Sherlock Holmes, The Missing Years, Japan

by Vasudev Murthy

  The very word ‘Yakuza’ reflects rejection or loss. Holmes told me that ya means eight, ku means nine, and sa means three. The numbers add up to twenty, which is a losing hand in the Japanese card game hana-fuda. There is probably a fair amount of dramatic myth-making and exaggeration, but presumably those striving for a career in crime found it advantageous to be affiliated with the Yakuza as it afforded them visible symbols of power and influence.

  Like any other brotherhood—the Freemasons, the Skoptsi, the Illuminati, and the Rosicrucians, for example—it is the sense of belonging that is vitally important, a feeling that the group is somehow privy to something unique and different and has some kind of advantage that others do not possess, perhaps an insight into the future that they have been chosen to receive. This leads to a single-minded fanaticism, which others find impossible to understand.

  Loyalty to the Yakuza is a cornerstone of membership. Indeed, the most visible physical sign of affiliation to the Yakuza is the missing digit, which is seen as a sign of atonement. The digit is severed at a ceremony called the ubitsume. It renders, so the notion goes, the individual weaker and creates an even more fanatical loyalty to the clan. And complex body tattoos are also common, though I do recall Holmes finding it strange that a member would advertise his antecedents so openly. ‘A kind of braggadocio,’ he once remarked. Nevertheless, such is the case.

  Indeed, Holmes found it quite curious that the Yakuza operated openly in Japan and even had some amount of formal recognition. This dissonance was perplexing, but again, it was a matter peculiar to the culture that had to be accepted.

  This digression is pertinent to subsequent events. In perusing my notes, I see that Oshima-san patiently created the context for Holmes. ‘No detail,’ remarked Holmes, ‘is too small. As I have often commented, we see but we do not observe. The superficialities of the routine dull the untrained mind even more and leave it unable to comprehend or detect anything out of the ordinary. But first, Watson, one has to collect and organize data. Then must begin the process of creating a plan of action. I appreciate the thorough mind of Mr. Oshima.2 There is an unstated understanding between us; he resembles my brother Mycroft in certain aspects, though not physically, obviously. The same high intelligence marked by a large cranium, the ability to merely sit and think and process information, the ability to ask the right questions and come to conclusions that are invariably right. Mr. Oshima is also not a man of action, but that is not necessary at all, as other organizations exist to enquire and act on his behalf. His office and desk told me a lot about the man. We differ only in the appreciation for nature, but we both have an affinity for music.’

  Oshima-san summarized the situation in a few telling words after he gave Holmes a brief understanding of the Yakuza.

  ‘Mr. Holmes,’ he said, leaning forward in his chair, ‘there is a very real possibility of a disturbance in the world order. In our country there exists a rather complex organization called the Yakuza. They are criminal elements and are not above anything in regard to criminal activities. Gambling, prostitution, extortion, kidnapping—these are their chosen fields of interest.’

  Oshima-san then spoke about the history of the Yakuza and elaborated upon some interesting aspects, in the manner described earlier.

  ‘Mr. Holmes, every country and civilization possesses a certain class of people who prefer to operate at the fringes and have a different view on economic ethics. Even in your remarkable country, the tales of Robin Hood have come down the ages, I am told. Who was he? If you asked a policeman, he would vigorously say, “Why, nothing but an ordinary bandit!” Yet he is deified for somehow challenging the established order and acting in the interests of the poor and deprived.

  ‘There are such stories in Japan too—we have a legendary figure called Ishikawa Goemon, going back some four hundred years, who was supposed to have been a bandit who stole from the rich and gave to the poor and achieved fame and notoriety. For his troubles, he was boiled alive—some say with his infant son. Yes, very disturbing. But his legend lives on and can never be erased. Naturally, with time, facts get distorted and embellished. You find such tales in all countries. This is fascinating and quite thrilling to the common man, who possibly lives in a state of perpetual resentment that his lot never really improves because his destiny is controlled by those in power, creating a sullen dislike for the visible instruments of authority—in our case, the police. Therefore, anyone seen as scoffing impudently at them or fooling them in some manner is likely to be applauded, sometimes silently, at other times openly.

