Traveling Through the Tokyo Bubble Era

Chapter 1049: Eternal disaster
November, with its gradually cooling weather, has passed by in a hurry.

As December approaches, the New Year's atmosphere in Tokyo is growing stronger.

Shops on the streets and alleys have started various New Year promotions.

Meanwhile, various companies in Japan began to hold all sorts of New Year's events in the first year of the stock market crash and economic slowdown.

The excitement and scale of the event were no less than in the past.

They all seem to be trying hard to maintain appearances and prove that they have not been affected by the economic environment.

Only they themselves truly know who is doing well and who is just putting on a show.

Of course, at least Hideki Hanyu knew that his companies were doing quite well.

After all, his company was not among the industries most severely affected by the current economic downturn in Japan.

If you were to ask what would be most affected, the answer would undoubtedly be finance and real estate.

Looking at the Japanese billionaires who previously appeared on the Forbes Global Rich List alongside Hideki Hanyu, apart from Hanyu, their wealth was basically all built on real estate and finance.

These people are the first to be affected by the current stock market crash in Japan.

The real estate market may seem to be holding up, but in reality, it's already teetering on the edge of a precipice.

In order to control overheated financial investment, Japan has introduced the Land Financing Control Law this year, cutting off the biggest driving force behind rising real estate prices in terms of funding.

Furthermore, the comprehensive property tax plan already in the works is like a Damocles' sword hanging over the real estate market.

Of course, these are only some of the reasons for the decline of the real estate market.

The rising unemployment rate, the sluggish job market for college graduates, and the overall decline in income due to the economic slowdown are all contributing factors.

From a later perspective, there are actually many reasons.

But whatever the reason, it doesn't change the fact that Hideki Hanyu knows that the Japanese real estate industry will collapse like the stock market next year.

Fortunately, he had already cleared out his real estate holdings long ago.

Although Yuzuru Properties still exists today, after a series of major layoffs, its number of employees is less than 30% of its peak.

Of course, the most important thing is the shift in Yuzuru Real Estate's main business.

Previously, Yuzuru Properties bought a lot of land and houses, making profits by hoarding real estate and managing properties.

Nowadays, although property management still exists, its business share is far less than it used to be.

After all, apart from some high-value properties in core areas and some of Hideki Hanyu's personal properties, most of the others have been cashed out by Hideki Hanyu.

Besides these, Yuzuru Properties currently has three main businesses.

The first step is to leverage the high-quality land resources at hand to collaborate with other real estate companies on developing high-end real estate projects, such as the tower apartment building developed with Mitsui & Co.

There are also purely domestic and foreign capital investments, such as cooperation with Hong Kong's Zhao San Gongzi's Zhuoneng Group, and participation in some domestic real estate projects, etc.

Finally, there's the operation and management of the sub-brands. We tried many projects, but the best one was "Fiery" LIVE HOUSE.

It now appears that Yuzuru Properties has performed quite well after its liquidation and transformation, with revenue exceeding one hundred million US dollars this year alone.

However, Hideki Hanyu did not actually value Hanyu Real Estate very much.

After all, the main purpose of founding this company was to make money by taking advantage of the Japanese real estate bubble.

Earning so much in a year these days can only be described as an unexpected stroke of luck.

Ultimately, the well-timed asset divestment and timely business transformation allowed Hanyu Properties to successfully avoid the impact of the Japanese real estate market.

For this reason, Hideki Hanyu has absolutely no need to worry about the real estate market crash next year.

So when the time came to December 2nd.

Hideki Hanyu brought Haruko Naito to a reception hosted by Mitsui & Co., and after hearing many guests talk about the real estate market with pessimistic expressions, he remained completely unmoved.

However, Hideki Hanyu didn't come here today just to watch the show.

After a series of social engagements, Hideki Hanyu finally got to see someone.

"President Yuzuru, I apologize for my previous offense and hope to receive your forgiveness."

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Aso, who arrived late, bowed and apologized.

Despite his stiff tone and forced expression, as the heir to the Aso family and someone who had been arrogant and willful since childhood, it was quite remarkable that he could do this in public.

But what does this have to do with Hideki Hanyu?

The previous conflict had already created enmity between the two sides. Even if Hideki Yuzuru wanted to let bygones be bygones, it is estimated that Aso, this petty and irrational madman, would not be willing.

So he didn't give Aso a friendly look when he was unwilling.

"It seems Mr. Aso is still very dissatisfied with me. If you don't want to apologize, I won't force you."

If Mr. Ma is not satisfied, he is welcome to leave now, and then we can settle the matter once and for all.

Upon hearing Hideki Yuzuru's words, Aso's expression darkened even further.

The people around them all looked on with expressions of amusement.

No secrets stay hidden forever, and many people already know what happened between Hideki Hanyu and this arrogant heir to the Japanese political scene.

