Pathway to Japanese Literature

Discover Japan's stories—across time, across language.

JusticeAuthor: Hamao Shirō

Original Title	正義
Author	浜尾四郎
Genre	Detective & Mystery
Author Type	Male Author
Summary	In a snowbound study, two former friends reunite after a decade—Isegawa, a lawyer consumed by justice, and Kiyokawa, a playwright shrouded in mystery. Their conversation ignites around Moriki Kunimatsu, a bellboy accused of murdering Viscount Matsumura at a secluded hot spring hotel. Isegawa passionately defends Moriki’s innocence, convinced the viscount’s death was suicide, while Kiyokawa harbors a secret: a witness who could exonerate the defendant. Yet revealing this truth would expose an illicit affair, destroying lives beyond repair. As their debate intensifies—pitting legal duty against moral sacrifice—the line between justice and ruin blurs. Whispers of betrayal, hidden lovers, and a storm of guilt unravel their bond, leaving both men haunted by choices that could save one life or shatter many. Amid swirling snow and fractured loyalties, the question lingers: What price is too high for truth? A taut psychological duel where every revelation carries devastating consequences.