Urban Immortality: I Raised a Female Prime Minister in Tokyo

Chapter 163 Shiraishi Nagimitsu's Choice
Keiko Minamikawa had delicate makeup on her face, her hair combed up, revealing her full and smooth forehead.

Wearing pendant earrings and dressed like a professional woman, she obviously just came out of the studio.

Shiraishi Nagimitsu had been interviewed by her several times. Although they were not friends, they were familiar with each other.

He walked forward and said, "Ms. Nanchuan Jingzi? Are you looking for me?"

"Mr. Shiraishi, it's great to have you here." Minamikawa Keiko saw Shiraishi Nagimitsu's frown finally relax. "I have something to ask Mr. Shiraishi. Can I go in and talk?"

"Of course, please come in." Shiraishi Nagimitsu gestured to invite him in. "Come into my office and talk."

The two walked into the office. Keiko Minamikawa sat on the sofa and looked around the office of the beautiful congresswoman.

The layout is neat and tidy, the items are arranged in an orderly manner, and there is a faint fragrance in the house.

Shiraishi Nagimitsu poured a cup of tea for Minamikawa Keiko and handed it to her.

"Thank you, Mr. Shiraishi." Minamikawa Keiko took it and glanced enviously at the huge bulge under the shirt.

"Ms. Minamikawa Keiko, what do you want to talk to me about?" Shiraishi Nagimitsu asked curiously.

She had also heard about the life of this beautiful host. Although, like herself, she was pursued by many wealthy men who sent her flowers every day, there had never been any scandals about her.

It seems that she is also a woman with high standards.

But the higher your standards are, the harder it is to find the man you like.

No wonder he is still alone even though he is not young anymore.

No one is as lucky as me to meet him.

Shiraishi Nagimitsu's heart was filled with tenderness.

If it weren't for him, maybe I would be like Keiko Minamikawa.

"It's like this. I understand that Councillor Shiraishi pays great attention to people's livelihood and really helps people solve their problems." Minamikawa Keiko took a sip of tea and was obviously a little nervous about coming here.

"Ms. Minamikawa Keiko, thank you for your compliment. I'm just doing my job." Shiraishi Nagimitsu smiled slightly and did not put on the compliment. It was obvious that the matter that Minamikawa Keiko came to him for was not that simple.

"I've also watched Congressman Shiraishi's many parliamentary questionings. I trust my own judgment, so I'll speak frankly." Minamikawa Keiko pulled a manuscript from her bag and handed it to Shiraishi Nagimitsu.

"Well, I received a press release today, but my boss received a call and it was temporarily taken down."

"I didn't pay much attention to this news release at first, but after it was taken down, I realized it wasn't that simple."

Shiraishi Nagimitsu took it and examined it carefully. Minamikawa Keiko continued beside him, "This news article was submitted by a civilian in Osaka. It talks about how they couldn't buy rice at the supermarket near their home for two consecutive days."

"He thought it was strange and drove to the largest supermarket 10 kilometers away to buy it."

"Then he did some research and found that this was happening in many nearby supermarkets."

"I didn't take it seriously at first, thinking it was just a temporary shortage. But when the higher-ups took down the manuscript, I realized it was serious."

"If it were anything else, I wouldn't bother Councillor Shiraishi, but food is the most important thing in people's lives, and rice is the staple food in Japan. It's unbelievable that we've been a developed country for so many years and still have a rice shortage."

"This incident also occurred in Tokyo," Shiraishi Nagimitsu said after reading the press release. "My assistant just took photos of several supermarkets back home, and they're also short on rice."

"Right? That means this civilian news release should be fine." Minamikawa Keiko nodded. "I'm here hoping Congressman Shiraishi can question Congress as soon as possible and release the food reserves."

"Otherwise, if there really is a shortage of rice, it will definitely cause a food famine in the market, leading to riots and looting, and food prices will skyrocket."

Shiraishi Nagimitsu shook her head. "Ms. Minamikawa Keiko, you don't understand the entire operation. If the food shortage is real, the cabinet would definitely have relevant data. They wouldn't have waited for us to discover it."

