America: My Time

Chapter 39 Gift
Chapter Thirty-Nine: Gifts

Time is crucial; no one wants to waste their precious time on one thing, and John is no exception. Six months is enough time for the other party to make a decision, and he can also accept six months of preparation. Japan's broadcasting laws are there, and they pose a significant obstacle to any acquirer!

If TV Tokyo's shareholders agree, it's a win-win situation, and the acquisition price can be negotiated. If they refuse, John can make other choices and won't have to waste any more time and energy on acquiring TV Tokyo. At the same time, he can also understand Japan's various perspectives and prepare for the next acquisition or a change of direction!
TV Tokyo is not their only option. Such a major undertaking naturally requires consideration of alternatives in case of failure. Japan does not accept their acquisition plan and does not allow foreign investment in the acquisition of private television stations. The alternative is satellite television, which requires careful planning!
If the acquisition of TV Tokyo, the weakest of Japan's commercial broadcasting stations, could not be completed in the early 1980s, it would mean that foreign investment was absolutely forbidden in commercial broadcasting, and there was no need to waste precious time, unless the shareholders of TV Tokyo were unwilling to sell, which was basically impossible. This meant that Sony's influence was not enough to satisfy John!
If we wait until the 1990s, when the bubble economy ends, it will be almost impossible to acquire a Japanese television station, and the cost will be too high. In my memory, every acquisition attempt has been met with resistance from various aspects of Japan, so the early 1980s was the best opportunity. If it cannot be successful by then, there is no need to have too many illusions.

After meeting Akio Morita again, John put the matter of TV Tokyo aside and devoted himself to the arrangements for Legendary Records and the management company, as well as the establishment of Tsutaya.

John doesn't plan to be too reckless with his initial investment in Tsutaya. He'll start by opening four stores in Tokyo as a trial. This is just his idea, and whether it will succeed is still unknown. The experience of later generations may not necessarily be successful in today's Japan. Times are different, and the results will be different!
Several months later, John was eager to know how his agency was doing in Japan, how many artists it had, and how many of them were worth nurturing. Although he had made arrangements when he left last time, he wasn't sure if those arrangements would come to fruition, since the agency was newly established and a newcomer to the industry.

John brought Naoko to the agency so that she could meet the president of the management company, Yoshiko Koizumi, and get familiar with the environment!
While an agency isn't the most crucial element of the overall strategy, it's essential. Having your own agency ensures a stable pool of artists, preventing record labels from being controlled by others—a guarantee for your company's staffing! Due to considerations of development and other factors, John chose a woman as the agency's president, eliminating concerns about any negative influences within the agency.
A persona is very important, and John takes this very seriously. He doesn't want his company to have a bad reputation in Japan, which could affect his development. Therefore, John is very careful in choosing a president.

This time, John is not only going to meet with the president of his own agency, but also the president of Naoko's original agency. Although Sony is handling it on his behalf, he doesn't want to get a bad reputation. He still wants to communicate with the other party in person, express his apologies, and give them some benefits so that this matter concerning Naoko can be brought to a satisfactory conclusion.

I also learned some things from Naoko, including some things about her former agency and the favors she owed in the past. I need to repay all of these debts and enter the Japanese market with a kind attitude, giving people a friendly impression, which is also the persona I set for myself!

John didn't refuse Akio Morita's offer, but he was worried about potential future advertising controversies. In his memory, after Naoko Naoko became famous, her agency took on many advertising deals, including with Hitachi. At the time, Naoko had a 10-year contract with Hitachi. Later, around the age of 30, her agency signed a one-year, high-priced advertising deal with Hitachi Shinkansen. Despite the high fee, Naoko received very little. This was because the company was a loan shark and was using Hitachi's name without permission. The two Hitachi companies later went to court to resolve their dispute, and this is precisely why Naoko never received any advertising deals again.

