy had read. The two poems appear on page 36 and page 105 respectively, meaning that the highest bid price is $37.8 million (36 x 105).

Iki receives word and reports this price to Daimon. Daimon expresses reservations about going beyond the upper limit of $36 million that had been arranged. Iki tells Daimon that the outbreak of a fourth Middle East war is possible and gets him to agree to an upper limit of $40 million.

It is the day to submit the bids. Hyodo visits Iran Oil Company with Chairman Regan of Orion Oil Company, and hands over the documents filled out with their bid price to Dr Keir, the head of the board of directors. The price that Kinki Corporation and Orion Oil Company have offered is $39.9 million.

On their way out, Iki and Regan pass by Samejima and the rest of Japan Oil Corporation’s consortium, who have arrived to submit their bid. Hyodo cannot hide his uneasiness that the consortium arrived five minutes before the deadline to submit bids. Regan tells Hyodo that they have done all the things that they were supposed to do.

The following day, Hyodo is called to Iran Oil Company. Regan goes with Hyodo. There, Dr Keir tells the two of them that Iran Oil Company has decided to award the bid to Kinki Corporation and Orion Oil Company. Hyodo firmly shakes Regan’s hand and they embrace each other. His eyes are wet with tears. Then Hyodo immediately conveys this news to Daimon and Iki. West Germany’s Deminex Corporation is in second place with a bid price of $39.5 million and Japan Oil Corporation’s consortium is in third place with a bid price of $39 million.

That night, Iki contacts Tawara and summons him to report about the winning bid for Iran’s Sarvestan oil field. After hearing the news, Tawara gets up and rushes off.

The next day, Kinki Corporation’s feat is carried in an article on Maichou Shimbun’s front page. There is relief on the faces of both Tanigawa and Chisato when they read that article.

Iki visits Japan Oil Corporation together with Daimon to ask for Kaizuka’s support. However, Kaizuka has already received an unofficial announcement of a dismissal.

When Daimon and Iki return to the office, they are surrounded by the news reporters who have gathered at Kinki Corporation’s headquarters. Koide watches this scene from a distance. Then, he leaves Kinki Corporation and crazily goes on a rampage in a back alley, violently kicking the items at a dump site until he falls flat down on his back.

That night, Iki visits Naoko and she tells him about the phone call from Samejima. Then, Samejima suddenly turns up. Walking into the house without the slightest sign of uneasiness, Samejima declares that he will be associated socially and professionally with Iki in the future. He says that since Yamashita, Japan Oil Corporation’s new president, has decided to support Kinki Corporation, Tokyo Corporation intends to take a stake in the Sarvestan oil field.

Several days later, Iki and his men head to Haneda Airport. They are bound for Tehran for the signing ceremony with the Iranians. At the airport, Iki sees Chisato and learns that she is going to the Silk Road. Iki hands his apartment key to Chisato and tells her to come straight to the apartment once she returns to Japan.

Tabuchi, the secretary general of the Liberal Party, is enjoying a Noh performance with his friend, the international lobbyist, Takenaka Kanji. With Kinki Corporation’s winning bid, Takenaka perceives that Tabuchi will soon be handed the prime minister’s job because Prime Minister Sahashi had supported Japan Oil Corporation. “Well, that Iki Tadashi seems to be an interesting man. It looks like this will be a long-term relationship,” Tabuchi mutters.

In Tehran, the signing ceremony finishes without without incident. “Sarvestan will probably be a second Siberia to Iki Tadashi,” Dr Forzy predicts. And true to those words, the real battle in the petroleum business has just begun …

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