America: My Time

Chapter 362 A flash of inspiration

Chapter 362 A Flash of Inspiration

"Mr. Morita, this iron ore price negotiation in Japan has gone too far. What price did they offer you that made you make such a decision and invest so many resources and energy? To be honest, I'm quite shocked." After reaching an agreement with those Japanese guys, John sat down with Akio Morita and couldn't help but ask this question!

"Actually, it's not a secret. Those guys were too greedy with their prices, raising them too much to the point that our steel mills couldn't see any profit. If we accepted their terms, the price of steel in Japan would definitely rise sharply, which would be very detrimental to Japan's development. So we had no choice but to do this. That investment of 120 million was raised by all the steel mills in Japan, as well as other steel-related companies!"

"To be honest, it's because Japan's economy has developed too rapidly, making those mining giants envious. Japan's shipbuilding achievements are astonishing these days, so it's only natural that those iron ore giants would be envious and want to raise iron ore prices. To be honest, those guys were too arrogant, not taking Quantum Mining seriously and determined to suppress it. Otherwise, if they had been willing to let Quantum Mining join their iron ore cooperation, perhaps none of this would have happened. Their ignorance and stupidity have created the current situation, putting Quantum Mining on your side!"

"No, John, you're wrong. Quantum Mining isn't on our side; it's on the side of profit. Isn't it precisely because there's enough profit that Quantum Mining has chosen to stand with us?"

"That's right, you're absolutely right. Actually, I just don't understand why those guys need to be so cautious and targeted at Quantum Mining. Partnering with us wouldn't hurt them at all; on the contrary, it would bring them even more benefits. It was a perfectly good win-win situation, and these guys have turned it into this mess. It's ridiculous!"

“John, if I were one of those mining giants, I would do the same. After all, Quantum Mining’s capabilities are too powerful, giving them a huge sense of pressure. It’s perfectly normal for them to choose to exclude Quantum Mining and keep it out of iron ore cooperation, since Quantum Mining’s growth is a threat to them.”

"Forget it, let them be. Quantum Mining has not had any plans to expand its mines for a long time. At least until it has digested its current gains, it will not make any major moves. It can only be said that those guys are overthinking it. Quantum Mining does not have the strength to expand indefinitely. Just these mines in front of us require a huge amount of our efforts."

At this point, John shook his head slightly, then changed the subject and said, "Mr. Morita, how come the Roppongi commercial center is being built so quickly? Are Japanese companies this competitive now, rushing to complete projects like this?"

“John, you’re not in Japan, so you don’t know how crazy the real estate market is right now. If Sony hadn’t entered the market early and recruited enough people, I’m afraid we wouldn’t have any workers available right now. Those real estate companies are investing in real estate development like crazy. To be honest, I have to tell the workers to speed up construction now, and many companies are frantically scrambling to recruit people. Sony has no choice but to get involved, otherwise we simply can’t find any manpower.”

At this point, Akio Morita couldn't help but sigh, quite surprised by the current situation in Japan. He hadn't anticipated such a change; John's real estate holdings in Japan alone had appreciated significantly, an investment that even made him envious. If even Akio Morita had such a reaction, one can imagine the reaction of the Japanese real estate companies.

"This is insane. In the US, this would be impossible; the unions would cause trouble. Don't the unions in Japan cause trouble? Can they handle this kind of workload?"

"This is hardly an intensity. Japan is different from the US. Employees there don't complain about overtime; in fact, overtime pays higher wages and provides more subsidies. Why would they object? If everyone is working hard, how can you integrate into the company if you're the only one not? Don't worry, it's not a problem in Japan. If it weren't for workers like these, your villa in Tokyo wouldn't have been built so quickly. It's already fully completed, with only the final decorations left, which will be finished soon. To be honest, I'm quite surprised by your investment acumen. However, John, have you thought about how to plan the Roppongi commercial center? Just a hotel isn't enough, and many people are curious about your plans for the commercial center."

