Rebirth Tokyo 1986

Chapter 61 Secret Deal
When Japanese people go out for a party, they like to eat here and there, and eat at several restaurants in a row.

The most common practice is to choose three stores: a restaurant at the beginning, a roadside stall next, and an izakaya at the end.

Therefore, when they heard Haneda Ichiro say this, they all agreed: "Great, now is a good time to eat radishes."

"Have some oden, it's really good."

Eat radishes in winter and ginger in summer.

Hearing his classmates say this, Masato Takeshita also thought it was a good idea and nodded in agreement.

Street stalls in Japan are different from those in China. The stalls here are all issued business licenses by the government and can only operate at fixed times and designated locations.

In addition to fixed time and place, stall owners must also ensure hygiene around the stalls.

At the same time, these roadside stalls have to build their shops into the shape of houses every day, just like playing with building blocks. In this way, even if it rains or blows, it will not affect the business of the stalls.

But the price of doing so is more hard work.

"Boss, one carrot, one egg, and one string of tendon."

"Hey, wait a minute!"

"For me, two carrots and one fish fillet."

Because everyone ate a lot of barbecue, they basically only bought a few servings, and the main purpose of eating was to enjoy the relaxed atmosphere of the roadside stall.

"Uh, what the hell, radishes are 200 yen more expensive than eggs?"

After eating, Masato Takeshita glanced at the prices on the stall and was a little surprised.

Shouldn't radish be the cheapest vegetable, just like cabbage?

But he suddenly remembered that there was such a strange existence as Agricultural Cooperatives in Japan, and he immediately felt it was normal.

Many organizations start out positive, but can easily become sour over time.

Japan's agricultural cooperatives are one of them.

This organization was initially established to protect the interests of farmers, but it soon turned into a malignant interest group that raised prices externally and oppressed farmers internally.

In order to earn high profits, agricultural cooperatives control all materials related to agricultural products, including seeds, fertilizers, agricultural machinery, planting, and sales.

Farmers can only plant crops according to the regulations of the Agricultural Cooperatives.

what?
Do you want to increase production?
No!

Do you want to sell it yourself?

Not to mention!
In this way, the agricultural cooperatives became a huge mountain on the farmers' heads, and the prices of agricultural products in Japan were soaring. Only in such a place would there be a reverse plot that a small piece of radish is more expensive than an egg.

After spending money at the stall, Haneda Ichiro asked again: "Let's go to the pub?"

"Okay, I know a good shop over there that has really good beer."

No matter what time, he can make his leader drink well.

"Okay, let's go then."

Izakayas are also about eating at the atmosphere, and people don’t care how the food is, as long as it’s not bad, it’s completely OK.

With two plates of edamame, some barbecue, and a few beers, everyone in the izakaya started men's favorite - keyboard politics.

Japan is now at its peak. People's self-confidence has been greatly inflated, their willingness to participate in politics is very strong, and they are willing to express their political views in private and talk about some political topics.

When the Japanese economic bubble bursts, most Japanese will become desperate and indifferent to politics.

So what if the discussion is heated?

Nothing can be changed. Suzuki Shunichi took a big sip of beer, looked at Takeshita Masato mysteriously and said, "Speaking of which, the person with the same surname as you is said to be ascending the throne next year."

"Oh, really?"

"Of course, that's part of the deal."

After the war, the Liberal Democratic Party dominated Japan, and the power of factions within the Liberal Democratic Party was far greater than the power of popular elections. Therefore, the birth of the Japanese prime minister often depends on various behind-the-scenes deals between factions within the party.

The current Japanese Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone is a master of behind-the-scenes deals.

In the 70s, Kakuei Tanaka and Takeo Fukuda competed for the position of Prime Minister.

He was originally a partner of Fukuda Takeo, but when he saw that the situation was not right, he immediately defected to Kakuei Tanaka's side and later received good rewards in his position.

You know, he and Fukuda Takeo are not only partners, but also fellow townsmen. And former Prime Minister Sato Eisaku has always urged him to support Fukuda Takeo.

His sudden rebellion directly angered the Fukuda faction, and he was scolded by Fukuda Takeo as a wind-driven chicken that would go wherever the wind blew.

Later, Kakuei Tanaka had to resign as prime minister because of the Lockheed case.

At this time, he defected again and stabbed Kakuei Tanaka in the back, which completely confirmed his reputation as the "Wind Direction Chicken".

Unfortunately, he miscalculated this time.

Kakuei Tanaka did step down, but the Tanaka faction he controlled remained united.

Although he himself can no longer run for prime minister, he is the leader of Japan's largest faction.

Basically, whoever you want to be prime minister can be prime minister.

Whether it was his old rival Takeo Fukuda or his partner Masayoshi Ohira, they both needed his nod of approval.

Take Fukuda Takeo as an example.
He and Ohira Masayoshi had reached an agreement on the post of Prime Minister.
Fukuda Takeo will serve two years first, and then the case will be handed over to Ohira Masayoshi.

But the old man really didn't want to leave.

Later he changed his mind and ran for prime minister again, saying that the world needed him.

Ohira Masayoshi was furious, and the Second Kakufu War began.

Then, this prime minister with good political achievements and high public support was once again defeated under the banner of Kakuei Tanaka.

This time, Fukuda Takeo was defeated miserably, and even failed to make it through the LDP's primary election. His rival, Ohira Masayoshi, succeeded in winning the election with the support of Kakuei Tanaka.

Kakuei Tanaka also earned the reputation of the dark general of the Showa era.

Later, Yasuhiro Nakasone also made a comeback by working for Kakuei Tanaka, and successfully became the Prime Minister of Japan in 1982.

Because Nakasone Yasuhiro had betrayed the country, it was natural that he was just a puppet during this period, and the country's policies and major policies were all decided by Kakuei Tanaka.

Americans hated Kakuei Tanaka and were very dissatisfied with his manipulation of Japanese politics behind the scenes.

Needless to say, no one likes to be a puppet.

In this way, the U.S. government and Yasuhiro Nakasone began an intensive conspiracy to overthrow Tanaka.

Eventually, both sides recruited powerful figures in the Tanaka faction, Takeshita Noboru and Kanemaru Shin, who ended the Showa Anshogun era with a backstab.

The condition that Yasuhiro Nakasone offered to win over Noboru Takeshita was that he would abdicate in 1987 and hand over the prime ministership to Noboru Takeshita.

Next year is the designated time, but Nakasone Yasuhiro is weaker than the Fukuda faction and is completely unable to resist Takeshita Noboru, who has inherited most of the Tanaka faction's political power.

It can be said that even if he wanted to be dishonorable, he had no chance at all.

(End of this chapter)