America: My Time

Chapter 889 The Neon Lights' Probe

Chapter 859 Neon's Probe
"Hehe, interesting. The internal struggle within Mitsui is becoming more and more obvious. This time, Toyota actually stepped forward, and even brought in the Japanese government, but didn't let that old guy Akio Morita come forward. It seems they have different ideas. I wonder how Akio Morita will react when he finds out. It seems Toyota can't wait any longer. They finally gained a foothold in North America, and now they've been hit like this, so they have no choice but to bow down."

John did not intend for Bentley Motors to have exclusive control over the car navigation system, as that would not align with his interests. He believed that only widespread promotion could reduce costs and allow him to seize market share, keeping GPS out of the market and preventing it from impacting Hughes Aerospace's commercial market.

Actually, John came to Japan wanting to sit down and talk with these guys there. Unfortunately, Toyota and the others didn't consult with him immediately, but dragged it out for so long. In contrast, the American automotive giants had been restless for a long time. Morgan had even consulted with him, showing how anxious they were. But these guys in Japan weren't in a hurry, which annoyed John. Now, these guys have finally made a move.

If these guys don't take action, how can his plan be realized? If he doesn't sit down and talk, how can these guys accept his 'goodwill'? Fortunately, these guys didn't make him wait too long, otherwise John would have suspected that these guys had seen through his plan. These bastards in Japan are unwilling to give him a chance.

However, John was somewhat surprised that this was not a cocktail party but just an ordinary meeting. He knew that he had never received such an invitation when working with these guys from Japan, because he would not participate in such corporate meetings or negotiations. Everything was handled by professionals. But this time, these guys from Japan were not playing by the rules, which made John even more surprised.

It's natural for them to have calculations, and it's inevitable that they'll make arrangements and preparations. John never dares to underestimate these Japanese guys; after all, they're ruthless scoundrels who will use any means necessary for their own benefit. Calling it a normal meeting is questionable; the word "normal" is probably a stretch.

Since they've already extended an invitation, he can't refuse. Besides, the invitation came from the Japanese government, so even if it's just a pretext, John has to give them face and show them his sincerity.

"Heh, just as I thought. None of these guys' so-called 'normal talks' are ever normal. They're even having talks in a private estate. How can such a meeting be normal?" But since the other party claimed it was a normal meeting, John couldn't say anything.

At 9 a.m., John arrived at Toyota's estate in Tokyo, accompanied by security personnel. Upon entering the estate, John was slightly surprised to find that there were not many people present, and the old man Akio Morita, whom he knew well, was not there. It seemed that Toyota had abandoned Akio Morita. He had originally expected a large number of people from the Mitsui Group, but upon meeting them, John couldn't help but sigh inwardly. There were only a few people, including a few from Toyota, Mitsui Bank, and Sakura Bank, as well as a few from the Japanese government, or more precisely, from the Central Bank of Japan.

After the introductions, John and his group sat down. Despite the unexpected situation, John's face remained unchanged. Although it did surprise him, it did not affect him.

"Mr. John, the main reason I invited you here today is to ask you about the current development of Japan. After all, your economic expertise is well-known, and you raised the issue of Japanese real estate a long time ago."

"Actually, it's not something I, as an outsider, can comment on in Japan right now. The situation in Japan is caused by many factors, as you all know very well. Asking me for advice is simply overestimating my abilities; I don't have that kind of skill. However, I can say something about the real estate market. I don't think the Japanese real estate market will recover for a long time to come. It will continue to decline for at least several years. This is not only an economic issue but also a matter of public sentiment. It can be said that the impact of this real estate crisis in Japan has directly damaged its reputation, and most people will not buy houses in the future."

They've ripped the people off so badly, anyone who still trusts these Japanese guys is a fool. This bubble crisis has wiped out the wealth of the Japanese people, leaving countless people burdened with huge debts. No matter how these guys try to cover it up now, it's useless; they'll be exposed eventually. It's even more ridiculous that Japanese financial institutions are playing tricks now.

