Tokyo Literary Masters: Starting from the Late 1980s

Shincho-sha, top-floor conference room.

This is the heart of Shincho-sha's power.

The huge mahogany table reflected a cold luster, and the heavy blackout curtains around it were tightly closed, shutting out the noise from the outside world.

On the wall hang black-and-white photographs of the great writers who have collaborated with Shinchosha throughout history—Natsume Soseki, Dazai Osamu, Kawabata Yasunari…

At this moment, the air in the conference room was so oppressive that it felt suffocating, as if it could explode at the slightest provocation.

This emergency board meeting was convened by Editor-in-Chief Sato, who risked his career and used an almost forceful approach and all his authority to forcibly gather these important figures who are rarely seen on ordinary days.

The long mahogany table was filled with the core members of the Shincho Society, who held power.

From the president with a full head of silver hair to the executive director in charge of public relations, and then to the sales director who controls the lifeline of Kansai, they are all Showa-era men over fifty years old.

But at this moment, these seasoned executives, who had seen it all, were ashen-faced and remained silent.

Before them lay a ban order from the Kyoto Board of Education, and next to it piled up a mountain of PTA protest letters.

The crystal ashtray was piled high with stubbed-out cigarette butts, and the rising smoke made everyone's brows furrow even more.

Editor-in-Chief Sato sat to the side, constantly wiping the cold sweat from his forehead, his eyes nervously shifting between the two sides, trying to find an opportunity to mediate.

At the end of the long table sat Kitahara Iwa.

"Sato-kun."

At this moment, the president, who was sitting at the head of the table, coughed lightly while covering his mouth with a handkerchief and asked, "You used your emergency privileges to send all of us old bones here."

"I imagine you didn't just want us to see these complaint letters, did you?"

As soon as the president finished speaking, the air in the entire conference room froze.

All eyes were on Editor-in-Chief Sato and Kitahara Iwao.

Sato was sitting to the side, and even though the air conditioning was on full blast, cold sweat was still dripping down his forehead.

He first glanced at Kitahara Iwa sitting to the side, then gritted his teeth, stood up, bowed, and said, "President, esteemed directors."

"Regarding the Kyoto Board of Education's classification of 'Confessions' as a harmful book... I would like to ask the board of directors how Shinchosha should respond?"

"response?"

The public relations executive pushed up his glasses, as if he'd heard something unbelievable, and said matter-of-factly, "Does this even need discussion? Just handle it as usual."

He tapped his finger on the table and continued, "First, immediately issue an official apology statement acknowledging our negligence in the review process."

"Second, we announced a recall of all first-edition books on the market."

"Third, promise to release a revised version, removing those overly sensitive descriptions that would upset parents. Then send someone to Kyoto to bow and apologize to the Board of Education and the PTA."

As the executive director finished speaking, several directors beside him nodded in agreement, saying, "Yes, Sato-kun. As long as you are sincere, the storm will pass quickly."

"It's not shameful to lower your head in order to preserve the century-old reputation of Shinchosha."

Hearing these casual words, Editor-in-Chief Sato's hands, which were resting on his knees, gradually clenched.

At that moment, the letter he had just seen and his daughter's face flashed into his mind.

"No...no."

Sato stood up abruptly, his voice still trembling slightly, but he spoke with unusual firmness.

"What?"

Upon hearing this, the executive officer immediately frowned.

Sato abruptly raised his head, then said with a serious expression, "I said no!"

"We cannot apologize, much less make any changes! If we apologize like this, it would be an admission that literature is guilty!"

"That's betraying the readers who trusted us!"

"Nonsense! That's utter nonsense!"

With a furious shout, the sales director in charge of the Kansai market could no longer contain himself.

He first glanced contemptuously at Sato, who stood ramrod straight but was trembling all over, then suddenly turned his head and stared intently at Kitahara Iwa, who had not spoken since the start of the meeting.

"Kitahara-kun! Sato took the blame for you, and you're acting like nothing happened? Look at the mess you've made! How dare you sit here?!"

"Do you know what the return rate is in Kyoto right now?! Ogaki Bookstore pulled the books off the shelves overnight! Distributors in Osaka are also watching and waiting! Some radical parents are even planning to throw paint on our Shinchosha building!"

The sales director's finger almost poked Kitahara Iwa's face, his voice cracking with extreme anger as he said, "Because of one of your books, Shinchosha's century-old reputation is about to be branded as a harmful book publisher! Can you bear that responsibility?!"

Faced with this barrage of accusations, Kitahara Iwa remained silent, simply watching him as if he were a barking Chihuahua.

This irritating silence made even the executive officer sitting next to him restless.

As a seasoned PR veteran, he adjusted his glasses and, unlike the sales director, didn't roar. Instead, he spoke in a sarcastic tone: "Kitahara-kun, as a newcomer, talent is important, but you also need to be able to read the room. Now is not the time for you to act like a hero."

