In Pendulum Over the Pacific, the President's nephew and advisor goes rogue, teaming with a hawkish U.S. Senator who is scheming to force Japan to lower its trade surplus with the U.S. The senator and nephew see Japan's trade surplus as a threat to the U.S. economy. They decide to manipulate facts and use history to their advantage to force the President to renegotiate an existing U.S.-Japan trade deal. It's the 1980s when Japan was the "bad" trade partner, before China's rise. Once a student in Tokyo, Morgan Atwood returns to Japan to help foreign students adapt to a new country, language, and culture. A chance meeting in Tokyo with a former professor leads to Morgan's introduction to the President's nephew, Rob Harwell. Morgan's actions help Harwell avoid public embarrassment, giving Morgan an opportunity to skim private papers hinting at the scheme. Morgan makes inquiries, raising alarms. The Washington group enlists help to find out the source of the "leak" but needs to remain anonymous. Morgan's new friend and colleague, Fumiko Nakajima, provides a sympathetic ear and helps Morgan fill in the unknown. When Fumiko uses her connections, the Washington group's concerns rise as they perceive Morgan's circle of friends as a threat to their plans.