"Don't worry, I've already made preparations. Those top luxury brands have already accepted the invitation from Roppongi Shopping Center, and the shopping center will be operational soon. At that time, you'll witness its charm. I'm confident that our previous cooperation on the shopping center will be without any problems, and we're sure to reap great rewards. I wonder how far the construction of Universal Studios is progressing. If it can be completed quickly, we can also reap the rewards sooner!"

"It'll be open soon. There are already quite a few people interested in our theme park in Yokohama. With the popularity of Disneyland, many people are tempted, and quite a few have already started their own theme park plans. I wonder if their craziness will impact our theme park!"

"There will definitely be an impact, especially at the beginning, but it won't be too big. A theme park isn't just about having capital; it also requires a lot of soft power. We have Legendary Entertainment and Phoenix Media behind us. What can they use to compete with us? Just in terms of intellectual property, they are far behind us. I'm optimistic about the development of the theme park. Those who rush in might pay a heavy price, after all, they don't have our soft power." Speaking of soft power, John suddenly had an idea and said, "Mr. Morita, what do you think? If we join forces, could we rent giant pandas? If Universal Studios Japan in Osaka has its own giant pandas, wouldn't that surpass Disney? If so, we could do the same in Yokohama!"

No one dislikes dango, especially the Japanese. If this can be achieved, it will be a significant boost to Universal Studios Japan and Yokohama Land.

When Akio Morita heard John's words, he was intrigued. It was indeed a good idea. If they could do it, they could completely overshadow Disney. However, it would inevitably affect the opening time, and part of the movie theater would have to be renovated. But the idea was feasible.

"John, we need to have a meeting now to discuss this issue. If everyone agrees, then it's not a problem!"

"No, we can't talk to those guys right now. We should talk to Sanhe first. If Sanhe agrees, we can act together so that no one can copy our plans."

"Okay, I'll contact Sanhe right away and have them send people over. If the plan succeeds, overpowering Disney won't be difficult. It's just a pity that Universal Sea World isn't suitable, otherwise we could do the same!"

"SeaWorld's main focus is on sea adventures, so joining this project is a bit inappropriate. Besides, if we do this, Disney will only benefit for nothing!"

Soon, the person in charge of Sanwa appeared in Tokyo. Sanwa thought John's suggestion was feasible, and such a renovation was not a big deal and could be done. However, it would not be easy to successfully lease the property.

“Alright, if Sanwa agrees, then we’ll get started. We’ll make changes from now on and prepare as soon as possible. As for the rental, it won’t be too difficult. With everyone working together, I believe there won’t be any problems. Mr. Morita, tomorrow we’ll inform the others and discuss the renovation plan for Universal Studios. If all else fails, we can expand the construction and add another theme. That shouldn’t be difficult for us!”

Akio Morita and Miwa quickly got to work. However, this time they didn't just have this project. They also held a cocktail party so everyone could sit down and talk about more than just Universal Studios. They also discussed iron ore negotiations and other cooperation issues.

As time goes on, Legendary Entertainment has begun promoting the Olympics, and many companies involved in Legendary Entertainment's advertising projects have some concerns. Therefore, sitting down and talking would be a good option. Of course, Sanwa and Akio Morita also have their own ideas. They want to know John's current investment direction and understand his movements. Holding a reception would naturally allow for more communication and exchange.

The current situation of Pan Am has attracted much attention, especially its proposed acquisition of a small Japanese airline, which has raised many questions. Those who have investigated further are astonished; no one expected Gulfstream Aerospace, the company behind Pan Am, to have expanded so dramatically and possess such formidable strength. Many are particularly intrigued by the satellite constellation project, especially Hughes' second plan, the Global Positioning System.

Is this really just a civilian project? After learning about it, the Japanese experts didn't think it was a civilian project at all. So they all wanted to get some information from John, and some even wanted to participate in the project. However, such a project is not something you can participate in just because you want to. If Hughes refuses, you will get nothing. The more they learned about Gulfstream Spaceflight, the more shocked they became, and they couldn't help but think of the United States' Star Wars program.

(End of this chapter)