<p>Lisa Countryman is a woman of complex origins. Half-Japanese adopted by African American parents she returns to Tokyo ostensibly to research her thesis on Japan&#39;s &quot;sad brutal reign of conformity.&quot; When she vanishes Tom Hurley who is half-Korean and half-white is assigned to her case at the American embassy as is local cop Kenzo Ota who is 100 percent Japanese but deemed an outsider.</p>