Original subtitles

♪♪

Move on.

There's no double parking here.

I'm with the Japanese consulate.

Official business.

I'm here to meet the diplomatic courier arriving from Tokyo.

Very nice to see you again.

Glad you had a good flight.

Stop the car!

The courier has been kidnapped!

- What? - He forced me off the road!

He tied me up! He took the car!

Just relax. He'll make a call.

Okay.

Thank you so much.

- Good morning. - Good morning.

May I help you?

Yes, I'm here to see Mr. Joseph Mannix.

Is he expecting you?

I should have called first.

I'm sorry, but it is very important.

Name is Tami Okada.

One moment, Mr. Okada.

Oh, thanks, Peg.

Says it's important.

Show him in.

Mr. Okada.

Mr. Mannix.

Mr. Okada.

A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Mannix.

Please sit down.

Would you like some coffee?

Of course. It would be impolite to say no.

Not if you really don't want it.

Ah, well, I really don't.

Thank you.

Some tea?

How very kind of you.

Now, uh, what can I do for you, Mr. Okada?

I need your help.

I'm your counterpart in Tokyo.

Counterpart?

Private investigator.

Oh. Oh.

May I say, your office is most impressive?

Well, I'm not sure that's quite the word for it.

Oh, yes.

In Japan, investigator has small office,

most times, no secretary.

Beautiful flower arrangement.

Oh, what can I do to help you, Mr. Okada?

One starts talking business so soon?

In America, usually sooner.

Ah.

Perhaps you have read news about diplomatic courier

who disappeared day before yesterday.

Yes.

I've been sent here to find him.

- By whom? - Courier's father.

He suffers deeply from this disgrace.

Disgrace?

The man was kidnapped.

Oh, yes, in Japan, when a man fails in professional duty,

it is a disgrace to family.

Even when it's not his fault?

Yes.

And if courier is not found soon,

his father will have to atone.

How?

For those who live by our customs, there is only one way.

Yes, Mr. Mannix.

Hara-kiri.

In this day and age?

In Japan, days do not age as they do here.

Huh.

Well, I'll be glad to do whatever I can.

Thank you.

You see, it is my first time in your country.

Hmm.

Now, do you have any leads?

Leads?

Clues.

Ah, clues, yes, yes.

There is someone the courier has seen

each time he comes to Los Angeles.

She works at Japanese Village in Sea Theater Show.

This time, ladies and gentlemen,

we'd like to introduce something quite spectacular.

And you'll agree to that when you see it.

We're going to use two of our oldest dolphins,

Uriko and Okiyro.

We're one of the few theme parks in the world doing this,

results of nine months of training.

The dolphins are side by side.

And this is it, ladies and gentlemen.

Amyio Kim astride our two dolphin stars, Uriko and Okiyro.

Going out on the ride of his life, making one revolution.

Now in for the landing; that's the tricky part.

Well, the second time around, and look at him go.

They're really picking up speed.

Can he make it?

Safe and sound.

That's Amyio Kim.

Our dancers are performing something

quite traditional in Japan,

bringing our show good luck and fortune.

Our dolphins have been watching the dance,

and they've come up with a modernized version.

It's something everyone can learn.

So if you expect to learn,

you'll have to watch very closely.

Took them a couple months to pick up this dance step.

Shouldn't take you any time at all.

Watch closely.

Think of how impressed your friends will be

as you show them the latest craze.

It's called The Dolphin, by our dancing discotheque stars.

Our dolphins will be leaving us at this time,

and they'd like to thank Kim in the way that they know best.

That's by waving good-bye, dolphin style.

And as a conclusion to our show,

we'd like to thank our trainer Amyio Kim,

our three dolphins, Uriko, Akim and Okiyro.

And with the flight of our doves, we'll end our show.

Ladies and gentlemen, thank you very much,

and we hope you have a nice day here at the Japanese Village.

Excuse me, we're looking for Miss Nakano.

Thank you.

Miss Nakano?

Yes?

I'm Joe Mannix.

This is Tami Okada.

Oh, is it about Akio Iguchi?

Yes.

I've already told the police I know nothing.

But you are a good friend of his.

I see him whenever he comes to Los Angeles.

Did you know he was coming here this time?

I never know in advance.

Excuse me, Nakano-san.

May I ask if he telephoned from airport to say he was here?

No, he didn't.

Do you know where he stays when he's in Los Angeles?

I've already told you, I know nothing.

