Tokyo Bubble Life

Chapters 1569 and 1578: Naoki-san, sometimes he can be quite petty!

As dawn broke, a deluge of news flooded the neon-lit news media.

The television began playing breaking news on a loop: the Emperor had passed away late the previous night, and a new Emperor had ascended the throne in the early hours of the morning. Then, a pre-prepared documentary about the Emperor began playing.

The well-informed morning newspapers naturally learned of the news, and the headlines of the morning papers were all uniformly gray with expressions of mourning.

Many people open their eyes to find that the nominal masters of their country have suddenly disappeared.

A group of very old and stubborn men began searching their homes for wakizashi (Japanese samurai), preparing to commit seppuku (ritual suicide) to accompany the Emperor on his journey. Two of them actually succeeded, saving their families food.

"The Emperor, who passed away last night, will be placed in his coffin today."

"The new Emperor's audience ceremony will be held this morning."

The new era name will be announced via live broadcast.

"."

In the living room of Yama-oka-in, the TV was on early in the morning, a rare occurrence, to watch the morning news.

Xia Hua was initially very curious, thinking there was something interesting to see, but after seeing only one person reporting the news on TV, she soon became bored.

While eating breakfast, I asked my elderly father:

"Dad, what is meant by 'collapse control'?"

"Oh, so someone passed away?"

What does "passing away" mean?

"Ah, this is going to a place where you will never come back."

Why go to that place?

Xiaoxia Hua pursued the "100,000 Whys" principle relentlessly, relentlessly asking questions that even a knowledgeable person like Naoki Nagayama sometimes couldn't answer.

"Because I'm getting old!"

"Does getting older necessarily mean you have to go?"

"Yes. You have to go when you get older!"

"."

The little one didn't understand death, but she was too young to delve into its details. At that moment, the fried eggs for breakfast were served, and their aroma made her forget everything else.

Akina served breakfast to both father and daughter before sitting down and saying to Naoki Nagayama:

"This morning, when I was chatting with Morisan and the others, we talked about the Emperor. I even called home, and my mom and the others were very surprised. They said the elderly people in Qinglai's area were like the sky had fallen."

"."

Naoki Nagayama didn't quite understand, but considering that information spreads slowly in the suburbs and countryside, and popular ideas are difficult to spread there, traditional culture is probably still the mainstream there, so the Emperor's death must really be a very important event.

"It was indeed very important. Haven't we heard that some people even committed suicide to join Emperor Hirohito?"

"Naoki-san!"

Akina glared at Naoki Nagayama, complaining that he said such things in front of the children.

However, Xia Hua didn't care at all, and was wholeheartedly struggling with frying eggs. She has recently started to learn how to use chopsticks, but the plastic chopsticks are also very difficult to use.

Are you at home today?

"Hmm~"

Naoki Nagayama pondered for a moment,

"I guess I'll still have to go to the company. I have to go to both companies. With such a big impact, people might not know what to do if I'm not there."

"Too."

Akina nodded; she knew how important her husband was to Shuyou.

As the legal wife of the Nagayama family, she did not require her husband to be at home at this time:

"Then come back soon!"

"Hmm~"

The Tree Friends Building in Ikebukuro was also bustling with activity at this time.

In addition to broadcasting the news of the Emperor's passing, the early morning news program also aired a government statement announcing a week of national mourning.

All television stations are prohibited from broadcasting entertainment programs, all kinds of folk celebrations must be stopped, and there are various other demands.

This is nothing short of a disaster for the entertainment industry, entertainment companies, and artists!

"A week!" "More than that~" "Just got the announcement." "The finale of 'Neon Voice' probably won't be happening either."

The employees were grumbling among themselves, with some who were affected by the project feeling particularly frustrated. This was the first week back to work after the New Year holiday, and in the ever-changing entertainment industry, missing a week of exposure could potentially ruin an entire year's performance.

That emperor really knows how to pick his timing!

At the front desk, Hoshika and Suzuki Kouka were chatting with the employees when Hoshika spotted Nagayama Naoki's car.

"Naoki-san is here!"

Upon hearing this, everyone immediately fell silent and quickly went about their duties. By the time Naoki Nagayama entered the building, everything was as normal as usual.

"Naoki-san!" "Good morning, Naoki-san!" "Ohayo~"

Greetings kept coming, and Naoki Nagayama nodded in response.

"Hoshika-chan, has Otomo-san arrived yet?"

"Hi, Otomo-san, he arrived early this morning and has been in the office ever since!"

Entertainment companies naturally have staff on duty 24 hours a day, and Yoshimura Otomo's office even has a small bedroom for resting.

"it is good"

Naoki Nagayama nodded, and perhaps noticing the anxiety in some of the employees' eyes, he spoke to Hoshino Kaka.

"Hoshika-chan, I'll have the General Affairs Department issue a notice later to inform the employees that the impact of the Emperor's passing won't last long. We still have a lot to do, so everyone should organize their plans for this year and submit a summary to their superiors."

