The story takes place in 1955, ten years after losing in WWII. It tells the story of the government officials at the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (now the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry), who are carrying out their mission to make Japan as affluent and wealthy as the western world. The story revolves around Shingo Kazakoshi, otherwise known as "Mr. Ministry of International Trade and Industry", and unfolds around the battle between the "industry supporters" who want to protect the national industry, and the "trade supporters" who are aiming for free trade to globalize the country.

Shingo Kazakoshi works in the Ministry of International Trade and Industry, a group in the center of Japan's post-war economic recovery efforts. Shingo along with his fellow bureaucrats have a strong sense of duty to make Japan a world economic power once again. Shingo must face many obstacles to pursue those goals including the balancing of industry factions asking for protection and international factions asking for free trade. Furthermore, Shingo must also deal with rivals Taisuke Katayama and Hirobumi Tamaki in the Ministry of Internatinal Trade and Industry.