He had also been introduced by the child of one of his hosts to the wonders of the Japanese abacus ( soroban ) .
He had also been had become convinced that this device was directly implicated in Japanese success in the classroom and the boardroom .
He had also been introduced by the child of one of his hosts to the wonders of the Japanese abacus ( soroban ) and had become convinced that this device was directly implicated in Japanese success in the classroom and the boardroom .