America: My Time

Chapter 1371 Unexpected or Surprising?
Chapter 1361 Unexpected or Surprising?

Surprise! When the Japanese learned of John's itinerary, they were overjoyed. The opportunity had finally arrived, and they were determined to seize it without the slightest carelessness. Of course, at this point, no one believed that this was the result of their plan; they only thought that the Americans had messed things up. After all, this wasn't the first time something like this had happened. John had previously dragged the Japanese into the game to protect his own interests.

As for any other ulterior motives, that's impossible. John now has many options, not just them. The Europeans want to get involved, so caution is paramount at this time; no one can be allowed to mess things up. When it comes to profit, everything else can be put aside. Anyone who dares to sabotage things will pay the price.

Unfortunately, only Momoko Kikuchi returned to Japan this time; Naoko and the others didn't. They didn't want to be bothered at this time. Momoko Kikuchi came back because she needed to keep an eye on the bank's situation and couldn't afford any mistakes. Also, her presence would put the Japanese guys at ease a bit.

However, what made the Japanese guys nervous was that Zeng Li and Yang Gongru were also with John, having come to Japan with him. This situation made the Japanese guys a little uneasy and nervous. Was there any other purpose behind this? Could it be that John was giving them a warning?
People always tend to think about things in the most complicated way, especially the Japanese guys, who have a rich inner world and tend to associate everything with more complex ideas. It is precisely because John knows this that he made this decision to put some pressure on the Japanese guys and make them understand that they have no initiative in this exchange.

"Aren't you surprised that I sent you to Japan instead of the others? Naoko and the others didn't go back to Japan." John smiled calmly and said, seeing Zeng Li and Yang Gongru looking a little nervous.

It's good to be nervous; after all, doing this puts them in the open and attracts attention. John's choice of them was also planned, and their identities are the best reason.

"Yes, we do have some doubts!" ​​The two women exchanged a glance and said in unison. At this point, there was no need for them to lie; doing so would be too foolish!
"It's very simple. Just put pressure on those guys in Japan, make them think more, and keep the initiative in my hands so they won't dare to scheme too much! I believe the Japanese have already started taking action and discussing countermeasures by now. And things must be quite unsettled in the United States as well. My departure will make them worried, especially since this trip is to Japan! You don't need to be nervous, just relax. There's no need to care about what others think. Everything will be fine!"

If Claudia Schiffer and Christie Turlington hadn't left, the best choice wouldn't have been Yang Gongru, but one of them. However, now the only option is Yang Gongru. In business negotiations like this, especially when huge profits are at stake, any means are necessary. And John has never been lenient with those who scheme against the Japanese; it would be foolish to let such an opportunity slip by!

The two nodded thoughtfully. Although they didn't fully understand, they knew that their trip was useful, which made them feel much more relaxed. As for what John's plan was, they didn't want to find out more. After all, even if they knew, it wouldn't be of any use, and they couldn't even understand John's plan.

Of course, John didn't expect them to understand his plan. He just wanted them to cooperate with his trip. They didn't even need to spread the word. They just needed to remain calm and he would handle everything else.

As the plane slowly descended into the airport, the Japanese guys became even more nervous. Although they had already made discussions and even sent someone to contact Momoko Kikuchi to sound her out, they hadn't gotten anything out of her. Momoko Kikuchi knew only a limited amount of information, so they had no choice but to give up.

Having not been to Japan for some time, John couldn't help but sigh as he took another look around Tokyo. Japan was no longer the country it once was. The Asian financial crisis had affected them more severely than he had imagined, perhaps a consequence of his involvement. Moreover, his direct shorting of the yen had amplified the impact on the Japanese and increased their pressure.

"Peach, what changes have occurred in Japan? How have those guys reacted? They couldn't have done nothing, could they?"

"Some people have contacted me, but I wasn't aware of your plans, so they left disappointed. However, Japan's situation isn't great right now. The Asian financial crisis has had a huge impact on Japan, severely affecting its economy. However, in the retail sector, 7-Eleven and its discount stores are still expanding rapidly! In contrast, the luxury goods sector has been significantly impacted and has lost its former glory!"

“That’s right. Luxury goods will remain like this for a long time. The impact of the Asian financial crisis cannot be eliminated in a short period of time. As for the retail sector, it’s also to be expected. You don’t need to worry too much. Fuzhen will be prepared. Moreover, they have factories and farms in Asia, so there won’t be any supply problems.”

Hearing John's words, Kikuchi Momoko smiled wryly and said, "Although there is a sufficient supply of goods, it has not made people relax. They are still rushing to buy because the exchange rate of the yen is falling, which forces them to do so. Moreover, 7-Eleven supplies not only Japan, but also Taiwan, Hong Kong, South Korea and Southeast Asia, which makes them even more worried about the possibility of stockouts!"

"It seems someone is taking action, otherwise this situation wouldn't have occurred. But they're overthinking it. Even if there are a lot of people in Japan, it's impossible for it to affect 7-Eleven's supply. Don't worry about that."

John could understand this situation. It was clearly the work of competitors, trying to disrupt 7-Eleven's supply. If 7-Eleven ran out of stock, their opportunity would arise. Whether targeting 7-Eleven or the Japanese public, raising prices was incredibly easy.