I'm sorry.

Thank you.

A pleasantly beautiful young lady.

What does that mean?

Huh?

Oh, it means, "Meeting is beginning of parting."

No, no.

I told them I didn't know where you were.

I'll call you later.

Good-bye.

Joe, what are you so worried about?

Tami Okada said he'd be here for lunch at 1:00.

Joe, it's only a quarter after.

Peggy, when a Japanese says 1:00, he means 1:00 sharp.

Old custom, punctuality.

I tell you, there's something wrong.

Well, where'd he say he was going when you dropped him off?

He wanted to go over to Little Tokyo and look for a lead.

Mr. Mannix's office.

Just one moment, Mr. Okada.

Oh, what happened? Where are you?

Sorry not to be punctual.

Have been busy.

Did you find anything?

Not safe to talk on phone.

I have read about wiretapping in the U.S. of A.

Meet me.

Okay, where?

I'll be there.

Where you going?

Shopping.

Where else?

Hey, what's this all about, Tami?

When I left hotel room today, I put matchstick on top of door.

On return from Japanese Village, matchstick on floor in hall.

Meaning that somebody opened the door while you were gone.

Somebody still inside when I get to room.

So, I come here.

You mean, you didn't go in after him?

Oh, no. I leave quietly.

Why?

Number one reason: I'm rather good at karate and kung fu,

but there are some who are better.

Number two: in Japan, it is considered disgrace

for man of law to use force.

Number three: a man in room might have gun.

Well, there is always that third possibility.

In Japan, no.

Here, yes.

In Japan, only policemen and soldiers allowed to have guns.

And how do you plan on taking care of that somebody?

I will trick him into using force against me.

How do you plan to do that?

I have let it be known in Little Tokyo,

I go to bath house across the street from hotel at 4:00,

hoping that Yakuza will hear about this.

Yakuza?

Gangster.

Ah.

I'm hoping he will be waiting for me outside

to make forceful attack on me.

And suppose Yakuza is across the street on the roof

and takes a shot at you from there?

Yakuzas think it is cowardly to use guns.

Prefer knives.

This one could be the exception.

Number three reason for not going into room.

But if I am killed, you will be there

to capture Yakuza and find Courier.

It's your funeral.

Oh, that's just an old American saying.

♪♪

Excellent bath house, very clean.

Someone on roof?

I haven't seen anyone suspicious

on the roof or anywhere else.

Will come.

Do not keep too close.

Yakuza must think I am all alone.

Oh, uh, tuna sashimi.

Malcolm.

Yeah, Art, Joe.

Do me a favor, will you?

A pickup truck, license number 567 FTW.

Joe, if you want me to put out an APB,

you've got to give me some details.

All I want is to have it followed.

Some details, Joe.

Art, there's no time.

Now look, just tell me

when and where the truck parks.

I might even catch a couple of big fish for you.

Yeah, okay, Joe.

567 FTW.

Splendid cooperation from police.

Also splendid to have phone in car.

Will definitely get one when I get car.

Excuse me, did a couple of men go by here,

one of them Japanese?

Oh, yeah, about ten minutes ago.

Where did they go?

Went toward the Sea Theater.

♪♪

Get back to the car.

Call Lieutenant Malcolm at Police Headquarters.

Tell him to get away with some men fast.

Not necessary; two of them, two of us.

But you don't have a gun.

Now get going.

♪♪

♪♪

Oh!

Oh! Aah!

Take comfort.

As we sometimes say in Japan, "To be beaten is to win."

Yeah, well, my head tells me we're not in Japan.

Thanks, Tami.

I'm pleased that you call me by first name, Joseph.

Joe.

Okay, Joe, far out.

Where did you learn that?

Worked as bartender in Tokyo to send me through college.

Many American tourists come there.

Hi, Art, anything?

Nobody around but a few workmen and guards.

We've questioned all of them, but nothing.

You work here?

I'm working with Joe.

Oh?

Tami Okada.

He's a private investigator from Tokyo.

Lieutenant Malcolm.

Well done, Lieutenant, to get here so fast.

Thanks.

Working on what?

Missing person.

Japanese diplomatic courier.

That's my case, Joe.

Yeah, well, uh,

if we get any leads, we'll let you know, Art.

Or clues, Lieutenant.

What are you doing here so late?

There's someone inside waiting to see you.

Yeah, who?

A girl.

Midori Nakano.

I didn't know where else to go.

