America: My Time

Chapter 612 The Neon's Compromise

Chapter 602 The Neon's Compromise

Just as some people wanted to join, the opportunity had already passed, because Akio Morita had already stood up and walked towards John. It was clear that the Japanese bigwigs had made their decision; they needed to have another round of negotiations with John. It must be said that the fact that these guys chose this location for the negotiations surprised many people, but the more unexpected it was, the less attention it would attract, at least not to those who shouldn't know.

“Mr. Morita, it seems you have reached a conclusion. Let’s go over and have a final discussion!” As he spoke, John stood up without waiting for Akio Morita to speak, a faint smile appearing in his eyes.

Those guys in Japan can't wait. They don't have the time. They're at a disadvantage in terms of timing, location, and people. What can they use to fight against themselves and the entire mining giant? Japan isn't like China in the future, where it can directly counter those mining giants.

Akio Morita smiled calmly and said, "Yes, everyone has made their decisions. Now it's up to you."

For Akio Morita, this negotiation wasn't too stressful, as its impact on Sony was limited. However, it had a significant impact on the entire Japanese economy. He wasn't in a hurry, but others weren't. They had to reach an agreement with John and the mining magnate behind him. If things dragged on any longer, the consequences would be unimaginable. This is why these guys made their decision in such a short time. They couldn't afford to delay, and neither could Japan.

“Mr. John, I know you still have room to compromise on the price of iron ore. How about we all take a step back and offer more orders to Quantum Mining, and uranium ore will be priced according to market prices? How about a ten-year long-term contract?”

“Okay, I have no problem. I only have a 3% buffer in the iron ore pricing. This is the final price. A 20% increase is a bit much for you all. I hope this time you are satisfied.” At this time, John also brought out the concession price that the mining giants had already agreed on. This negotiation had been dragged on for half a year. No one wanted to suffer losses, so they forced Japan to accept it.

"A 17% price increase? Fine, we agree!" Faced with pressure from Japan itself, they had no choice but to agree, because if they dragged it out any longer, the other party would really give up their cooperation with Japan, and they couldn't afford the consequences.

"Gentlemen, let me remind you that next year's price negotiations are not far off, so it's best to prepare early. Judging from the current global situation, prices will continue to rise. If you have the ability, it would be good to stockpile more iron ore!" Compared to Japan and the like, South Korea and Taiwan have already compromised, and they have already started placing large orders. Everyone understands that with the favorable market conditions, the price of iron ore will continue to rise. In contrast, Quantum Mining's own steel mills are increasing their iron ore purchases.

"Thank you for the reminder, Mr. John. We will pay close attention. However, if iron ore prices continue to rise, it will be a devastating blow to the steel industry. With the global economy weak, it will be difficult for anyone to accept such prices!"

"I can't do anything about it. This isn't something I can decide. Quantum Mining is just one of the iron ore suppliers, and when it comes to profits, those guys won't trust Quantum Mining. Whatever your thoughts are, act on them as soon as possible. As for uranium, it's not a problem at all. A ten-year contract is nothing!"

After seeing John agree, the Japanese guys breathed a sigh of relief. Although they thought John might be able to lower the price further, it wouldn't be much. Moreover, if it dragged on any longer, Japan's economy wouldn't be able to handle it, at least not shipping. A large number of orders were pouring in, but they didn't have enough steel, which was the biggest problem. Now that the Koreans had snatched away a lot of orders, the Japanese guys were very angry.

Although John's investment in South Korea hasn't been very long, since everything was acquired, it's already taking shape, and even the shipyard has started operating. Unfortunately, it still lacks the capability to build large ships and needs to accumulate experience. Such heavy industry cannot be developed overnight.

"Mr. John, haven't you ever considered investing in the steel industry in Japan?" At this point, the Japanese guys asked a question that surprised John. However, John quickly understood their intentions: they wanted to recruit him, to make him a part of the Japanese steel industry, and to bring Quantum Mining into the fray.

