Summary

Chapter 18 begins in 1957. Jiro is in Japan, and he helped turn the family farm around there. He takes credit for much of their increase in fortune there. Japan is becoming democratic, and Etsuko is legally allowed to become American. None of the Watanabes treat Rachel any differently despite the fact that she had leprosy. The family is together, and after Jiro gives a toast to Taizo, he tells Ruth, after five glasses of sake, that Taizo died in the stockades. Ruth takes him away from Etsuko so the woman does not hear, and while Jiro weeps, Nishi tells Ruth the story. Ruth wishes she did not know this information. Ruth realizes that she will just have to learn to live with this information, but she is furious and breaks a glass when washing dishes because she squeezes it so hard.

While the...