Minamikawa Keiko was stunned. "So what does Councillor Shiraishi mean? The Cabinet already has the relevant data, but they just haven't released the grain reserves yet?"

"Of course." Shiraishi Nagimitsu stood up and slowly walked to the window: "And this matter is not that simple."

"What does Councillor Shiraishi mean?" Minamikawa Keiko also stood up and walked to Shiraishi Nagimitsu in confusion.

"You don't understand what's going on here. Don't worry, I will bring it up at the congressional questioning session this afternoon." Shiraishi Nagimitsu smiled and did not answer Minamikawa Keiko's words.

"Okay, then I'll take my leave first." Minamikawa Keiko bowed slightly.

Although Shiraishi Nagimitsu did not explain it, she understood that she was an outsider and some things could not be said too clearly.

There is no need to ask questions when smart people talk to each other.

"Let me see you off." Shiraishi Nagimitsu made an inviting gesture: "Ms. Minamikawa Keiko, please come and sit with us when you have time."

"Of course, of course." Minamikawa Keiko said politely.

After Shiraishi Nagimitsu saw Minamikawa Keiko out the door, he put away his smile and walked back with a frown.

"Congressman Shiraishi, are you really asking a question?" an assistant approached and reminded him, "The rice issue may involve the Japan Agricultural Cooperative Association."

"I know." Shiraishi Nagimitsu sighed.

Somewhat difficult to handle.

Farmers are Japan's largest voting base, and the Agricultural Cooperative Association manages farmers across Japan, with power to a certain extent greater than that of the cabinet.

A farmer must purchase all his farm tools, fertilizers and seeds from the farmers' association.

After the harvest, all crops are purchased by the agricultural association and then sold at a high price.

If farmers want to bypass the agricultural association, I'm sorry, they will be blacklisted by the entire agricultural industry chain.

In the end, not only can you not buy anything related to agriculture, but even the crops will rot in the fields and no one dares to buy them.

If you directly propose to the cabinet to release grain, once it is accepted.

If the cabinet opens up the grain reserves, the price of grain sold by the agricultural cooperatives will inevitably fall.

Although ordinary consumers will be satisfied, it is equivalent to directly offending the farmers' association and may lose the votes of most farmers.

Although the cabinet is not opening up its grain reserves now, it is not known whether this is due to the farmers' association.

However, once this kind of food issue really involves the farmers' association, it becomes very difficult to handle.

Therefore, legislators generally do not touch on such issues easily.

"So what does Councillor Shiraishi plan to do?" the assistant asked. "Let me think about it." Shiraishi Nagimitsu frowned.

The National Diet Building in Tokyo, Japan.

knock knock knock.

The presiding speaker banged his gavel: "Anyone else wants to ask questions?"

"I need it." Shiraishi Nagi raised her hand.

"Who does Councillor Shiraishi need to question?"

"I want to question the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Tetsuichi Sakamoto."

"Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Tetsuichi Sakamoto, please come to the stage."

A middle-aged man with gray hair came up.

"Mr. Tetsuichi Sakamoto, I would like to ask if the people are short of rice now?" asked Shiraishi Nagimitsu.

"Well, probably not. There may be some areas, but it's just a temporary local supply shortage." said Tetsuichi Sakamoto.

"I just carefully reviewed the data provided by your Department of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries. In your report, rice prices increased by 17 percent this month. Do you have any explanation?"

"This should also be a short-term fluctuation and not a big problem."

"Minister Tetsuichi Sakamoto, as the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, could you please tell me how much rice our entire national reserve has?"

"Probably around 150 million tons."

"I received a piece of information from an informant, and I don't know if it's correct. I would like to confirm it with you in Congress. According to the news, there is a serious shortage of 150 million tons of reserve rice. Is that true or not?" Shiraishi Nagimitsu asked, staring at Tetsuichi Sakamoto.

"I don't think that situation will happen, Councillor Shiraishi." Sakamoto Tetsu said with a smile, "Storing food is of great importance, so that situation won't happen."