About what?

This afternoon when we talked,

I lied to you.

I did know where Akio-san was.

Why didn't you say so?

He told me not to tell anyone.

Trust is most important.

But two men walked

into my dressing room this afternoon

and asked if I knew where Akio-san was.

I told them I didn't.

Was one of them Japanese?

Yes, and the other,

most frightening man.

They didn't believe me.

They threatened me.

And you told them?

No, the stage manager walked in,

and they just went away,

but I think somehow they found Akio-san.

What makes you think that?

Well, as soon as I could get to the telephone,

I called Akio-san to warn him.

A man answered.

When I asked for Akio-san, he just hung up.

Was it one of the two men?

I think so, but I'm not sure.

Hurry, please.

I-I'm so afraid.

Akio-san was at Crown Motel

at East Avenue.

I told you he didn't have any luggage.

What are you looking for?

When people check into your motel, you usually make

a note of the license number of their cars, right?

He came in a cab.

Did he leave in a cab, or did somebody pick him up?

- Cab. - What kind?

City Cab.

City Cab Company.

Eddie, Joe Mannix.

Well, it's good to hear from you, Joe.

Eddie, listen, uh, you got a call

from the Crown Motel about 8:15.

Where'd the cab go?

Oh, now, Joe,

I got strict orders against giving out log entries.

It's important, Eddie.

Well, so is my job, you know?

It seems to me I remember

a couple of times when you needed a favor.

Stop shoving, will you?

Oh, now, Eddie, don't tell me

you forgot that trip to San Diego?

Okay, hold on.

Very effective.

When I get home again,

I must remember to do favors for taxi dispatchers.

And don't forget hotel clerks and doormen.

And et cetera.

- Joe? - Yeah, Eddie, what've you got?

Gardena.

The Kyoto Club.

- Good evening, gentlemen. - Good evening.

We're looking for a man named Akio Iguchi.

I do not know the name.

Well, he would have arrived a few minutes before 9:00.

About 35 years old, medium height,

probably wearing a black suit.

Sorry, I do not remember him.

What'd she say?

Is he here?

No, no, now we are in my baseball park.

Must go slowly.

One moment, please.

First we go to private room for dinner,

then ask questions.

What was in the envelope?

$20 bill.

In Japan, we put tips in paper or put them in envelopes.

Tips and bribes.

What makes you think we're getting anything

but a private room for that $20?

Lady's manner reveals she is honorable person.

As such, she would not take money deceitfully.

This way, please.

You handle chopsticks like Japanese.

I learned in Korea.

If we were in Orient now,

we would have geisha girls to entertain us with meal.

You haven't forgotten we're still

working on a case, have you?

A refined, well-trained geisha can be very helpful.

Lovely face, soothing music,

tranquility,

rests soul and stimulates mind.

I think your mind's been stimulated enough

with Akio's girlfriend, Midori.

Very shrewd observation,

but do not think it is just a response to her physical charm.

You could have fooled me.

People who told me about her say she has very fine ancestry.

Most eligible young lady.

You should never leave chopsticks in rice bowl.

Oh, I'm sorry.

Bad luck, old superstition.

Means nothing.

But you'd like me to take them out?

If you wish.

The man you are seeking talked to somebody

at the bar who looked like a Yakuza.

I was afraid to tell you while the Yakuza was still there.

Do you know where the man we were looking for went?

He asked me how to get to the Buddhist Temple.

Akio talked at the bar

with man who looked like Yakuza, and then left.

Well, is the-the gangster still here?

No. She was afraid to come until he left.

Does she know who he is?

No, but she knows where Akio may have gone.

Where?

He asked her how to get to Buddhist Temple.

♪♪

I thought I heard someone.

What is it you want?

Excuse me, do you speak English?

Yes.

We were told a man came here about an hour ago.

His name is Akio Iguchi.

I heard no one come in.

Akio!

Hara-kiri, huh?

I didn't think they did that anymore.

According to Tami,

it's still the only honorable form of suicide.

Well, if we get positive identification,

I guess that does it.

Well, give me a ring if you find out, will you?

Don't I always?

I have a question, Joe.

What's that?

When body is found,

do police not send men to look for fingerprints and et cetera?

They'll be here soon, Tami.

Not so fast this time.

Lieutenant Malcolm is very intelligent man,

but not brilliant.

No?

It was not hara-kiri.

It was murder.

