Book excerpt: “Cultural shock measuring 9.5 on the Richter scale . . .A SEARING, FAST-MOVING, SOPHISTICATED book, full of action and social comment.”—The New York Times Book Review Shoji Kobayashi, owner of the Yokohama Bay Stars baseball team and godfather to the Japanese mob buys a beautiful woman from Filipino pirates. When he discovers that the woman is the daughter of the Vice President of the United States, he uses her to upset ongoing trade negotiations with the U.S., but the Vice President has a hired ace up his sleeve, ex-CIA assassin James Burlane. "The daughter of the U.S. Vice President is kidnapped in the Philippines and sold to the yakuza as a sex slave. When the gangsters learn who she is, they attempt to blackmail the U.S. into softening its stance in trade negotiations. Enter maverick former CIA agent James Burlane, who, after examining each country's approach to baseball, decides that hardball is the only game the kidnappers will understand. Hoyt fans . . . will ask for Japanese Game."—Booklist A novel of suspense and “three age-old Japanese cultural traditions: trade protectionism, white slavery, and baseball . . . IRRESISTIBLY ENJOYABLE.”—Kirkus Reviews "SNAPPY, FAST-PACED . . . James Burlane is SLICK, TOUGH AND LETHAL . . . Hoyt is an ADROIT AND ZESTFUL writer."—Minneapolis Star-Tribune "Richard Hoyt has FUN . . . VERY WELL WRITTEN and will hold your attention from the start." — The New York Times Book Review "SUSPENSEFUL AND WELL-PACED."—Library Journal