Tokyo

The preliminary formalities were lengthy, although Mac played his part with the skill of long practice.

Half of the hour which Mac had been granted with the disgraced Prime Minister had passed in consideration of the effects of the summer's drought on the rice harvest and prospects to win the World Series, before the old man finally got to the point.

"Now what has brought my honored fellow statesman here today?"

Mac knew his cue and began by speaking about the strength of the yen and its various disadvantages for Japan.