'The most controversial and sensational novel of the last twenty years.'
This fictional conspiracy tale is about Japan's undercover operations to abduct young children of Japanese-Western marriages, in order to create a live gene-pool. These children are needed as potential scientists for Japan's future program in atomic weapons - and for the development of her military technology.
The 'Kyoto Complex' is slightly similar to 'The Boys from Brazil'; though with the sub-plot that Tokyo is secretly developing a nuclear arsenal. Enigmatic Japan is dissected with a Dan-Brown interest.
At the same time, though, the personal side of the story largely revolves around a single character and family. Thus, the events are believable, the plot has structural logic, and the tone is down-to-earth.
With regard to its message for today, 'The Kyoto Complex' is prophetic in the way 'The Riddle of the Sands' was in predicting German rearmament, a hundred years ago. It argues that Japan could now be secretly developing nuclear weapons. The issues that are explored in 'The Kyoto Complex' are of great topical importance; and so this good old-fashioned tale has a universal appeal for now.
Research was carried out in Kyoto for five years.