"So, Mr. John, you're pessimistic about Japan's real estate industry, believing there's no hope of recovery? What's your opinion on Japan's economy, and how long will it take to recover?" "Recovery is impossible; it will likely take at least several years. As for the real estate industry, I don't know much about it, as I haven't done any research in this area. Although the Mandarin Oriental Group invests in real estate, it's all commercial real estate. As for Japan's economy, I can't say for sure; compared to you all, my understanding of Japan is limited. However, Japan's economy will stagnate in the short term. Many Japanese companies will face a wave of bankruptcies in the near future, especially those in real estate-related industries, even banks and financial institutions. I don't know how high the debt of the Japanese people is, but from my knowledge of Japanese housing prices, I know it's definitely not a small amount. After all, housing prices in Japan are astonishingly high, and land prices are also astonishingly high."

John had no intention of hiding anything about this, nor was there any need to. Anyone with a basic understanding of economics could see the current situation in Japan, so John's words weren't particularly insightful. However, the wave of business failures John mentioned made these guys sigh, and the situation with banks and finance was even more alarming.

If banks and financial institutions run into problems, the consequences will be unimaginable. But what John said makes a lot of sense. The Japanese people are well aware of how high their debt is, all of which is a consequence of real estate.

"Mr. John is investing heavily in retail and entertainment. Does he see potential in these areas?"

"Regarding retail, this has been my plan for a long time. However, due to various circumstances, 7-Eleven had to be sold back then. Property prices were incredibly high at the time, and 7-Eleven owned all its properties. Under those circumstances, selling was the best option, allowing me to reap greater profits. From acquiring 7-Eleven to selling it, the profit was several times the initial investment. How could I refuse? I'm not a greedy person. My investment philosophy is simple: once I achieve my expected goals, I can let go at any time. Even though I sold the convenience stores, I didn't sell the 7-Eleven brand, so continued expansion is inevitable. Originally, due to rising property values, I had to hold onto the Tokyo metropolitan area. Now, with the real estate market crashing, there's an opportunity. At least more people will choose to franchise 7-Eleven; the market speaks for itself. As for entertainment, it's Phoenix Media's plan. Phoenix Media needs to convert its numerous IPs into capital, not just remain focused on comics. Expansion is normal. If the response is good, perhaps we can further advance our presence in the Japanese animation industry!"

This is just the beginning. Knowing how powerful the world of anime and manga is, it would be a shame not to act soon. Akihabara, the holy land of anime and manga, is also in John's plans, but now is not the time. At least wait until the real estate market collapses again next year and those guys lose confidence. That will be the best time to acquire it. John doesn't want to be a sucker and doesn't want those Japanese guys to take advantage of him.

"Mr. John, haven't you ever considered increasing investment in TV Tokyo?"

"TV Tokyo will not change, you can rest assured of that. We will strengthen our entertainment offerings, but there will be no changes in other areas. I have no need to do that, and my integrity is guaranteed!" John sneered inwardly at the probing of these Japanese guys. Even in this situation, these guys still had such ridiculous ideas. How foolish! Did they think he needed TV Tokyo to influence Japan? It was a joke.

Upon hearing John's answer, the officials visibly breathed a sigh of relief. If Tokyo TV were to report on this now, it would be a huge problem. Japan is in utter chaos right now, and even though John's integrity in Japan is guaranteed, these guys still judged him with their own petty minds.

Before the Japanese guys could speak, John continued, "You invited me here not just for these things, right? If so, you're overthinking it. I wouldn't joke about my reputation. My reputation is worth more than Tokyo TV. I'm a businessman, and I won't let my interests be harmed."

Although John's words embarrassed the Japanese officials, they didn't care. They had been prepared before speaking, and even before coming. Since they had asked, they wouldn't care about John's response. In contrast, the Japanese conglomerates didn't care about John's control over TV Tokyo, or even whether TV Tokyo would change. They didn't think John would joke about his reputation. As John said, his integrity was far more valuable than TV Tokyo.

(End of this chapter)