America: My Time

Chapter 1228 Invisible Pressure

Chapter 1218 The Invisible Pressure
John and Asian Energy both employ a strategy of maximizing resource extraction in Sakhalin Island. They'll maximize extraction as much as possible, given that Russia isn't trustworthy. If war breaks out between Russia and India, even protecting this asset will be questionable. Therefore, John's decision is to extract as much as possible and recoup his investment as quickly as possible.

It was precisely because of this idea that John gave the Japanese a chance to make their own choice. If the Japanese insisted, John wouldn't say anything, but he would make further arrangements. At least China and South Korea needed to be prepared.

John had no idea what the Koreans were thinking or where their confidence came from. However, one thing was certain: if the Koreans wanted to obtain energy from Sakhalin Island, they would have to bear part of the cost of the undersea oil pipeline project, which, given their current situation, seemed unlikely.

Of course, things aren't absolute; it depends on whether South Korea has the resolve. Building an oil pipeline takes time and incurs enormous costs, and it can stimulate domestic demand. It's impossible for Asian Energy to shoulder this burden alone; they don't have the resources to invest in South Korea.

Seeing that the conversation had reached an awkward point, Akio Morita said, "Since we have disagreements, let's put them aside for now. I'm sure John has more than a few days to spare, so there's absolutely no need to make a decision tonight!"

That's true, but this is no ordinary disagreement. It involves not only interests, but also face and many other issues. Originally, Japan had other ideas, but they encountered trouble and resistance on this issue, which directly disrupted their plans.

“I have no problem on my end. I can wait two or three days, but any longer won’t do. South Korea does indeed have many problems, and I believe you all understand their current situation. I don’t have time to be bogged down in Japan!” John didn’t bring up Asian energy at this point; saying too much would only give those guys more ideas and affect his plans. Judging from the current situation, those guys in Japan still wanted to take advantage of him.

Can we get results in a couple of days? It's unlikely. The Japanese officials are also having a headache. After all, the competition for interests involved is too fierce, and they can't make a quick decision. But John's attitude is there, so they have no choice but to accept it. After all, there's no use in opposing him at this point; the initiative is in John's hands.

There was no other way; this matter still required the old man Akio Morita to step in. At this point, many people were relieved that the old man Akio Morita had taken the initiative to get involved. Otherwise, they would have been in a real predicament, since the matter had become quite serious, the two sides had significant differences, and neither side would be willing to compromise easily, given the enormous interests involved.

“John, this matter originally had little to do with me, but it’s too serious, so could you please let me say something fair?” Akio Morita had no choice but to speak up when he felt the earnest gazes of those people.

“Of course. Given our friendship, just say what you think. There’s no need to be so cautious!” Since Akio Morita had spoken, how could John refuse? That would ruin his reputation. Even if he had some objections, he wouldn’t show them at this time, and there was no need to make a big fuss!

“We know about your situation and understand your difficulties, but the authorities also have their own difficulties and cannot make a decision in such a short time. You know how much interest is involved, so how can a decision be made in just a few days? Moreover, this is related to energy security, so we need to be even more cautious. You have your concerns, and Japan has its concerns. Energy issues can never be ignored, so can you give everyone a little more time?”

As soon as Akio Morita finished speaking, the Japanese guys breathed a sigh of relief. This was exactly what they wanted to say, but they hadn't dared to say it themselves. Now that Akio Morita had spoken up, everything was fine. Now they just had to wait for John's reply, but what would happen was anyone's guess! This was a struggle for interests, and it was impossible for Akio Morita to solve the problem with just a few words. If he did, they would have to be wary of John's schemes and wonder if something was amiss!

“Mr. Morita, it’s not that I’m unwilling to accept your proposal, but that I can’t do it. I understand that Japan has its own problems, but Asia Energy also has its own pressures. If we can’t make a decision now, the price we pay later will be too high. I want to give you time, but the current situation doesn’t allow me that. You must know what the situation is like in South Korea. Do you think I can afford to wait? Can I ignore their requests? Such a large market—even if I were to give it up, Asia Energy wouldn’t. This is no longer a decision I can make!”