In the words of Naoko's Japanese fans, her agency was almost like the yakuza, and they treated her very badly. Hideki Saijo later changed agencies, and Naoko, out of gratitude, believed that this new agency had discovered her, so she terminated her contract with her original agency in 2005.

John was hesitant to entrust Naoko's career to such an agency, preferring to take care of her himself to avoid any unforeseen events that could damage his relationship with Sony or even harm Naoko.

I really like Naoko. It's not just because of her pure and lovely appearance, but also because of her character. What man wouldn't like such a loyal and beautiful woman!

At his own agency, John meets Hideki Saijo, the man who has been kind to Naoko. This was also John's request, as Hideki Saijo is also a singer John likes!

"President Ito, I'm so sorry for the sudden meeting. My time is limited, and I apologize for the abruptness of inviting you. I don't know how Sony negotiated with you, or what price they paid, but I'm not the kind of scoundrel who uses his power to bully others. I invited you here today to offer your firm some compensation, as a token of Naoko's appreciation to the firm. Let's part amicably!" "Mr. John, you flatter me. We've already reached an agreement with Sony; there's no need for this!"

Before the other party could finish speaking, John smiled calmly and said, "Sony is Sony, and I am me. I don't like to owe favors. In the Naoko matter, I do owe your firm something. It wasn't easy for you to cultivate Naoko; you put in a lot of hard work and resources. I should at least show my appreciation in this matter! Don't rush to refuse, and don't worry. I'm a very reasonable person; this is just a small token of my appreciation!"

John's words surprised everyone present. No one expected him to be so easy to talk to, and they were all shocked. Naoko was especially moved, realizing that she had truly met a good man, a good man who was willing to think of her, which was rare in Japan.

"I know your agency has already arranged a new single for Naoko and has paid a considerable price, so I'm willing to offer you some compensation. I have a single here that requires a male-female duet. My agency mainly focuses on female idols and doesn't want to get involved in too much, so it's most suitable to hand it over to your agency. The copyright is with us, and all the profits from this single's recording will belong to you. Also, Mr. Hideki Saijo, thank you for taking care of Naoko over the years. I've also prepared a single for you, and I hope you'll like it!"

As he spoke, John took two pieces of paper from his briefcase and handed them to the two men. These were two singles. One was "The Third Year of Infidelity," a single that sold nearly a million copies. The other was "Evening Song," one of the signature songs of the scumbag Kondo Masahiko. John would not show any mercy to this scumbag!

After a short wait, and after the two finished looking at the two singles, John spoke again: "Are you two satisfied with this gift? With Hideki Saijo and Naoko's popularity and reputation, 'The Third Year of Changing Hearts' is fully capable of becoming a million-selling single. It can be said that her relationship with your agency has come to an end. With Mr. Hideki Saijo's reputation, the other single will not be too bad either!"

"Thank you so much, Mr. John! We love this gift!" Hideki Saijo and President Ito quickly stood up to express their gratitude. They both knew that receiving this gift was a sign of John's kindness and respect, something they were deeply grateful for!
"If you're happy, I can rest assured, Naoko can rest assured, everyone is happy, and we can still be friends when we meet again in the future, cherishing this friendship!"

Although it was just a very ordinary polite remark, it put Hideki Saijo and President Ito at ease. Hideki Saijo was grateful for Naoko's good fortune in finding such a kind and compassionate man to rely on. President Ito didn't need to worry about any trouble for his agency in the future, as the other party was sincerely offering this compensation. Regardless of what the other party was thinking, at least there was no falsehood in this matter, and that was enough!
Having received the gift, both Hideki Saijo and President Itō were shrewd people. After expressing their gratitude, they got up to take their leave without lingering. John said, "Naiko, please see them out!"

Naoko stood up and saw President Ito and Hideki Saijo out of the office. As they parted, Hideki Saijo sighed, "Naiko, Mr. John is a good man. Take care!"

"Brother Hideki, take care too!"

(End of this chapter)