Despite the fact that many so-called "old money" Japanese people don't really think highly of Hideki Hanyu, who has grown so rapidly in such a short time.

However, he also felt that Aso's initiative to provoke Hideki Hanyu was incredibly foolish.

After all, seniority is one thing, and ability is another. Even if Hideki Hanyu is young, his ability is undeniable.

Without having a clear plan for the future and without any support, provoking Hideki Hanyu for no reason is an absurd thing that no normal person would do.

In just a few days, facing Hideki Hanyu's media offensive, Aso was already powerless to defend himself and had no choice but to apologize on this occasion.

However, having already apologized, they are unable to be flexible and adaptable.

Now that Aso has been directly questioned by Hideki Hanyu, everyone who knows Aso's personality is eagerly anticipating that Aso will lose his temper on the spot and have a direct conflict with Hideki Hanyu.

Of course, we should also compare the ages and physiques of both parties.

Even if Aso is arrogant, he probably only dares to provoke her verbally. If he were to actually fight, he would likely suffer a very tragic end.

Under the expectant gazes of those around him, Aso's face turned pale and then flushed, but he finally gritted his teeth, composed himself, and forced a look of apology.

"I am very sorry. I was too impulsive before. I hope President Yuzuru can forgive my rudeness."

However, after Aso finished speaking, Hideki Hanyu did not respond immediately this time.

Instead, he looked at Aso with a mocking gaze.

When Aso saw this look, it immediately enraged him.

Seeing that Hideki Yuzuru remained silent and just stared at him with that look, Aso, who already had a bad temper, was about to completely explode.

Just then, Hideki Hanyu gave a handsome smile and waved his hand as if shooing away a fly.

"Very good, I can feel your sincerity."

So I forgive you, Mr. Aso.

Hideki Hanyu spoke as if Aso's humiliation was utterly insignificant to him.

Moreover, after saying that, Hideki Hanyu turned around and left with Haruko Naito, without caring at all about Aso's reaction.

This attitude of completely disregarding Aso caused Aso's face to darken again.

His fierce gaze swept across the surroundings, scaring away countless onlookers, before he strode away from the reception in a huff.

After accepting the apology, Hideki Hanyu, after socializing with several Mitsui & Co. executives, also took his leave early.

On the way home, Haruko Naito asked with some concern, "Aren't you afraid that Aso will hold a grudge against you for how you treated him just now?"

Hideki Hanyu retorted, "If I hadn't done that, wouldn't he have held a grudge against me?" Haruko Naito was taken aback by the question, then answered truthfully, "He probably would have held a grudge too."

"Yes, even if I reluctantly accept the apology, Aso will still hate me in his heart, so why should I give him a nice face?"

Moreover, the conflict between us has nothing to do with today's apology.

Unless I obediently complied when Aso provoked me, given Aso's personality, he will hate me no matter what I do.

But if I did that, it would be like abandoning my dignity and financial support, and willingly becoming his obedient and loyal dog.

But with someone like Aso, even if I did that, I wouldn't get the respect I wanted. What awaits me is only his continued oppression, which he takes for granted and acts with impunity.

When dealing with someone like Aso, if I take one step back, I'll have to take countless steps back afterward.

So I want Aso to know that I'm not someone to be trifled with, and even if it means mutual destruction, I won't back down an inch.

After hearing Hideki Hanyu's words, Haruko Naito felt admiration and asked him again with concern.

"So what's next? Will Aso retaliate against you?"

"Maybe yes, maybe no, but like I said, no matter what I do, the conflict between us is irreconcilable."

In my opinion, he's nothing more than a blustering coward; even if he wanted revenge against me, he might not act on it immediately.

As Hideki Hanyu spoke, his gaze gradually turned cold.

"But even if he doesn't retaliate against me for the time being, it doesn't mean I'll let him off the hook."

"What are you going to do? Continue the attacks in the media?" Haruko Naito asked.

Hideki Hanyu shook his head. "Since I promised that I would stop the attacks in the media as long as Aso publicly apologizes today, I will naturally keep my promise."

Moreover, such a direct attack will definitely provoke dissatisfaction from other forces, who are already wary of the media power I control.

So stopping the media attacks is a good thing for me too. It allows me to lay low on the surface and target the Aso family more covertly.

The Aso family's advantages lie in two areas: firstly, in politics, and secondly, in the business world.

The former's family has accumulated a deep foundation and has bound itself to multiple forces through marriage. It is deeply rooted in the Kyushu region, and it will be difficult for me to shake it in a short time. I can only start from the smallest details and gradually erode it from the edges.

First, by using means such as interests and alliances, they divided the political allies of the Aso family, gradually undermining his power in the political arena.

While the media can't be used too directly, it can still subtly annoy Aso.

Of course, the most important thing is that if I want to shake Aso's foundation, I must let my power enter the Kyushu region.

Cloud Satellite TV and Fuji TV have a certain market share in Kyushu, but their current influence is not enough.

