Top League

Politics Division?

For one week, you'll be working at the Prime Minister's official residence.

...An old safe with 150 million was discovered.

...So how do the SG think about it?

- ...Shotoku Taishi? - ...It's Nihon Fudosan Shinyo Bank.

A politician's wallet?

Enter in the top league.

What is top league?

The view you see will change dramatically.

Get something from SG Kondo tomorrow.

The money in this safe may be related to the Tsutsumi route.

...Regarding that Cluster incident.

Can you tell me more about Nihon Fudosan Shinyo Bank?

Those in the top league... can get special information directly...

...and are privileged to hear politicians' real intentions.

I have to catch on to it.

Then, come over here. I'll let you see the backdrop you've never seen.

The victims were Kubo Tamio-san, 80 years old...

Robbery...

This is not a robbery case.

I've been waiting for you, Matsuoka-san.

Pardon me for making you surprised.

I want to talk just the two of us,

so I asked Akutsu-san.

Why it's me?

I think you're called to become a top league.

There are reporters who are close to politicians.

Have you wondered that it's strange?

Suddenly, you were called to be my top league,

and I wonder if you have any thoughts about this.

Matsuoka-san.

You tried me during that regular conference.

You deliberately asked questions which were not on the anticipated Q&A's.

I have been in this post for more than two years.

Our relationship with the media is a bit colluded.

You... have felt it,

so I guess you had cause discord from there.

You are interesting.

I... have thought that...

...I needed someone who's like a camphor dose around here.

So you mean,

to galvanize other reporters,

you have used me?

It would have worked.

Anyways, Nagata-cho is a sea of deep jealousy.

From now on, you can just contact me directly.

That would be less troublesome.

I do so.

Thank you so much.

One more thing...

Before I forget this.

It's the next president's HR of the East-West Development Bank.

It's the first time we've hired one from the private sector,

so there will be of news value.

Why to me...?

I'm grateful for you being a camphor dose.

I can't grasp Kondo-san's intentions.

You said that he thank you for using you.

Even though he have used me,

I also have benefited from him.

So you want me to get this scoop?

That's what being in a top league is.

The view you can see has changed.

Kubo Tamio, 81 years old, was killed.

He's a former employee at Nihon Fudosan Shinyo Bank.

Koda Genki, 80 years old, a politician's former private secretary.

They may be correlated probably in some kind of business.

After the two went on an izakaya at Nishi-Ikebukuro on that day,

they left the store and on the alley 10 meters away from it,

they got attacked by someone with a knife,

got dead on arrival at the hospital,

and their own wallets were gone.

A CCTV camera near the scene showed a man who's likely to be the culprit.

- Okay, let's go. - Yes, sir!

Anyone inside?

We're from the police.

He went over there!

- Stop! - Stop! Stop!

Be quiet! Don't move!

At 9:58 a.m, arrested for robbery and murder.

He acknowledged his crime.

He said he assaulted them for money.

He overstayed with his tourist visa...

...as he couldn't get the job he wanted.

He happened to be in a pub,

and saw an old man who looks rich,

so he followed and ambushed them to steal that man's wallet.

The victims were threatened with the knife,

though got stabbed as they have resisted.

That's what it said.

And I think it's unnatural.

Kubo-san, the victim...

...was the man I interviewed before about that money in the safe.

So what now?

You thought it was Shibata-san.

These murders may be related to that Cluster incident.

Cluster wants Japan to buy the aircraft,

using a man named Tsutsumi as the point of contact,

and gave enormous bribe money.

With this called Tsutsumi Route, the bribe money...

...was converted into Japanese yen at a dark-rumored bank.

Then, it was later on a politician's pocket.

That's just your imagination.

The man who had worked at this bank was killed.

Also the politician's secretary!

Moreover,

according to his family,

they hadn't been in contact for more than 20 years.

I met with him and interviewed him.

And then, he was killed.

That money in that safe...

...is connected in that Tsutsumi Route.

To hide that fact,

the two of them must vanish, isn't it?

[ Mr. Kushiro, to be next-term president of East-West Bank, the foreign capital top ]

Sa-chan. Say good morning to grandpa and grandma.

Okay.

Good morning.

Ah, let me see.

Great. It's not been put half-top.

It's the original article that I've made.

Congratulations.

By the way.

I'm sorry from before.

I couldn't went home early despite of the deadline.

Well, it went well.

Sa-chan, let's eat breakfast.

It was a bit great last night.

Almost all night, he follows-up the article you've written.

Just be careful.

Fukami-san is glaring at you.

See you later.

Okay.

This article is an information from Kondo-san.

My bad but I can't talk about it.

What have you really done?

How did you able to got with him?

Then, see you later.

Matsuoka speaking.

This is Kondo. Can I talk with you for a bit?

Did you have any issues with the article?

None at all.

You have published a good article.

You weren't able to forget making necessary arrangements,

and I was relieved.

Is that so?

So, I suggest one thing...

Matsuoka-san, are you interested with sick-child-care issues?

Sick-child-care issues?

The government's now working on the problem with stand-by children in nursery schools.

You know that, right?

Just like that,

we need to build more and more facilities...

...to temporarily hold the sick children.

Does that mean...

...you want me to become a policy reporter regarding sick-child-care?

Can you able to do it?

It's such a significant role...

Can it really be possible for me?

I'll let you get in touch with my secretary soon.

I understood, sir.

I beg your pardon.

Are you going to give such a half-finished story under my name?

Tanaka, co-representative of the Progressive Party...

...wants to leave the party and start a new one.

You take Tanaka's story!

- You'll take the Progressive Party's. - Yes, sir.

Collect as much useful material as possible.

Understood, sir.

How did Akutsu-san get such information from time to time?

Indeed.

You need to develop a bit your material.

My apologies.

Akutsu-san.

I heard you were nominated as a policy reporter.

Did you already know?

Do I have to be festive knowing that situation?

I just don't allow setbacks.

Chicken that don't lay eggs...

...must be constricted without mercy.

I don't have any idea why Kondo-san wants to appoint me.

But because I have been nominated...

I'll necessarily bring results.

Hey, hey, hey.

You're a policy reporter this time?

It's just been a week since you came to Politics Division.

What's going on with you?

This is blend, but the coffee is pretty good, is it okay?

I got this from the master of the usual store I go.

You've drastically promoted him as a policy reporter.

It's all thanks to you, Akutsu-san.

You invited me to the Ministry of Economy.

I'm still not in favor of putting Matsuoka beside you.

I wanted to see what kind of man he is.

You mentioned a radical solution, right? Prime Minister Ashihara...

Gosh. Another cumbersome guy came out.

But in fact, this problem has not yet fundamentally solved.

What do you think about this?

Prime Minister Ashihara.

About that stand-by children issue...