Faced with John's repeated pronouncements, the expressions of the Japanese changed slightly. They couldn't withstand this shock any longer. If John insisted on continuing, it would be a disaster for them; once this door was opened, it would be difficult to close. John had demands, and what if the Middle Eastern tycoons also had demands? They also had to consider their own energy security. All of this combined made the situation terrifying! "Seven days. We need seven days. If we have seven days, we will definitely give you a reply!" Without waiting for the Japanese officials and tycoon to speak, Akio Morita decisively gave a seven-day request. If it were anyone else, John wouldn't have paid attention, but with Akio Morita speaking, everything was different. Although all past favors had been used up, John still had to give Akio Morita face; after all, John also needed to maintain his public image.

John took a deep breath and nodded, saying, "Alright, seven days it is. But if you can't give me a satisfactory answer after seven days, don't blame me. Asian Energy is no longer what you know!"

Seven days? Could John really stay in Japan for seven days? No, that's clearly impossible. Therefore, the Japanese are even more pressed for time. If they can't make a decision quickly, this could turn into an exchange that leaves both sides dissatisfied, and might even escalate into conflict. Human nature is never easily tested, especially when it comes to self-interest!

While it can't be said that the meeting ended badly, neither side had any intention of continuing the exchange. John had his own principles, and the Japanese guys also had their own troubles. After all, there are many intertwined interests behind energy transactions, and breaking them down would have a significant impact. The pressure of getting results in such a short time is unimaginable.

Because of their inner tension and worry, the Japanese guys didn't try to stop John. When Akio Morita got up to leave with him, they simply nodded. What they needed to do now was to quickly come up with a solution, rather than wasting time and energy on other things. If there were problems with the energy supply, the consequences would be severe.

"I don't think we need to consider or discuss this too much. We can't afford to give Asia any more energy quotas, even if it's just one percent. There's no need to haggle over this. If we drag this out any longer, it would be bad if things changed on the Korean side. In comparison, the Korean market is much more attractive."

"This isn't just about the one percent quota; it's about the trouble that will follow. We compromised this time, but what will happen next time? As long as the Koreans are determined, the market in China will continue to expand, and there will be more problems with Asian energy. Also, what will the Middle Eastern tycoons' reaction be when they find out about the conditions we gave John? We need to be extremely cautious about this matter, or things will get out of control!"

“I think you’re overthinking it. Actually, we can handle it differently. This way, we can not only give John a satisfactory explanation, but also give the Middle Eastern tycoons a reason to accept it.”

"What time is it? You still have the mind to joke with us. Just say what you're thinking. There's no need to hide it like this. If it's feasible, let's make a decision quickly. Time waits for no one. We need to reach a consensus before we can discuss it openly with everyone. Otherwise, something terrible will happen."

"The Middle Eastern tycoons are more focused on the crude oil market, while John is focused on natural gas. We can maintain our crude oil quota without making any adjustments, but increase our natural gas purchase quota. Don't forget, this is an agreement between us and John; we can obtain cheap energy from Asian energy sources. If we follow my approach, increasing it by one percent, or even more, is not a problem."

"I find this unacceptable. It's handing over our energy security to others. If we're cut off from it, we'll suffer huge losses. We can't ignore Japan's energy security for the sake of short-term gains. I think a diversified strategy is better. We can't rely too much on Asian energy!"

When someone stepped forward to object, the tycoon stopped arguing. It was a matter of his own interest; he controlled the natural gas pipelines and retail channels, hence his proposal. If he continued to insist at this point, it would only make him seem more self-serving and disregard the greater good of Japan. Therefore, he could only remain silent and await the others' decision.

(End of this chapter)