Actually, John would have liked to do that if he could, but he ultimately gave up considering the long-term benefits. Taking advantage of the situation at this time would cause dissatisfaction and disappointment among people, thus affecting the development of 7-Eleven in Japan.

John paused, then continued, "Everyone else is out of Japan. Take these two to explore Tokyo these next few days. I'm afraid I won't have time. I'm sure people will be coming to visit soon; those guys are impatient! They're worried things might go wrong if things drag on. I wonder how Akio Morita is doing now. Will those guys drag him out again? Sony isn't what it used to be!" John knew Akio Morita only had a little over a year to live. Thinking of Morita, John couldn't help but recall everything that had happened. Morita had played a crucial role in his rapid rise to prominence in Japan.

“Time flies, it’s been almost twenty years. Make some arrangements. Tell him I’ll visit him after I’ve dealt with this matter. We’ve known each other for over a decade. It would be too heartless of me to come to Japan and not even see him once.” John sighed softly, still lost in his memories.

Having witnessed Japan's bubble economy and its current stagnation, everything in Tokyo had significantly impacted John, and this memory also left him with a faint sense of loss. If he could call anyone a friend in Japan, it would only be that old man, Akio Morita!

Upon hearing this, Momoko Kikuchi was taken aback, as this was something John had never done before. However, she quickly recovered and immediately nodded, saying, "Okay, I'll personally handle the communication!"

"No rush, now is not the time. We still need to welcome our guests. Those guys won't give me much time to rest. They're on their way, or they're waiting in the houses around here!"

John was well aware of the reactions of these guys in Japan. He saw an opportunity. If these guys could hold back, then there would be a problem. Moreover, every bit of time that dragged on would be disadvantageous for them, and new changes might occur!

Just as John said, the neon signs were prepared and waiting. After all, John had just returned to his residence, and they needed to give him at least two hours to rest, otherwise it would be too impolite. Even if they were in a hurry, they had to do it. So, just as John said, they waited in the surrounding houses.

"Gentlemen, you've dragged us into this, but do you really not need us officials to do anything? The energy issue can't be ignored, and what about the food supply? Are you sure there won't be any problems? These are issues of people's livelihood. If there are any problems, the consequences will be severe. We can't afford such an impact right now."

"Don't worry, there won't be any problems. The things you're worried about won't happen. John has more assets than you think. He can be considered the fifth largest grain trader. It's just that he uses all his grain for his own production and sales, so the outside world doesn't pay much attention to him! As for the energy issue, do you think we have a choice? Not only energy, but we also have no choice when it comes to mineral resources. Quantum Mining is the best partner!"

"Alright, then I'm relieved!" The official was helpless to be used as a shield, but he couldn't refuse. After all, this exchange was very important, even crucial to the judgment. They were going to talk about not only the interests of the internet, but also some things on the Japanese side.

Of course, this is just a formality to John; a proper assessment requires everyone's agreement. However, now that John is in Tokyo, the opportunity has arisen. It remains to be seen what attitude these Japanese guys will take. It's precisely because they understand this that they're so nervous.

Time was moving too slowly for them. These guys wished it would fly by so they could go see John directly, make some initial probes, understand John's intentions, and be prepared!

After taking a hot spring bath to wash away their fatigue, John and his companions rested for a while before the arrival of the Japanese guys. Their gazes tightened upon seeing John. Although Kikuchi Momoko was also there, the presence of Zeng Li and Yang Gongru weighed heavily on their hearts. It seemed that a good outcome today would require a price; some people would have to make sacrifices!
John's current situation hardly resembled that of entertaining guests, but they had no choice but to grit their teeth and continue. John's meeting was more like a private one, a meeting between close friends. This made them sigh inwardly, because they hadn't invited Akio Morita to participate.

John's current behavior clearly indicates he's preparing to be friendly. This puts the Japanese officials in an awkward position, caught in a dilemma, unsure how to face John or this meeting.

Fortunately, John spoke up at this moment: "Please have a seat, everyone. I thought I would see Morita-san, but it seems I was overthinking it. After this matter is over, I should go and see Morita-san. After all, I've come all the way to Japan, so I can't not even have time to meet him!"

Upon hearing John's words, everyone was taken aback at first, then overjoyed. This was a good thing for them; at least his words made them understand that John had come with sincerity. Now it was up to them to show their sincerity. As long as they showed enough sincerity, everything would be fine. So they were naturally happy, and their previous worries vanished!

Although it was just a single sentence, Kikuchi Momoko, Zeng Li, and Yang Gongru didn't grasp the underlying meaning, but the Japanese people understood. This was the difference; their reactions were still insufficient. Just this one point made Kikuchi Momoko realize she was far behind, and her responsiveness in these areas needed improvement. However, she didn't have much time to think about it now; she had to entertain everyone.

Seeing Kikuchi Momoko's actions, the Japanese group became even more certain that John had been making preparations between friends, thinking that the person who would appear would be Akio Morita. Unfortunately, Akio Morita's current situation was not ideal, forcing them to abandon this idea. Akio Morita was not in a good position to deal with such a matter at the moment!

(End of this chapter)