FLEMING, Ian.

Inscribed by the author 'To Xavier Koike from Ian Fleming'. Koike provided Fleming with suggestions for locations in and around Tokyo to be used in You Only Live Twice, as well as information regarding Japan's administrative processes and agencies.

Born in 1922 Koike was an English Japanese British citizen who moved to Japan just in time for the outbreak of World War II, at which point he was arrested under suspicion of espionage and as a political enemy. He remained under arrest for two and a half years and was only released after Japan's surrender, at which point, still a prisoner, he acted as a translator during the tribunals of suspected Japanese war criminals. When it became clear he was an interned British citizen he was immediately released by the Allies and went on to work for the Supreme Court, helping to oversee the administration of Japan under the new American the same time Koike was also engaged by GCHQ, though in what capacity we do not know and it was seemingly during this time that he met Ian Fleming. The two became correspondents. and according to his family Koike provided Fleming with information for You Only Live Twice.

Xavier Koike subsequently wrote two books, English Crowns from 1649 (1977) and Large Size Paper Money of the United States (c.2000).