Tokyo, 1991: Starting as a bank clerk

Chapter 118 The Tip of the Iceberg [Fifth Update, Requesting Monthly Tickets]

Upon hearing this, Kajiwara Masazō looked up abruptly, as if he had been pricked by a needle.

He truly hadn't expected that Ichiki Yuya would blurt out his name without even testing the waters.

However, that reaction alone is enough.

Kiryu Yaya didn't rush to ask further questions. He leaned back in his chair, his tone still relaxed: "Looks like I guessed right."

Kajiwara Masazō's Adam's apple bobbed; he wanted to deny it, but didn't say anything immediately.

Kiryu Yaya continued, "Your 1 billion yen loan was problematic to begin with. Your financial statements were inflated, the collateral was overvalued, and your personal asset declaration was inadequate."

"Under normal procedures, this money wouldn't come through so easily."

Kiryu Yaya stared at his ashen face, his voice slowly lowering.

"President Kajiwara, a town factory owner of your caliber doesn't have that kind of ability."

"So let's skip the pleasantries."

"Please tell me—what exactly is Ōgaki Kiyō's role here?"

The small conference room was silent for a few seconds.

Kajiwara Masazō kept his head down, it was unclear whether he was weighing his options or struggling with something.

After a long while, he managed to force a smile.

"—He was indeed the one who opened the door for the loan disbursement."

Kiryu Yaya didn't move.

"continue."

"As you all know, Section Chief Yamada didn't actually want to approve that payment last year."

Kajiwara Masazo looked into Kiryu Yaya's eyes, his voice hoarse: "It was Department Head Ogaki who forced it down."

Kiryu Yaya still didn't move.

"continue."

Kajiwara Masazō licked his lips, which were dry and pale, but a hint of excitement, like he was about to ignite a bomb, appeared on his face: "But don't get me wrong."

"I don't have much of a relationship with Kiyomasa Ogaki."

"He doesn't care whether Higashi-Osaka Seiki lives or dies, nor does he care whether I'm finished. Our relationship is just a simple transaction."

Two more seconds of silence.

Kiryu Yaya slowly asked, "How much of a bribe did you give him?"

"Fifty million."

Kajiwara Masazō chuckled, relaxing his demeanor: "However, you won't be able to trace the transactions, so you won't have any evidence to convict him."

Kiryu Yaya frowned: "Why do you say that?"

Kajiwara Masazō looked into his eyes and said, word by word, "Because our transaction involved no cash or cash flow, it naturally left no record."

Kiryu Yaya became interested.

Are there still transactions in this world that involve cash or bank transfers?

As a banker, he felt inexplicably skeptical.

Kiryu Yaya looked at Kajiwara Masazō's expression, which seemed genuine, and asked again, "So, how did you conduct the transaction?"

Kajiwara Masazō slowly said, "Points."

integral?

What is this?

Kiryu Yaya frowned deeply.

Seemingly sensing his confusion, or perhaps his despair before death, Kajiwara Masazō explained in detail: "Ōgaki Kiyomasa and I are both members of a group called the 'Tokyo Assets Consolidation Research Association.'"

"member?"

This time, Kiryu Yaya actually sat up straighter.

Kajiwara Masazō nodded: "The name sounds quite respectable, doesn't it? Tokyo Assets Consolidation Research Association, we all call it the East Consolidation Association."

"The sign outside says it's a research group that helps business owners with asset succession, business restructuring, and tax optimization. It also occasionally holds business owner exchange meetings and business regeneration meetings."

"But what we can actually do is more than just that."

Kiryu Yaya stared at him.

"What are they doing in there?"

Kajiwara Masazō twitched the corner of his mouth.

"Conducting information trading and power-money trading."

"People from the government, banks, tax accountants, judicial scriveners, real estate agents, insurance brokers, and even people who specialize in overseas custody are all in there."

Kiryu Yaya shrank back slightly.

Dongzhenghui.

He repeated the name, his mind racing.

The terms "asset inheritance," "business restructuring," and "tax optimization" together constitute a sophisticated set of rhetoric for asset laundering.

And if this research group also includes bankers, tax accountants, legal scriveners, real estate agents, or even people specializing in overseas custody—

That would mean it's no longer just a simple research conference.

That was a complete underground asset processing chain.

"Go on."

Kiryu Yaya leaned back in his chair, his voice neither hurried nor slow.

"What's this point about points?"

Seeing that he was genuinely interested, Kajiwara Masazo's expression relaxed even more.

He leaned back in his chair, loosened his collar, and continued, "The Dongzheng Association has its own points system."

"Members can conduct transactions using points, not cash or bank transfers."

Kiryu Yaya's brows furrowed slightly.

How are points earned?

Three ways.

Kajiwara Masazō held up three fingers.

"First, purchase directly from the research association; one point is earned for every ten thousand yen spent."

"Second, provide information resources to the research association. For example, if you have any latest information or research results, the research association will evaluate them and convert them into points for you."

"Third, earn points through service transactions, just like what Kiyomasa Ogaki did. I gave him 5,000 points by providing loans and asset consolidation solutions."

Kiryu Yaya did not respond immediately.

He was processing the information.

Points system.

There was no cash, no transfers, and no bank statements.

This means that, from the perspective of traditional financial regulation, such transactions are almost invisible.

No remittance records can be found, no flow of funds can be traced, and it is even difficult to identify the counterparty.

Because points are not money, but just a string of numbers recorded in a non-public system.

In Japan in 1991, this was practically a financial black box.

Who manages this points system?

Kiryu also asked.

Kajiwara Masazō shook his head.

"I don't know. There's an administrative office in the research association that handles all the points-related matters. But the people in the administrative office never show their faces; all communication is done through intermediaries."

"So, you've never met anyone from the secret service?"

"no."

Kajiwara Masazō answered very decisively.

"It's not just me; most people in the research group have never met him. Only the very core group knows who actually manages the secretariat."

Kiryu Yaya tapped his finger on the table again.

This structure is all too familiar.

It appears loose on the surface but is actually very tight; the core is hidden while operations are carried out on the periphery.

This is a vast underground power network.

"Besides Kiyomasa Ogaki, who else in the research group are from the banking industry?"

Kajiwara Masazō was silent for two seconds.

"I can't say."

Kiryu Yaya stared at him.

"Can't you say, or are you afraid to say?"

"Yes, we have them all."

Kajiwara Masazo's attitude suddenly became cautious, and his voice lowered.

"I've said enough tonight. If I keep going, it won't just be about the banks chasing after debts anymore."

"Those people's hands are much longer than the bank's."

Kiryu Yaya did not pressure him.

Because he knew that Kajiwara Shozo was telling the truth.

An organization that can build a complete closed loop between banking, taxation, legal affairs, real estate, and overseas custody must be backed by forces that a soon-to-retire finance department head cannot possibly support.

Kiyomasa Ogaki is just the tip of the iceberg.

"One last question."

Kiryu Yaya looked at him.

Do you have a list of members of the Dongzheng Association?

Kajiwara Masazō shook his head.

"No. The research association never publishes an official list, and members don't necessarily know each other. I only know a few people with whom I've had direct dealings."

Which ones?

Kajiwara Masazo was silent for a few seconds before announcing three names.

A tax accountant, a judicial scrivener, and a real estate agent.

Kiryu Yaya kept these names in his heart and didn't ask any more questions.

Because he knew that digging this far tonight was already the limit.

Kajiwara Masazo has said all he could say.

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