Sanctuary

This story starts with the introduction of Hojo, a young yakuza, who is blackmailing a local Japanese politician with compromising pictures. At the politician's office, Hojo demands a payment to stop the pictures from being released to the media. The politician's assistant, Asami, brings Hojo the payoff and it is revealed that the two men are friends. This is all a scheme to elevate Asami's political standing in the Diet and together they will modernize the Japanese parliment, creating their "Sanctuary".



The new female deputy chief police inspector, Kyoko Ishihara, opens an investigation into Hojo's criminal activities. In an undercover sting, Ishihara becomes the subject of a practical joke. She is drugged and made to think that her virginity was taken by Hojo. When she finds out she has been tricked, she is even more determined to bring him to justice.

The blackmailed politician tries to use his political influence to deal with Hojo. The pictures are released to the secretary general of the Diet and the minister is expelled from the cabinet. Asami announces he is planning to run for the vacant seat. He ultimately plans to lead a revolution to rid the Diet of all the old politicians and fill it with younger, vibrant cabinet ministers. Unfortunately for Asami, the secretary general nominates an old friend to run for the seat. Asami decides to run for the seat as an independant. Meanwhile, Hojo makes a move to assume more power in the underworld organization. He shoots the Don and becomes leader of the organization.



Aware of the impending changes in the mob, Ishihara intensifies her investigation into Hojo. She finds an old high school picture of him and Asami. Digging further back, she finds a picture of the two men as boys in a Cambodian refugee camp. Because the two of them had managed to survive the camp, she realizes the two of them must be closer than they let on. Hojo visits Ishihara and tries to get her to give him some time to carry out his plans. He manages to convince her to ease off.

Soon the Diet is dissolved and an election is called. Asami, and many friends he has converted to his cause, commence their campaigns. As the campaign progresses, Hojo is contracted to kill Asami. To protect his friend, Hojo arranges to have Asami stabbed (but not killed) at a campaign event. This attempt on his life makes him even more popular with the constituents. Asami and many of his associates are elected to the Diet. Unfortunately, things are not going as well for Hojo. A mob war has broken out to challenge his leadership grab. Ishihara, concerned for Hojo, tells him that if he can bring the violence to an end, she will let him make love to her. He tells her it will take three days. The dispute is brought to an end as planned and Hojo remains Don. He announces his plans to legitamize the organization. Before Hojo and Ishihara can take their relationship further, Hojo is shot in the street before her eyes.



As news of the shooting reaches Asami, he races to the scene but he is unable to reveal his friendship. Hojo flashes Asami a sign that tells him that Hojo will be okay and to continue with his plans.

While Hojo lays in a coma, the organization resists take-over attempts by rivals. Asami strikes alliances that allow him to assume more and more power in the Diet. Hojo emerges from his coma and slowly recovers and reassumes control of his organization. As Asami continues his rise to power, his connections to Hojo are publicly revealed. They hold a joint press conference and Asami resigns from the Diet. Fortunately for him, Asami has built up enough support in the Diet to force another election to see if there is enough public support to re-elect him. Hojo announces his intention to run for a seat as well. He resigns his position as Don and is now free to begin a romantic relationship with Ishihara.



As the election campaign draws to a close, Asami falls ill. He is diagnosed with cancer due to his exposure to Agent Orange in the Cambodian camp. Asami is re-elected and becomes leader of the Diet. He successfully introduces major democratic reforms, including an elected premier. Asami is appointed the first prime minister. He doesn't have much time left, but he and Hojo have been able to remake the Japanese political landscape and create their Sanctuary.