- What makes you so sure? - Before hara-kiri,

man with Samurai traditions

must fulfill certain obligations.

Such as?

Must explain to family why he's going to do it,

to family and other loved ones.

He would have told his loved one, Midori.

What makes you think she was his loved one?

Impossible for friendship with Midori

not to ripen into love.

Well, we'd better go see Midori.

Oh, no.

Not proper to intrude on her sorrow.

But we have to, Tami.

She might know something.

Yes, but not tonight.

First you must take me some place

where I can buy her present.

- A present? - Custom.

We give presents when somebody dies.

Oh.

Uh, maybe you'd like to see her alone?

No, no. Two who go on a journey together

should remain together until it is over.

Forgive the intrusion,

Midori Nakano-san.

I offer heartfelt condolences and this trivial gift.

I accept with warmest thanks.

I offer my deepest sympathy, Midori Nakano-san,

and this trivial gift.

I accept with warmest thanks.

I regret to speak of matters like this,

but I think it was murder, not hara-kiri.

Murder?

Do you, too, believe that Akio-san was murdered?

I believe he might have been, yes.

Think hard, please.

You must tell us everything you know.

I know very little.

Akio-san telephoned me from motel

to tell me that he got away from the man at the airport.

There was only one man?

He didn't say.

All he told me was that the only way to atone

was to get back the attaché case.

Can you think of anyone else that me might have phoned?

No.

Could he have called somebody at the consulate, maybe?

Unlikely.

But he did owe them an explanation, didn't he?

It would have been too shameful

for him to confess that he had been unworthy

of the trust placed in him.

We will leave you now, Midori-san.

You know, Tami, this whole thing could have been a setup.

A setup?

Yeah, something planned to look like something else.

Ah, setup.

By whom?

Akio.

But why?

A fake kidnapping maybe, so that he could get his share

of the money without being suspected.

You think money was in the attaché case?

A diplomatic courier doesn't have to go through customs.

For all we know, he could have been

bringing in the emperor's jewels or drugs.

I cannot believe this of Akio.

Well, let's see what we can find out

at the consulate, huh?

CROWD: Cotter, stay home!

Cotter, stay home! Cotter, stay home...

Who is Cotter?

Big industrialist from up north.

I thought the Japanese loved him.

Ah, James Cotter,

who was at Tokyo Trade Conference?

Yeah, he's been plugging hard

for cooperation with Japanese industry.

He's just been named U.S. Consul in Osaka.

Very popular man in Japan.

Except with fanatical nationalists.

Is that the driver

who was sent to the airport to pick up the courier?

Yes. I saw his picture in newspaper.

- Pardon me? - Yes?

I would like to ask you a few questions

about the day the courier was kidnapped.

Was there another man

with the one who took the limousine from you?

Only one man.

Excuse me.

Well, let's see what we can find out inside.

Anyone there you do favors for, Joe?

No, this is one place I missed.

Maybe make note.

I realize that the contents

of the attaché case are confidential,

but if there was something in it

that might provide a motive for murder...

Nothing was in the case except official communiques.

But how is it possible to be sure?

The case was not delivered.

The consul has authorized me to tell you it was delivered.

It was found outside the consulate door

the morning after the courier disappeared.

Maybe there was something in the case

that was taken out before it was left here.

Of course, that is possible.

But then why would he bother to deliver it at all?

Oya on.

Pardon?

Oya on means obligations to our parents

of which it is said,

"One never repays one ten-thousandth."

Akio brought shame to his parents.

He was overwhelmed by remorse, so he...

Perhaps I should explain the difference

between on and gimu.

Tami, excuse me,

but could you just kind of sum it up?

Overwhelmed by remorse,

Akio left the attaché case at the consulate.

And then atoned by committing hara-kiri.

Very interesting theory, Joe.

But since Akio did not fulfill his obligations

to family and loved ones,

I still do not believe it was hara-kiri.

And you have an obligation to find out who killed him.

You are beginning to think like Japanese.

Oya no on.

No, gimu.

You see, with Akio it was ko,

with me it is nimmu.

All right, Tami, assuming it was murder,

where do you want to look next?

Must have time to think, Joe.

Okay, let's think separately until 6:00.

I'll pick you up for dinner.

Many thanks for driving me to hotel, my dear friend.

♪♪

I wouldn't want it known in Little Tokyo

I used violence, Joe.

I won't tell a soul.

What did you use... Karate or kung fu?

