Tokyo, 1991: Starting as a bank clerk

Chapter 239 The perverts on the train are really rampant! [Basic update: 5k words]

Kiryu Yaya's gaze swept over the three options.

Fork 1, standard recommendation.

It's not very difficult, but the corresponding rewards aren't much either.

Fork two, transformation is recommended.

It sounds good. If you think the rewards for the first fork are too low, this option is a good value for money. At least it can provide some ideas for Watanabe Shinya.

However, Kiryu Yaya's gaze stopped when he saw the "deep layout at the industry chain level" in Fork 3.

Clearly, if he chooses option three and manages to complete the layout, he might be able to fulfill part of the "Tide of the Times" requirement by completing three events that would influence the economic trajectory of the Kansai region.

This should be considered an incident.

Moreover, this option is rated as five stars for difficulty.

Five stars.

This was the first time he had seen such a high difficulty rating since the system upgrade.

This also means that if successful, the reward could far exceed his expectations.

But the question is, in which direction should Watanabe Fiber transform?

The ready-made garment industry —

The appearance of this keyword brought to mind two famous cases from later generations.

Uniqlo, Muji —

These are all well-known brands that specialize in affordable clothing.

Moreover, they have already made a name for themselves in mainland China.

These two brands have been repeatedly analyzed as classic case studies by countless business schools in later generations, but the fundamental reason for their success is that they aligned with the trend of future consumption downgrade in Japan.

Kiryu Yaya recalled a research report he had read in his previous life.

That report divided Japan's postwar consumption history into several stages:

The 1950s and 1960s were the era of "mass consumption," with home appliances, cars, and housing becoming standard features for ordinary families.

The 1970s was the era of "differentiated consumption," when consumers began to pursue personalization, branding, and quality.

The 1980s marked the peak of "conspicuous consumption," with brand names, luxury goods, and imported products becoming symbols of social status.

But after entering the 1990s, all of this began to reverse.

As disposable income for ordinary families shrinks, housing prices fall, and stocks depreciate, the "consumption upgrade" that was once taken for granted is slowly no longer accepted by people.

They began to re-examine a problem:

Are these things really worth the price?

This shift in consumer mentality is structural.

Once consumers experience the pain of asset devaluation, their behavior patterns are permanently rewritten, much like how people who have experienced war develop an almost instinctive appreciation for food.

The generation of Japanese people who lived through the bubble burst maintained a relatively restrained consumption habit for decades afterward, which is now known as the origin of the "low-desire society".

Uniqlo and Muji happened to be at the starting line of this structural transformation.

As consumers slide down the steep slope of "conspicuous consumption," they need something that won't make them feel humiliated.

It provides a safe haven so that they don't feel cheated.

Uniqlo offered them "reasonable prices + reliable quality," while Muji offered them "logically affordable prices."

These two brands have precisely capitalized on the massive, downstream consumer demand that Japanese society is about to unleash.

The power of the tides of the times is also terrifying.

In the future, these two companies will expand to an unimaginable size.

Kiryu Yaya remembers it very clearly.

Fast Retailing, the parent company of Uniqlo, has a market value that has stabilized at over 10 trillion yen in later years, and at its peak it even exceeded 13 trillion yen.

What does this mean?

It was equivalent to several times the total market value of all department stores in Japan at the time, and even more than the combined market value of Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group and Toyota Motor Corporation.

A company that makes affordable clothing has grown to the size of the country's top financial institutions and manufacturing giants.

Its annual revenue exceeded two trillion yen as early as the beginning of the 21st century.

With over two thousand stores worldwide, covering Asia, Europe, and North America, its market share in its home country of Japan is astonishingly high.

One out of every three basic clothing items sold is from Uniqlo.

As for profits, they have reached a level that would make traditional clothing brands green with envy.

Fast Retailing's net profit exceeded 200 billion yen in its peak years, with a gross profit margin consistently above 50% and a return on equity that has remained in double digits for many years.

