Interesting read. I'm not a lawyer so I don't know anything about the charges, but just on the face of it they have the feel of criminalizing something that use

Interesting read. I'm not a lawyer so I don't know anything about the charges, but just on the face of it they have the feel of criminalizing something that used to be winked at due to the person involved no longer enjoying the support of those required to do the winking. I have a really hard time believing Saikawa didn't know what Nada and his crew were up to. The whole thing very much feels like a palace coup, and a somewhat remote and entitled European perhaps not understanding his Japanese colleagues as well as he thought he did. The pivotal moment might very well have been the dressing down he gave Saikawa over his criticism of the proposed new alliance structure, and in front of at least one other person. That's a grave thing in Japanese culture. Anyway, I'm willing to bet in the end some deal is struck whereby both the accused leave Japan. I doubt they actually want them sitting in a Japanese cell for ten years.