As he spoke, he slid a pre-drafted document down the smooth mahogany table and placed it in front of Kitahara Iwa.

"Is it so hard to sacrifice your pitiful personal dignity for the sake of the company and everyone else?"

The executive officer pointed at the document with his finger and said with an unquestionable arrogance, "Sign it."

"They acknowledged that 'Confessions' contained excessive descriptions and promised to revise or recall the relevant chapters."

"Only in this way can we preserve the Kansai market. Kitahara-kun, it's just a matter of bowing your head, it's nothing serious."

Ignoring the apology statement in front of him, Kitahara Iwa stood up and glanced at every executive present.

"Apologize?"

"Gentlemen, you want me to apologize? Apologize to whom? Apologize to those PTAs who bury their heads in the sand like ostriches?"

"We are all people who work with words. Don't we all know that words will not yield to blind obedience?"

This sentence caused a moment of silence in the originally noisy conference room.

Before the higher-ups could refute him, Kitahara Iwa reached out and grabbed the black briefcase that had been placed at his feet.

"However, before discussing an apology... please take a look at this!"

After saying that, Kitahara Iwa placed his briefcase upside down in the center of the mahogany table.

Splash!

The letters poured out like an avalanche.

Some of these letters were crumpled, some had dried tear stains, and one even had dark red spots on it.

"What...what is this?"

The higher-ups were startled by this sudden action and retreated as if afraid of being contaminated by something unclean.

Ignoring their panic, Kitahara Iwa casually grabbed one of the letters, unfolded it, and began to read aloud in a low voice:

"I was called to the back of the gymnasium, and they made me run around. The teacher saw it but pretended not to, and just told me to endure it."

……

At this moment, Kitahara Iwao's voice echoed in the conference room, each word like a scalpel, precisely dissecting the hypocritical facade of these adults:

"I wouldn't dare say that 'Confessions' is these kids' lifeline!"

"But I dare say it's not a harmful book!"

"This society is sick! As a writer, I have honestly written this medical report!"

"Now, a doctor prescribes medication, the patient finds it bitter and wants to complain about the doctor, and you, as the hospital director, are actually forcing the doctor to apologize?!"

He pointed to the black and white photos on the wall and posed the most piercing question:

"If the Shinchosha were to kneel down and apologize because of a few words from those guys in Kyoto, then the portraits of Osamu Dazai and Yukio Mishima hanging on the wall would be laughing their heads off!"

"Because what you're protecting isn't a brand, it's your pathetic sense of decency!"

As Kitahara Iwa finished speaking, the entire conference room fell into a deathly silence.

Several senior executives showed remorse, but more than that, they hesitated.

After all, commercial interests are very real.

At this moment, Kitahara Iwatsu keenly grasped this point and continued, "Everyone, I know what you're worried about. Sales, right?"

"In Japan today, the bubble economy has driven people mad, and people are already tired of the monotonous illusions of truth, goodness, and beauty. The more something is banned, the more fatally attractive it becomes."

"If we apologize now, it's like admitting we were wrong. Readers will look down on us and think Shinchosha is spineless, which is why sales will really plummet."

"But what if we stubbornly stick to our guns?"

"Then we will be defenders of freedom of speech, warriors who expose the truth!"

"After this battle, Shinchosha will not only be a long-established publishing house, but also a spiritual leader of the Heisei era!"

silence.

A long silence.

The president, who had been silent all along, slowly reached out and picked up the letter in front of him that read, "Thank you, Kitahara-sensei."

He looked at the childish handwriting, his fingers gently tracing the edge of the paper.

After a long while, he took off his reading glasses and sighed heavily.

"Apology letter is null and void."

Although the president's voice was old, it carried an undeniable air of authority.

"President?!"

Upon hearing this, the executive director and sales director looked at the president with shocked expressions.

"If we back down now, literature will truly be dead."

The president carefully put the letter away and slowly said, "I will contact Hiroshi Kume of TV Asahi and have him do a live debate on 'harmful books'."

"Then let the PTA president and those guys from the Kyoto Board of Education debate with you."

"This is a trap, but also an opportunity to break free."

The old man slowly stood up, leaning on the table. Looking at the sharp-witted young man in front of him, he seemed to see his younger self who dared to challenge authority.

"Go, Kitahara-kun. Represent Shincho-sha and go on TV to explain your reasoning."

The president paused, his tone still stern, but his eyes held a hint of elder's kindness and responsibility: "You won. You are the hero of Shincho Club. From now on, you can choose any resources you want."

"Even if we lose, we'll still find a way to save you..."

"Next, I will contact Professor Hiroshi Aramata, Professor Mikihiko Renjo, and Professor Junichi Watanabe to speak up for you."

Upon hearing the president's words, Kitahara Iwa immediately burst into laughter.