Points and Lines by Seicho Matsumoto, translated by Makiko Yamamoto and Paul C. Blum (Kodansha International)

Long before the popularity of Japanese mystery authors such as Keigo Higashino, Kotaro Isaka, and Miyuki Miyabe became known to the English reading public, there was Edogawa Rampo and Seicho Matsumoto.

Matsumoto is the winner of the prestigious Akutagawa Award in 1953 for his short story Aru Kokura Nikki Den (The Legend of the Kokura-Diary). He also won the Mystery Writers of Japan Award in 1957 for his short story collection Kao (The Face). 

Although Edogawa Rampo is considered the first Japanese modern mystery writer, his novels are often described as being part of the “orthodox school” of detective fiction - stories that follow a very conventional formula. In contrast, Seicho Matsumoto incorporated social realism into his stories in which crimes are committed in ordinary settings and often have motives related to political corruption and social injustice, popularizing the detective genre which was later called suiri shosetsu (deductive reasoning fiction) which may include non-detective fiction as well. 

Points and Lines was originally published in 1957 as 点と線 (Ten to Sen) by Kobunsha. The first English translation became available in 1970 and the first paperback edition was published in 1986 and was translated by Makiko Yamamoto and Paul C. Blum. In English, it was also released with the title Tokyo Express.

The story opens with three people standing on Platform 13 at Tokyo station. The people are Tatsuya Yasuda, the president of a precision tool company. Recently, he has been doing a lot of business with government agencies and his company continues to grow. Yasuda is also a regular patron at a restaurant called Koyuki where he entertains many of his government contacts.  With him on the platform are two women who work at Koyuki, Yaeko and Tomiko.

All three of them witness Otoki, who also works at Koyuki, getting on the Express Train Asakaze with a man on Platform 15. A few days later, Otoki and the man she was seen with, a man named Sayama, were found dead on a beach in Fukuoka, apparently the victims of a love suicide. 

The local detective in charge of the case, Shigetaro Torigai, feels there’s something not right about the case. But at this point, his only clue is a receipt from the dining car of the Asakaze which was found on Sayama’s person. It also comes to light that Sayama may have been involved in a corruption case with government officials at a certain ministry. 

Detective Kiichi Mihara, who is investigating the corruption case in Tokyo, goes to Fukuoka to find out what happened to Sayama. Together with Detective Torigai, the two detectives discover another fact. That the Asakaze can only be seen from Platform 13 for a mere four minutes. The two detectives begin to have their doubts about Yasuda, but he has a rock solid alibi that puts him in Hokkaido when the alleged “love-suicide” occurred. 

Many of Seicho Matsumoto’s stories have been adapted into films or television series, including this one. The movie adaptation was released in 1958. It wasn’t until 2007 when the book was adapted into a television program.

The plot of this story continues to be used in crime novels and films to this day. The main theme being able to disprove a suspect’s alibi. One of the things you must remember when reading this book is the fact that it was written before the advent of the shinkansen or bullet train and air travel was still uncommon. There were no smartphones or Internet either. Reading the book now, it may seem dated, but there is no doubt that it could only be set in Japan, seeing how the story is centered around the train schedules, which to this day remain very accurate. 

The story is also a great introduction to the Japanese detective fiction genre. You won’t be disappointed. ~Ernie Hoyt