A veteran Japanese diplomat stationed in Poland faces a crisis when he becomes entangled in a moral and political dilemma involving the fate of Jewish refugees during the Second World War. The story draws on historical events surrounding Chiune Sugihara, a real-life consul who defied his government's orders to issue life-saving visas. His decision to act against official policy puts his career and future at risk, yet he continues writing transit documents even as his posting comes to an end.