What does this mean?

This means that for every 100 yen invested, it can reliably earn a net profit of more than ten yen, year after year without interruption.

Kiryu Yaya remembers clearly that during those years, the Japanese economy was almost stagnant, the stock market was volatile, land prices were low, and consumer confidence remained low.

However, Uniqlo's stock price has increased nearly a hundredfold in the past twenty years.

This counter-cyclical growth curve was later referred to as the "King of Counter-Cyclicals" in business textbooks.

Their starting point was only the period from the late 1980s to the early 1990s.

Uniqlo's first truly large suburban store opened in 1984.

The Muji brand was founded in 1983.

At this time, in 1991, both brands were still in their infancy. Uniqlo was slowly expanding in the Kanto region, while Muji was still exploring its product lines and store models.

Now, if Kiryu Yaya brings with him successful examples from the future, plus the existing resources...

By riding the wave of the times, even if we don't create a second Uniqlo, we can at least cultivate a famous Kansai clothing brand.

Kiryu Yaya's gaze returned to Watanabe Shinya, but before speaking, he made a choice in his heart.

Branch 3 has been selected.

[Deep Layout in the Fiber Industry | Triggering Factors]

[Current Stage: Feasibility Study]

[Task Requirements: Persuade the Watanabe family to accept the industry integration plan as soon as possible, and complete the initial cooperation framework.]

[Task Rewards: Depends on task completion rate]

Kiryu Yaya picked up the cup of coffee, which had already gone cold, and took a sip.

Then he put it down and looked at Watanabe Shinya.

"Mr. Watanabe, you just asked me if it's true that no bank is willing to lend you money anymore."

Kiryu Yaya did not answer directly, but instead changed the subject.

"Let me ask you another way: If you had a sum of money in front of you right now, where would you invest it?"

Watanabe Shinya was slightly taken aback, then thought about it seriously.

"If I had some funding right now... I would probably stabilize the existing production lines first, and then try to develop some new customer channels."

"Domestic orders are contracting, and while exports are also affected, they should be able to hold on for a while in the short term. Furthermore, orders from Southeast Asia are growing quite rapidly..."

""

Kiryu Yaya listened quietly, then nodded gently.

"Mr. Watanabe's idea is correct. Stabilizing existing business and expanding new customers is the choice that most business owners would make when facing a downturn."

He paused.

"But there's one question: do you think the contraction in domestic orders is cyclical?"

Watanabe Shinya's brows furrowed slightly.

"What do you mean?"

"The meaning is very simple. In my view, the fiber industry is facing a transformation in the structure of the entire consumer market."

He looked at Shinya Watanabe: "Mr. Watanabe, can you imagine a scene?"

"In the next five, ten, or even twenty years, Japanese household spending on clothing will not only fail to recover and grow, but will continue to shrink."

"In this situation, the market for high-end ready-to-wear will only shrink, and to invest further under these circumstances would be to go against the trend."

Watanabe Shinya was silent for a moment, then asked in a low voice, "So, Mr. Kiryu, which direction do you think we should go?"

Kiryu Yaya didn't beat around the bush: "If I were you, I would utilize our existing production capacity to shift from OEM manufacturing to our own brand, and target a market direction that others haven't noticed yet."

"Which direction?"

"Affordable basic models".

Kiryu Yaya smiled and continued, "Specifically, three key words: reasonable price, category focus, and economies of scale."

"We don't make fancy designs, we don't follow trends, we only make the most basic, durable, and timeless styles, we standardize production, we reduce costs to the extreme, and then we sell them at prices close to cost, making money through turnover."

After he finished speaking, he looked into Shinya Watanabe's eyes.

"Mr. Watanabe, what do you think of this direction?"

Watanabe Shinya's eyes flickered.

He lowered his head and thought for a moment, then looked up, his expression becoming more serious: "It does sound... to some extent reasonable."

"But Mr. Kiryu, running a brand and doing OEM manufacturing are two completely different things."

