Yoshiaki

"Yoshiaki’s companies owned one-sixth of all the land in Japan; and their land holdings increased every year. They owned the largest luxury hotel chain in the country with more than sixty hotels. You could live in a Seibu apartment, travel to work on Seibu Railways, stay at a Seibu-owned Prince hotel and go on holiday to one of Seibu’s resorts, which dominated all the country’s best ski slopes."

"He was a secretive figure. Although he wielded power, he did not like to be seen to wield it. He preferred to remain in the shadows, to operate from behind the scenes. He was famous for his network of connections. His friends included the current prime minister, previous prime ministers and those mysterious figures who were the real power brokers in the country. He was not indebted to them; they were indebted to him. No matter which faction or which party happened to be in power, Yoshiaki could always be certain of wielding influence."