  ‘The Yakuza thrive in such situations. The common citizen empathizes with their activities or is, at best, indifferent. For us, given how large and socially influential the Yakuza clans are, it is important to continuously monitor and observe them. It is futile for us to dream of destroying this organization and it is not often practical to wish to do so. Some extremely secret missions of the Japanese government have even used the Yakuza to obtain documents, to assassinate undesirables, or attain certain advantages in foreign policy.’

  Holmes remarked, ‘Unusual, but I can see the practical use of liaising with the criminal class. I do it myself, though not for violent objectives. But pray continue.’ He closed his eyes again and placed the tips of his fingers together as he resumed listening.

  ‘Of late, we have been concerned that two Yakuza clans have become extremely ambitious. You may not be aware, Mr. Holmes, that the Yakuza also have a connection to Korea, a country with which we have ancient cultural and social ties. Many Yakuza heads and their operatives have Korean blood and are referred to as burakamin. To that extent, it is understandable that their operations extend into the Korean peninsula.

  ‘Now, however, we have reason to believe that the Yakuza have become active in China and have significant plans to expand into British India, the Arab world, and Europe. This is not mere petty crime, Mr. Holmes. The implications are so extraordinary that they can disrupt world commerce and the overall balance of power and make a mockery of concepts like “rule of law” and “nation states.” They are not instruments of state power—we are talking about the Yakuza wishing to control the economy of the world. Have I made myself clear?’

  ‘Yes. Do continue.’

  ‘Our informants say that the Yakuza—both the Sumiyoshi-kai and the Inagawa-kai, but not, interestingly, the largest, the Yumiguchi-gumi, perhaps because it was considered simply too big—have been hired by a Chinese drug syndicate based in Shanghai to set up their operations in Europe. The syndicate, called the Green Gang Triad, deals in opium.

  ‘You have, I imagine, some awareness of the two Opium Wars fought between your country and China. The creation of Hong Kong was the result of the first war. Now, in 1891, the British continue to trade in opium through the East India Company. The consumption of opium in China resulted in the deaths of many Chinese and an overall weakening of the authority of the Chinese emperor. The fact is that the Chinese now control the opium trade from Shanghai, even though opium is actually produced in India. There is no possible way to stop the movement of raw opium from India to China because of the numerous land routes. The sea routes are a different matter, though even there, we face limitations.

  ‘But as far as the syndicate is concerned, the real market is Europe. There is even a theory that the Chinese hope to inflict the same body blows to Europe as they were dealt in China by the British. By this I mean that Chinese nationalists hold the Europeans responsible for the weakening of the Chinese state by the introduction of opium as first a means of payment for tea imports and then to harm the citizens through the escalating consumption of an addictive narcotic. There was a time, not too long ago, when there was one opium den for about seventy citizens; China was devastated and this has not been forgotten. With the Qing Emperor presently worried about the Russian war threats in the region of Shenyang, the time is perfect for the Shanghai syndicates to make their moves.

&nbs
p; ‘By exporting opium into Europe, the Shanghai syndicate controlled by Tsong Wang, called the king of opium, believes that a peculiar form of revenge can be extracted. There will be economic dominance and the final seal of cultural superiority will be stamped, so they believe.’

  ‘I am not sure I understand.’

  ‘Have you been to an opium house, Mr. Holmes? It is a grim sight. The dregs of humanity spend hours together in a daze, smoking opium and creating a make-believe perfect world into which they escape. There is an awareness of its medicinal use, but as a narcotic that puts you into a poisonous daze for hours and days together—well, you may have to see it to believe it. Addiction happens quickly and then life becomes quite pointless without it. Addicts no longer work, and to keep their habit going, resort to crime.