I will secretly arrange for people to acquire traditional print media in the Kyushu region.

There are two wireless television broadcasting networks in Kyushu: Kyushu Broadcasting and TVQ Kyushu Broadcasting.

Furthermore, there are broadcasts from cities such as Fukuoka, Kumamoto, and Nagasaki.

Kyushu Broadcasting is part of the Asahi Television Network and is the largest television broadcasting network in the Kyushu region.

TVQ Kyushu Broadcasting, on the other hand, belongs to TV Tokyo and is relatively small in scale, not much better than other city broadcasting stations.

Therefore, Kyushu Broadcasting is my target.

As far as I know, the network agreement between Kyushu Broadcasting and TV Asahi will expire next year. At that time, I will either hijack TV Asahi or acquire it directly, even if it is at a premium, I will keep it in my hands.

As for TVQ Kyushu Broadcasting and other city broadcasting, it would be best if we could reach an agreement.

In short, I will spare no effort to strengthen my media influence in Kyushu, and then use the media to subtly undermine the Aso family's foundation in Kyushu.

As for the financial world…

At this point, Hideki Hanyu also had a bit of a headache.

"The Aso family has been operating in Kyushu for too long, especially in basic industries and the energy sector. Aso is also the chairman of the Japan Coal Association. Even if I wanted to, it would be very difficult for them to change their mind."

However, there are still opportunities. Kyushu's local resources are becoming increasingly depleted. In recent years, in addition to trying to promote industrial transformation, the Kyushu government has also been encouraging energy investment abroad.

Now that they have left their homeland, I have an opportunity.

According to my investigation, the Aso family's companies are investing in natural gas and coal mines in South America in conjunction with others. I also have investments there. This time, we need the cooperation of Crescent Moon Trading Company and Origin Group to compete with them there.

When Hideki Hanyu got to this point, Haruko Naito, who was standing next to him, was already looking on with surprise.

"Hanyu-san, you've made so many preparations. Don't you have any intention of making peace with Aso at all?"

Upon hearing this, Hideki Yuzuru gave a cold laugh.

"armistice?
Don't be naive, our conflict is already irreparable.

This is merely a superficial surrender.

Although my media can attack him, it cannot shake his fundamental nature.

His forbearance and concession were also because he couldn't do anything to me for the time being.

Once he develops and surpasses me in strength, do you think he will be kind enough to let me go?

So now that I have the upper hand, there's no reason for the other side to grow stronger and then have the opportunity to retaliate against me.

I really like two lines of Chinese poetry: "We should press on with our remaining strength to defeat the enemy, and not seek fame like Xiang Yu."

Since they are already enemies, there's no point in harboring any illusions about them; the only option is to completely defeat them.

Seeing that Hideki Hanyu's attitude was so firm, Haruko Naito could only express her support.

"Besides competing overseas, what else does Hanyu-san need me to do?"

"That's all for now. Most of the Aso family's companies are based in Kyushu, so it's already quite an achievement to have found this opportunity."

In fact, Hideki Hanyu was not telling the truth.

Because he knew that after Kyushu's energy resources were depleted in the 1990s, in addition to overseas investment, it had also achieved great success in promoting industrial transformation.

Especially in the semiconductor sector, as semiconductor industries in other parts of Japan either decline due to sanctions or shift production capacity overseas.

In the late 1990s, the Kyushu region formed an industrial cluster centered around Kumamoto, Miyazaki, and Fukuoka prefectures, accounting for 40% of Japan's integrated circuit production.

After the turn of the 20th century, the semiconductor output value of the Kyushu region accounted for more than half of Japan's total.

Therefore, the Kyushu region was later known as Japan's "Silicon Island".

Hideki Hanyu would absolutely be happy to see this happen.

Because the semiconductor industry is now entirely his domain.

Not to mention the role of Elf Supply Chain in the semiconductor industry.

In terms of future investments alone, he has almost completed a comprehensive layout in panels, storage, chips, components, R&D, production, and even product development.

Therefore, according to Kyushu's current transformation direction, he only needs to invest silently and control it secretly until the semiconductor industry becomes Kyushu's pillar industry.

He could then completely undermine the Aso family's power.

When that time comes, who will ultimately call the shots in Kyushu will depend on his attitude.

However, this plan will take far too long; seven or eight years is just preparation, and it will take more than ten years to see results.

So there's absolutely no need to tell anyone right now.

And even if you tell them, no one might believe you.

After all, telling people that Kyushu, that poor place, will become Japan's Silicon Valley in the future, with semiconductor output accounting for more than half of Japan's total output, sounds like a fantasy.

This long-term planning is Hideki Hanyu's greatest advantage as a time traveler.

So what if the Aso family is powerful?

He has spent over a decade laying the groundwork, and sooner or later he will bring his opponent to utter ruin!
(End of this chapter)