To talk about use of force is in poor taste.

Let's see if we can get him to talk.

Come on.

I thought a friend of mine lived in that hotel room.

Oh, yeah, and you were waiting for him with a gun in your hand.

I didn't even know the gun was there.

Thanks, Larry.

Well, Mr. Pike, it seems that your fingerprints match

a set of prints we found last night on a...

I was in Long Beach last night.

I got witnesses.

On a window of a Buddhist temple

in which a man was found dead.

More brilliant than I thought.

A man named Akio Iguchi.

Never heard of him.

Let me refresh your memory.

You talked to him at the Kyoto Club.

Hey, now I remember.

I was walking past that temple yesterday.

A little guy said a window was stuck and would I help open it?

Lieutenant, may I make observation?

Go ahead.

Hara-kiri has many traditions... The way sword is held,

the way person is dressed, and et cetera.

All this must conform to ancient custom.

And this hara-kiri didn't?

No, did.

Point being that Mr. Pike here

would not know how to arrange it.

Must have been done by Japanese.

Which lets me out.

May I make suggestion?

Sure, why not?

Point finger at guilty man

and may be rewarded with lighter sentence.

No deals.

You take your chances.

But the D.A. won't lean too hard

on the man who didn't do it.

Would he?

Who did it?

His name is Takeshi,

Yorio Takeshi.

Where could we find him?

1721 South Ruxton.

I didn't know what it was all about in the beginning.

It just looked like a way to pick up some easy money.

What was it all about?

Takeshi belonged to some crazy outfit in Tokyo called Terror.

He was sent here to kill a guy named James Cotter.

Hard to understand.

Not for me, Joe.

I understand every word.

Very fine recording.

Aha, Japanese equipment.

What's hard to understand, Tami,

is why they sent a man all the way from Japan.

Terror outfit probably has no members here.

Yeah, but Pike said they have an undercover man

working at the consulate.

And all he knows is what Takeshi told him.

Why would Takeshi lie to Pike?

"Crazy" means "lunatic," does it not?

Something like that.

Lunatics do things that make no sense.

A government agent in Tokyo found out

why Takeshi was sent here.

A tip-off to the L.A. consul was in the attaché case,

and an agent working undercover in Tokyo

passed the word on to Takeshi.

And that's why he wanted the case?

Yeah, so nobody here would know

Takeshi was out to get Cotter.

Excuse me, Joe.

That part is hard to understand

because consul did get attaché case.

He did?

Yes, and if clue was in case,

consul would notify police, which he didn't.

Well, I think I've got an answer to that, Tami.

What, please?

Takeshi took the tip-off out of the case

before he dropped it off at the consulate.

Ah, and this he did not tell Mr. Pike.

Right.

Mannix.

We got Takeshi, Joe.

And is there an undercover man at the consulate?

Takeshi won't talk.

Art, if I were you, I'd play it safe

and give Cotter some extra protection.

Joe, sometimes we get ideas, too.

Cotter's car is headed up the coast with a police escort.

Very good.

But Cotter isn't in it.

Well, that's even better.

The consulate chauffeur is driving him to the airport.

His private plane is waiting.

Nice going, Art.

They got Takeshi.

Splendid.

Assassination would been most harmful

to relations between Japan and U.S. of A.

What is it, Joe?

You do not look happy.

Case is over.

The consulate chauffeur.

Something is wrong?

Now, he said that the man who hijacked the limousine

was all alone.

Ah, and we know now it was Takeshi and Pike... two men.

The only reason the chauffeur would have lied

is because he's the undercover man.

♪♪

Have a nice trip, sir.

♪♪

Keep both hands on the wheel.

Your assignment was to kill Cotter, wasn't it?

That is ridiculous.

Why'd you let him get away?

I was only doing my job... Driving him to the plane.

Unless you planted something on the plane.

Nimmu, huh?

Hang onto him, Tami, there's a bomb on that plane.

Get out of the plane; there's a bomb aboard.

Quick, get out.

Hurry up.

Far out, Joe.

And the chauffeur has made full confession.

The kidnapping of Akio was a-a setup.

Thank you very much for coming here to tell me.

Would you please give my condolences

and this trivial gift to Akio-san's parents?

Yes, tomorrow.

I will remember you both with great warmth.

As we shall remember you, Midori Nakano-san.

Sayonara.

Meeting is the beginning of parting.

Parting doesn't have to be permanent.

Maybe make note.