"Okay, in that case, as a member of Congress, I demand a food census to determine the exact status of the 150 million tons of rice stored in the warehouse," Shiraishi Nagimitsu said. "I also request that the supervisory and review agencies intervene and inform the public of the status of this food reserve."

"Okay." Sakamoto Tetsu nodded.

"Please ask the Speaker to record my request and have Congress vote to approve it," said Shiraishi Nagimitsu.

"Allowed, please record this proposal and put it to a vote in the next Congress." The presiding Speaker knocked the gavel.

End of the meeting.

Shiraishi Nagimitsu walked out of the Diet with documents.

"Congressman Shiraishi has a good idea." Abe Nosuke walked over from the side, wearing red high heels.

"Does Congressman Abe have any advice?" Shiraishi Nagimitsu said, holding the documents.

Abe Nojaku looked at the huge arc of Shiraishi Nagiko, which was slightly flattened by his arm and the documents, and curled his lips. "You're not the only one who knows about this rice incident. Several of us have received the news. We're just afraid of offending the Agricultural Cooperative Association and losing votes."

"This time, your clues aren't pointing to the release of reserve grain, but rather to the deficit. That's a good idea indeed."

"Soon rice will become increasingly scarce, and the people will remember your proposal to investigate the shortage of grain reserves, and will naturally focus their attention on the grain reserves and your proposal."

"The grain census won't be completed anytime soon, and you've passed the issue back to the cabinet. If the cabinet releases grain, it'll offend the farmers' association, and if it doesn't, the public will suspect it of a deficit."

"No matter what, you can pick it clean and win the attention of ordinary consumers."

"But have you ever considered that if the cabinet really releases the reserve grain, you will still indirectly offend the farmers' association, even though there is no direct conflict."

"It's inevitable to lose some farmers' votes, but this will minimize the losses. It's hard to say whether it's a profit or a loss."

"Congressman Abe," Shiraishi Nagimitsu smiled. "Not all proposals are based on votes."

"I know what you're thinking," Abe Nojaku said. "So, do you think this kind of agricultural association is really necessary?"

"Even distributing reserve food to the people requires balancing multiple forces. How can this be considered efficient? The only way to achieve radical change is through a high degree of centralization."

Shiraishi Nagimitsu didn't comment, shrugged his shoulders, waved his little hands, and left without saying a word.

Abe Nojaku looked at Shiraishi Nagimitsu walking away with a frown on his face.

"What's wrong? Does Shiraishi Nagimitsu's proposal have any other meaning?" asked Asai Kinnosuke.

"No, her things seem to be more elastic and her skin is brighter." Abe Noque looked up and asked, "Have you noticed? Is this just my imagination?"

Kinnosuke Asai:
Prime Minister's Residence in Tokyo.

"What? Congressman Shiraishi asked for an inventory of food reserves?" The Prime Minister frowned as he looked at today's parliamentary report.

"Yes," said Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Tetsuichi Sakamoto. "We're still waiting for Diet approval. Councillor Shiraishi must have noticed the extreme rice shortage."

"If Congress approves it, then let's investigate." The Prime Minister rubbed his brow. "In short, no matter how severe the rice shortage is, we can't open up our grain reserves now. If we do, offending the Agricultural Association won't be a big deal, but offending them will be a real problem."

"Yes, the new grain will be harvested in mid-September and the pressure will be much less," said Tetsuichi Sakamoto.

"The public pressure is not so bad." The Prime Minister sighed. "Saeiko came again yesterday."

"Another ultimatum to force us?" Sakamoto Tetsuichi said angrily. "After all, we have the power to decide this matter ourselves. We can't tolerate them."

Sakamoto Tetsu hadn't finished speaking yet.

There was a knock on the door.

"Come in," said the Prime Minister.

The secretary walked in: "Prime Minister, Miss Saeko is here."

The Prime Minister and Tetsuichi Sakamoto exchanged glances.

Sighed.

"Let her in." The Prime Minister said helplessly.

(End of this chapter)