"We at Watanabe Fiber have been OEM manufacturers for thirty years, and we've never built our own brand, distribution channels, marketing, or brand positioning."

Retail management...we don't understand any of that."

"OEM manufacturing is a path we are familiar with, while brand building is a completely unfamiliar path."

Kiryu Yaya nodded, without denying it.

"You're right, OEM manufacturing and branding are indeed two different things."

"But if we only look at the areas we are familiar with, Watanabe Fiber will always just be an OEM manufacturer."

"The fate of contract manufacturers is never in their own hands. If customers reduce their orders, you have to reduce them too; if customers shift to Southeast Asia, you have to shift there as well."

He paused.

"But if you have your own brand, your own channels, and your own consumers, your destiny will not be controlled by anyone else."

Kato Dan, who had been sitting quietly to the side, couldn't help but interject, "Kiryu, your direction... is a bit daring."

Kiryu Yaya smiled but didn't reply.

He then said to Watanabe Shinya, "What I said today may have been a bit too much. Mr. Watanabe, you can go back and think about it. If your company is interested in transforming into my approach, loans will not be a problem."

As he spoke, Kiryu Yaya stood up and took out a bank card from the inside pocket of his suit: "This is my business card. If Mr. Watanabe has made up his mind, or if you have any questions you would like to discuss further, please feel free to call me anytime."

Watanabe Shinya put away the note and nodded seriously.

"Okay, I'll think about it seriously."

Kato Dan took a sip of the ice water in his hand, his gaze sweeping back and forth between Kiryu Yaya and Watanabe Shinya.

Although he only half-understood Kiryu Yaya's sophisticated analysis, it didn't stop him from patting Kiryu Yaya on the shoulder and saying, "As expected of Kiryu-kun, you know so much. Watanabe-kun, you should really consider this."

Watanabe Shinya nodded: "I will."

Kato glanced at the time in the shop, stood up, and said, "Alright, we have to rush to the next event."

He gestured with his chin toward Kiryu Yaya: "Let's grab a drink sometime, and you can tell me all the interesting things that happen in the bank."

Kiryu Yaya smiled and said, "Okay, let's get together again later."

The two groups of people left the coffee shop and walked away from each other.

The neon lights in Umeda shone brightly in the night, and the number of pedestrians on the street was much less than in the evening.

The night breeze blew again.

Kiryu Yaya withdrew his gaze, turned his head, and looked at Yayoi Mizuna, who had been standing quietly to the side.

Noticing his gaze, she turned her head slightly to meet his eyes and smiled gently.

The smile no longer held the previous anxiety and tension.

It seems like during that period of time just now.

She had quietly digested most of those uneasy feelings and returned to being the quiet and gentle Yayoi Mizuna she always was.

"Let's go back to the bank."

Kiryu also said.

"Um.

""

Mizuna Yayoi responded softly and followed in his footsteps.

But after taking only two steps, Kiryu Yaya turned around, looked at Yayoi Mizuna with a serious expression, and asked, "Mina, have we forgotten something?"

Yayoi Mizuna gasped, flustered, and said, "Forgot—what?"

Kiryu Yaya smiled and extended his hand to her.

A night breeze blew from the street corner, gently swaying the wisps of hair on Yayoi Mina's forehead. She looked down at the hand and paused for two seconds.

Then she remembered.

They came hand in hand.

Now----

Are we going to hold hands and go back together?

Thinking of the heart-pounding feeling she had just experienced, Mizuna Yayoi's face instantly turned red.

"S-senpai————"

She was about to say something when she found her hand had already involuntarily reached out to hold it.

Kiryu-kun's hand —

It's big and warm.

"Let's go."

Kiryu Yaya didn't say anything more. He took her hand, turned around, and walked along the street toward the subway station.

The evening rush hour on the Osaka subway usually starts at 5 p.m. and peaks at 6 p.m.