John shook his head and sighed, "Quantum Mining doesn't have that kind of idea. It's not that Quantum Mining lacks the funds, but rather that labor costs in Japan are too high for Quantum Mining to afford. Our goal is to reduce costs, ideally by investing in countries with lower labor costs, which would allow us to generate sufficient profits. After all, Quantum Mining's steelmaking technology still has some shortcomings, and this requires time to refine." He paused briefly, then continued, "Actually, the competition in Japan is too fierce right now, especially in terms of personnel. The competition is so intense it's making my scalp tingle. I don't think this will be good for Japan's economic development. Are those university graduates being snapped up really worth the price? Can they generate the profits you all want? I think it's difficult, at least based on my observations of companies in Japan."

"Talent is the primary productive force, and there's nothing we can do about it. After all, companies can't develop without talent, and there's nothing we can do about it. Every industry needs such employees!" The Japanese guys didn't take John's concerns seriously. They thought John was too conservative. Perhaps it was precisely because of this conservative thinking that they made the decision to sell the Japanese real estate, allowing everyone to get these assets back.

Upon hearing this, John shook his head and said, "Perhaps. You are all expanding rapidly and have a great need for talent, but I don't have that much need. That's just a difference in perspective."

By this time, John already knew the true situation of these guys in Japan. With rising costs, they had started to falsify production data to reduce costs. The craftsmen were long forgotten; profit was their top priority. However, John didn't want to expose them yet. Exposing them now wouldn't have much of an impact. If he acted under the right circumstances, the outcome might be different.

After exchanging ideas with the Japanese guys, John got up and left. These guys had been asking about the development of Quantum Mining. It was clear that the tacit cooperation between the mining giants this time made them feel threatened and pressured. They were already considering changing their strategy and wanted to directly acquire the mines to stabilize their own security.

After John left, those guys all had gloomy faces. They hadn't gotten anything from John, and it was impossible for them to get the mine from him again. Quantum Mining didn't lack funds for development these days.

"Gentlemen, we need to prepare in advance. Since we can't start with the mines, we need to find another way, starting with futures. We can no longer be controlled by others like this. Moreover, it would be best if we could work together to create a mining company and enter the mining industry. Shareholding control is no longer safe. In the face of profit, those guys will not show any mercy just because we are shareholders!"

“Indeed, we should find another way. Quantum Mining was able to grow and thrive in such a short time, and we can do the same. We in Japan are no weaker than them. We need to have our own resource channels and not be held hostage by others anymore! We need to learn from John, that little fox. He has been able to develop steadily to this point and overcome one difficulty after another, not only because of the financial support from our Japanese bank, but more importantly because he controls the upstream and downstream industries and will not be held hostage by anyone. We must do the same!”

"It's difficult. The development of quantum mining is not something that can be easily learned. Everyone says they have a professional analysis software, but no one knows if it even exists or if big data analysis is actually useful. If we want to catch up with quantum mining, it will probably not be an easy task, and we may even have to pay a higher price!"

"No matter how difficult it is, we must do it. We have no other choice. This lesson has been enough. Only by controlling our own resources can we avoid being oppressed by these guys. We can surpass the United States in the semiconductor field and catch up with them in the steel field. So we must also have our own mines in the mineral field."

"That makes sense. The government will fully support you and will do its best to help you whenever needed!" At this moment, the government representative finally stood up and made a statement. Faced with the pressure from the mining giants, Japan had no choice but to compromise. However, they were unwilling to be oppressed and held hostage indefinitely. The fact that the mines they had invested in were not under their control made them feel deeply uneasy.

Only mines that are in their own hands are trustworthy. Investments will only yield some dividends but cannot affect transactions. This is an outcome that Japanese companies do not want to see. John was unaware that his appearance had disrupted the Japanese companies' mineral resource plans and led them down a different path.

However, even if John knew, he wouldn't care. Mining investment isn't just about having money; you also need technology and luck. Otherwise, you won't get anything and will only deplete your own funds. The biggest expense for mining giants each year isn't mining, but exploration. Exploration rights have time limits, and they require a considerable amount of money every year. This is the biggest drain on mining giants.

(End of this chapter)