  ‘Imagine then, that opium usage spreads in Europe. Imagine opium dens in Berne, Prague, Lyons, Warsaw—slowly but surely, the economy would be crippled, as daring and reckless young people start consuming something novel, supposedly innocuous and interesting. Crime would escalate, too. All of this is fertile ground for both the syndicates and our own Yakuza. Outlandish? Fanciful to the extreme? I would neither agree nor disagree with you whatever your response might be, but let it be said that in my analysis of various kinds of crime and underground mass movements over the past decades, I have noticed that people are motivated by bizarre ideologies and visions and will make complex plans to achieve them.’

  ‘I occasionally consume a drug called cocaine,’ observed Holmes thoughtfully. ‘It helps me think very clearly. I do not know very much about the effects of opium, but doubtless you are right.’

  ‘I know nothing about cocaine, Mr. Holmes, but in my limited wisdom, I would say that the consumption of anything unnatural would produce short-term gains but long-term detriment. No doubt you have thought of that aspect. Users of opium are known to say the same thing—that they feel happy and think clearly, but over a period of time, the situation becomes irretrievable for an average person. We are both presumably of a scientific temperament and know that a man under the influence of a drug for prolonged periods is no longer a productive member of society.

  ‘To some extent, this is conjecture and will have to be verified. But my sources are fairly certain that this is the direction the syndicate wishes to take. For this, they need two essential ingredients.

  ‘First, contacts with extensive networks in Europe. A criminal syndicate that moves men and material silently without calling attention to itself is a must. The syndicate in Shanghai does not possess either the expertise or the ability to develop such contacts. Obviously, the matter must be absolutely secret and driven through a channel that no one will ever be suspicious of.

  ‘Second, a certain ruthlessness is needed to actually run the business. A local network with a reputation for enforcing a code of conduct, to create accounting processes and move money efficiently between countries and then continents.’

  Oshima-san looked steadily at Sugiyama-san.

  ‘Mr. Holmes, your benefactor here, Sugiyama-san, was once head of Japanese counterintelligence. He was made ambassador to Switzerland for many reasons. He speaks German, French, and English fluently and has spent many years in Europe. Switzerland is, of course, quite famous for its unique banks and we know that the Yakuza maintains accounts there to fund its growing operations in Europe. So his presence there is useful.

  ‘But most importantly, the fact is that we believe the Yakuza has infiltrated the Japanese Diplomatic Service and influenced the same of other countries. Sugiyama-san is presently our most important and trusted representative there. But in a general sense, we do not have a security clearance anymore for any of our diplomats and related staff. Are they who they say they are? Do they work for us or the Yakuza?’

  ‘Yes,’ replied Holmes. ‘I have no doubt that someone from the Japanese Embassy in Moscow tried to assassinate us on the train. Your theory is eminently tenable.’

  ‘I did see a note from Sugiyama-san on that matter. I believe you are right. However, we cannot react spontaneously and in any obvious way, or these operatives will know they are under suspicion. My belief is that Japanese diplomatic pouches are being used for communication between Yakuza members here—possibly even in the Foreign Ministry—and their operatives at our Embassies. You know that diplomatic packages are considered inviolable by general reciprocal agreement between nations. They are the property of particular countries and may not be examined by the Customs at ports of entry. Clearly, they are intended for legitimate diplomatic materials and not for smuggling opium, or anything else, for that matter.

  ‘In addition, we think it is possible that some of our Embassies provide documentation and various kinds of support for illegal activities, including the import of drugs from Japan under the guise of innocuous merchandise. If this is proved true, it would be, of course, a matter of great shame and the national humiliation would be intolerable.’

  ‘I can certainly imagine the consequences. But what of your second point?’

  ‘Ah, yes. I spoke of the obvious need to have an alliance with an invisible criminal network in Europe. The Yakuza stand out in many ways in Europe, where tattoos are uncommon. The language is alien, as are the physical features of the members. A typical Yakuza member would be unable to operate effectively and will need a local alliance. So a European network is a must. And—’

  ‘Professor Moriarty!’

