The literary era since 1979

The day after returning to Hong Kong from France, a small meeting was held in the conference room of the Foundation’s Hong Kong branch.

"Moët Hennessy, Louis Vuitton..."

Bai Ruoxue took notes with a pen, "Teacher Fang, we have noted it all down. If there is any movement in these companies, we will inform you as soon as possible." Then she sorted out the documents she had flipped through, "Also, when do you plan to start?"

“It’s expected to be next year.”

Fang Yan said: "Of course, this investment action must not affect our layout in Japan."

Everyone looked at each other in bewilderment. The current exchange rate of the Japanese yen to the US dollar has more than doubled.

Bai Ruoxue asked cautiously: "Teacher Fang, do you think the Japanese yen exchange rate will continue to appreciate?"

"There may be some volatility in the short term, but overall the trend will still be appreciation."

Fangyan smiled. Once people working in the industrial sector have tasted the quick money from financial investment, how could they continue to work in the industrial sector in a down-to-earth manner? Just like people who have become rich through gambling, they will feel that working and earning a salary is meaningless and have the illusion that they are only earning that little money a month.

Then he tapped the table and said, "Of course, the scale of foreign exchange speculation can be reduced and the focus can be placed on Japanese yen arbitrage investment."

"Teacher Fang, what you mean is that Japan will soon be in a low interest rate environment?"

Bai Ruoxue's eyes suddenly lit up.

"In the second half of the year, the Bank of Japan cut interest rates again. Now it is 3%, and it is estimated to reach 2.5% or even 2% next year."

Fangyan narrowed his eyes into slits. In his previous life, he had accidentally read a book called "Prince Yen" written by Richard Weiner.

It is talking about the "conspiracy theory" of this bubble crisis, which can be traced back to the post-war period in the 50s.

Japan was in ruins at the time, but thanks to the Korean War, it received billions of dollars in orders for military and civilian products every year, from food to car repairs, from toilet paper to body bags, from canning to warship repairs... Japan, whose GDP was only more than 100 billion US dollars in the early post-war period, quickly completed its re-industrialization.

Of course, not all success can be achieved by reaping the benefits from the United States. The Philippines has also reaped the benefits, but in terms of development, it is not as good as the Great Cold Kingdom.

South Korea is thanks to the authority of three Kakas, while Japan is able to make the most of the red team thanks to its "55-year system".

That is to say, the stable two-party political state with the Liberal Democratic Party as the ruling party and the Socialist Party as the largest opposition party will be maintained for a long time.

It can be understood as a special kind of long-term one-party rule, and the economic system imitates Big Brother's planned economy.

Therefore, Japan at that time did not follow the path of the free market. Instead, the Ministry of Finance directly controlled the banking system to provide financial support to giants in various industries according to a list, thereby taking over the industrial technology transfer from Europe and the United States.

Starting from textiles to steel, home appliances, machinery, automobiles, semiconductors, and optical instruments, Japan gradually achieved industrial upgrading, moved from low-end to high-end, and accumulated a large trade surplus. This led to the rapid expansion of Japan's production and exports from the 50s to the end of the 70s.

However, in the 1970s and 1980s, Japan followed the West and began to adopt neoliberalism.

From the initial privatization of state-owned railways, telecommunications and telephone corporations, monopoly corporations, etc., to later financial liberalization, the Plaza Accord was one of the results of financial liberalization, but the Ministry of Finance resisted it either openly or secretly.

After all, under the "55-year system", the Ministry of Finance controlled the exchange rate and credit scale of the yen, and the central bank was just a tool, accepting leadership, management and supervision from above. Basically, the president was transferred from the Ministry of Finance officials. This rule was changed only after a certain amount of struggle and compromise.

That is, officials from the Ministry of Finance and the bank headquarters are promoted and take turns to be the decision-makers, with each person taking charge for one term.

To the extent that the bank headquarters will select people with special backgrounds as the next successor, called "Prince" shortly after the newcomer enters the system; successive presidents and vice presidents use this relationship to establish a "master-apprentice relationship" that lasts lifelong.

Their biggest ambition is to take back control of the banks from the Ministry of Finance through neoliberal policies. The most direct way is to create a crisis, create a bubble and then burst it, so that the department that is under pressure from them can take the blame.

"This this……"

After listening to this analysis, Bai Ruoxue, Luo Dai'an and others felt creepy and awe-inspiring.

"This is just an unfounded speculation on my part."

Fangyan did not tell the truth, but was reserved and only mentioned the conflict between the central bank and the Ministry of Finance.

"No, Mr. Fang, what you said is not without some reference value."

Bai Ruoxue thought seriously: "In the situation of yen appreciation, they dare to print money so crazily. Perhaps this is one of the reasons."

"Don't make wild assumptions. Just treat it as a conspiracy theory and listen to it casually."

Fangyan changed the subject and said, "But Japan will continue to cut interest rates. It is completely predictable that interest rates will remain low in the next few years."

"I understand."

Bai Ruoxue solemnly promised that once she returned to the United States, she would lead the team to develop a reliable yen arbitrage investment plan.

"There's no rush in the next day or two. The premiere of The Gambler is coming soon. Are you interested in staying and watching a movie together?"

Dialect looks left and right.

Bai Ruoxue had no interest at first, but when she heard that Lin Qingxia played "Qi Meng" in "God of Gamblers", she couldn't help but become curious.

Fangyan grinned and took the opportunity of the premiere of "God of Gamblers" to inform her of the latest news he had collected about Lin Qingxia's sister.

Mike asked with interest: "From the name of this movie, it seems to be related to gambling?"

"Yes, it is a gambling film, and it is the first in a trilogy. It was prepared by Yanzi specifically for Shaw Brothers and the Macau Gambling King."

Pan Yaoming carefully introduced the causes and consequences of the film production, which immediately attracted Bai Ruoxue, Mike and others.

"That's not all. Stephen Chow and Ng Man-tat, who previously starred in 'Baby Smart Star', are the leading actors in this film."

Fang Yan said: "Once "God of Gamblers" is released, believe it or not, Zhou Xingchi will become the most popular superstar in Hong Kong."

"No wonder you signed this kid to three movies in a row. It turns out you were waiting here."

Pan Yaoming suddenly realized, "But can he really become a superstar like Cheng Long? Squeak, he doesn't look like it!"

"It is because he looks ordinary that the audience can relate to him and feel the pleasure and excitement of a grassroots counterattack!"

Fang Yan disagreed and took out the Oriental Daily from a pile of newspapers and handed it to Pan Yaoming, Bai Ruoxue and others to read.

The entire entertainment section was filled with the movie poster for "God of Gamblers", and a line of eye-catching large characters caught everyone's eyes.

The Gambler is invincible when he appears! (End of this chapter)