The hundredth anniversary of the birth of mystery author Seicho Matsumoto, who wrote the original story on which the current movie hit "Zero no Shoten" is based, continues to be celebrated on the small screen this week with a new version of his classic tale "Chuo Ryusa" (Central Quicksand; TBS, Mon., 9 p.m.).
Kurahashi (Ken Ishiguro), who works for an international development aid organization, has been living under a dark cloud ever since suspicions arose that he has taken bribes. After he goes to Kobe on a business trip, his wife, Setsuko (Yoka Wao), starts to worry because he doesn't call her. Then, when he doesn't return home on schedule, she panics because she can't reach him.
Several days later she receives news that her husband's dead body has been found in Guilin, China, along with the dead body of a woman. The local authorities judge it to be a double love suicide. Setsuko refuses to believe her husband was having an affair, and asks a reporter named Kawabe (Masahiro Takashima) to investigate.