  ‘Precisely, Mr. Holmes, precisely! There is only one man with the extreme intelligence, resources, ruthlessness, courage, and direct control of multiple networks whom the Yakuza can work with. You will recall the case of the Japanese tourist found dead in the Paris catacombs that your colleague Monsieur Dubugue3 of the Sûreté was unable to solve. The murder was reported as if it were the result of a random attack by ruffians. The victim was, in fact, a policeman deputed by us at a very early stage when we started becoming suspicious several months ago. We believe he was assassinated before he could close in on the name of the Japanese diplomat who was in touch with Professor Moriarty.’

  ‘Dubugue did mention this peculiar case to me, and I, in turn, discussed this with my brother Mycroft,’ observed Holmes. ‘He too concluded that there was an aspect of the diplomatic world at play here. But we did not take the matter forward as we did not have enough facts and Dubugue was unable to meet us in person.’

  ‘Imagine now, Mr. Holmes, the repercussions of such a situation unfolding. Our problems with the Americans and the British will go out of control if it were discovered that the Japanese Diplomatic Service was working with the Japanese Yakuza, the Shanghai Green Gang Triad opium syndicate and the most feared criminal gang in Europe. If we do not act, and if the strategy of the syndicate works, the control of a weakened Europe’s economy could pass into the hands of Professor Moriarty. The Yakuza could quite easily take over Japan, additionally taking advantage of the current restless political climate in the country, about which you will be briefed very soon.

  ‘There are other scenarios that can be imagined, such as a World War involving several countries across continents if cultural or economic sensibilities are affected beyond tolerance. Such eventualities are unacceptable. But nothing is specious or far-fetched. In our office, we rule out nothing. Every possible scenario and possibility is given respect and considered. It is a never-ending exercise. That is my job.’

  ‘Your description is thorough. Certainly, an eviscerated Europe with its productive workforce in opium dens is an unthinkable eventuality. Indeed, I now recall reading an article recently about a Dutch movement to legalize the consumption of drugs in small amounts.’

  ‘Yes, Mr. Holmes. I am aware of that. It is almost certainly a trial balloon from Professor Moriarty’s organization on behalf of the Yakuza to gauge public opinion and perhaps gradually and subtly influence it in a suitable way. What is the harm, some reason, in consuming a drug that has been extant for thousands
of years and is used in laudanum to control excited individuals or in morphine to relieve pain? Such a drug, they argue, should be legalized and taxed, failing which, a disreputable underground may address the same needs. The argument is cloaked in excellent logic, but does not reveal the serious economic and public health issues that may develop. If Holland is won, then this distorted way of thinking will definitely spread.’

  There was silence as an attendant came in and served more O-cha and departed again.

  ‘This is the time for action, Mr. Holmes. I myself can only strategize and pave the way for action. But it is rare individuals like you who have the ability to execute utterly audacious and dangerous counterintelligence plans.

  ‘We conceived Operation Kobe55 about a year ago. There is no specific reason for choosing that code name. The objective of Operation Kobe55 is very simple—cripple the Yakuza by identifying the traitors in our Diplomatic Service in Europe. Once they are exposed, the Shanghai syndicate will be set back. Professor Moriarty will continue to remain Europe’s problem instead of becoming ours as well. This is our hope.

  ‘The mechanics are more difficult—to infiltrate our own Diplomatic Service, identify the funding conduits and grab the plans of the syndicate before they can be operationalized. If diplomats can be compromised, politicians certainly can. By my estimate, we are some two years away from seeing a complete economic and political takeover of Europe by the Shanghai Triad, facilitated fully by our Yakuza and your Professor Moriarty. Funding is in place—which is why Sugiyama-san was posted to Berne. What was missing was that one person who could make the operation successful. Fortune has smiled on us in a most unexpected way. We believe that that person is you, Mr. Holmes.’