However, the two were traveling on the Midosuji Line, and even at 8 p.m., it was still difficult to find a seat.

When Kiryu Yaya led Yayoi Mizuna into the carriage, the carriage was still packed with people.

Office workers carried briefcases in one hand and gripped the handrail with the other, their bodies swaying slightly with the rhythm of the train.

Kiryu Yaya and Yayoi Mizuna squeezed into a spot near the door.

Yayoi Mina held onto the ring with one hand and was being led by Kiryu Yaya with the other, standing quietly.

She looks soft and non-threatening.

Kiryu Yaya shielded her in front of him, his gaze seemingly casually falling on the GG sign at the front of the carriage, but his peripheral vision swept around the surroundings.

He recalled a set of data he had seen online in his previous life.

Perverted behavior on Japanese trains was nothing new in the early 1990s.

Although the real peak is still a few years away.

However, in Tokyo and Osaka in 1991, the average number of perverts arrested by the police each day had stabilized at six to seven.

This is a terrifying number.

After all, those who are actually caught are only the tip of the iceberg.

These perverts specifically target women who seem unlikely to resist and who will silently endure harassment.

Due to unique historical circumstances, most Japanese women have a submissive and resigned personality.

This greatly emboldened the perverts.

Some women even feel that they have been harassed, which proves that they are still attractive.

If no one notices you at all, you might start to doubt whether you are attractive enough.

This idea is absurd, yet it truly exists.

This is probably why the theme of groping on trains has become a timeless and enduring genre.

The subway car travels through the tunnel of the Midosuji Line.

Yayoi Mina gripped the handrail, her whole body swaying slightly with the rhythm of the train.

Seeing her obedient appearance, Kiryu Yaya smiled gently.

As the subway passed Honmachi Station, another wave of people surged into the carriage.

Mizuna Yayoi was jostled and staggered half a step back, her shoulder bumping into Yaya Kiryu's chest.

She instinctively tried to steady herself, but the crowd was too dense. Just as she regained her balance, the train lurched violently again.

This time, she was almost propelled into his arms by inertia.

"Senior, I'm sorry—"

But Kiryu Yaya didn't let go of her hand; instead, he used the movement to gently trace a line between his fingertips and her palm.

Mizuna Yayoi's body felt slightly hot, and she tried to pull back, but he grabbed her again.

"Hold on tight."

Kiryu Yaya's voice rang in my ears.

Mizuna Yayoi's body was still half-leaning against his chest, unable to stand up straight due to the crowd.

Through her thin shirt, she could feel the warmth emanating from Kiryu Yaya's chest.

Kiryu Yaya didn't let go of her hand. He lowered his head slightly, his lips close to her earlobe: "Mina, what's wrong? Your ears look a little red. Do you have a cold?"

The voice was very low, with a slightly warm breath, brushing against her sensitive earlobe.

Mizuna Yayoi's body stiffened abruptly, and even her neck turned a faint pink.

"Thank you for your concern, senior. I'm fine."

Seeing her reaction, Kiryu Yaya's smile widened.

As the train entered the tunnel, the lights outside the window transformed into streams of light.

Mizuna Yayoi felt like her whole body was burning up, from her ears to her fingertips, every inch of her skin was reminding her that Kiryu-kun was too close.

She tried to create some distance, but the carriage was too crowded. She moved back half an inch and her shoulder bumped into someone else's back.

She had no choice but to shrink back and move back into the narrow space in front of him.

Kiryu Yaya looked down at her and then chuckled softly.

Yayoi Mina heard it clearly: "What are you laughing at, senpai—"

"It's nothing."

Kiryu Yaya said in a serious tone, "I just think that your posture while gripping the rings, Mina, isn't it a bit uncomfortable?"

Yayoi Mina is the quintessential Yamato Nadeshiko (ideal Japanese woman).

They're even about the same height.

Around 158 to 162 cm.

At that height, it would indeed be quite difficult to grab onto the high-mounted rings to maintain balance.