"Huh?"

Xing Jiahua was stunned. Did she really need to say something like this? Couldn't they just issue a notice directly?

"Eh what?"

Naoki Nagayama shook his head.

"Xingjia-chan, even you administrative and front desk staff have to contribute!!"

"Huh?!?!"

After saying that, Naoki Nagayama walked towards the elevator.

Xing Jiahua and the other employees who remained quickly began whispering among themselves, and then hurriedly got to work!

However, the unease I felt due to the Emperor's death and the shutdown of the entertainment industry vanished instantly.

When working people get busy, they don't think about anything else.

Upon arriving at the top-floor office, Naoki Nagayama went straight to Yoshimura Daitomo's office. Yoshimura Daitomo had already woken up and was reading the morning paper and other materials with bloodshot eyes.

Yoshimura Daitomo was somewhat surprised to see Naoki Nagayama arrive:

"Naoki-san? What brings you here?"

"Didn't you say it was a small matter?"

"I had to come and see it eventually~"

Naoki Nagayama sat down next to Otomo Yoshimura without any ceremony and made himself a cup of tea with the hot water Yoshimura had just boiled.

"Didn't Otomo-san come to the office without finishing his drink yesterday?"

"Yeah, this is such a big deal, I'm not in the mood for drinking anymore. I heard that all the nightclubs in Roppongi have closed down since then!"

Yoshimura Hirotomo nodded and pointed to the report, saying,

"And sure enough, the government's measures were released this morning."

"Ugh, I don't know how much money we're going to lose this month!! What a terrible start to the year."

"Haha, it's an unavoidable situation~"

Naoki Nagayama smiled and said,

"Everyone else is the same!"

"The entertainment industry is the most affected!"

Yoshimura Otomo was helpless.

"Look at those car factories and appliance manufacturers, which one of them will stop production?!"

"At this moment, I'm really a little envious of those industries!"

"Well"

Naoki Nagayama's eyes darted around.

"If we're envious, we'll invest in some of these industries!"

"?"

Seemingly realizing that Naoki Nagayama wasn't joking, Otomo Yoshimura turned his head away.

"Naoki-san, are you serious?"

"Yes, it's a real industry."

Naoki Nagayama uttered some incomprehensible words.

"For example, cars or something."

"???!!! Naoki-san, you mean cars?!"

Yoshimura Otomo was even more surprised, then, based on his years of understanding of Nagayama Naoki, he keenly realized something and lowered his voice.

"Naoki-san, what are you planning to do to Nissan?!"

"Oh, Otomo-san really is a tapeworm in my stomach!"

Naoki Nagayama nodded in satisfaction.

"Nissan's Ayukawa family, how can they not repay the debt of so many tree enthusiasts who are being targeted behind the scenes?!"

"Now that Emperor Hirohito has passed away, the bursting of the bubble is like a domino effect!"

At this moment, Naoki Nagayama had a smile on his lips:

"Otomo-san, don't be fooled by Nissan's current success; they have huge internal problems!"

"First of all, there was their 'Project 901,' which aimed to become the most technologically advanced automaker in the 90s. So they spent an enormous amount of money on R&D! They actually had 45 production lines for different car models running simultaneously."

"Nissan will definitely face a major financial crisis during the next bubble burst! That's our opportunity!"

“Yaichi Ayukawa didn’t just buy our Tree Friends’ shares; I’m going to extend my reach into Nissan too!”

In the late 90s, Nissan Motor Company almost went bankrupt due to its overly aggressive operating strategy, disorderly expansion, and the bursting of the bubble economy and the financial crisis!

"."

Yoshimura Otomo's head was spinning. When did Naoki-san ever investigate the Nissan Group?!

"Does Naoki mean we should wait until Nissan faces a financial crisis before injecting capital?"

"No, I'm going to accelerate their financial crisis!!"

Naoki Nagayama smiled and said,

"Previously, the Ayukawa family was planning to take action against Kiyuu. Now, only Kiyuu Capital remains."

"However, no matter what financial means they use, I will make sure Nissan's working capital is severely depleted!!"

"Given Nissan's current situation, the crisis was originally expected to erupt in about ten years, but I'm going to suppress it within one or two years!!"

"When Nissan goes bankrupt, Shuyou Capital can buy in at rock-bottom prices. I want Shuyou to become Nissan's major shareholder!!"

In any case, due to his butterfly effect, the neon bubble burst more than two years earlier. Why wait for Nissan to go bankrupt according to historical patterns?!

Wouldn't it be better to directly accelerate Nissan's financial crisis, bringing it close to bankruptcy a few years earlier, and then let Shuyou take control of the automaker?!

Naoki Nagayama knows what types of cars will be popular in the future. He can just copy the design! Didn't Xiaomi make a prototype? It's still very popular!

When trams reign supreme, perhaps Tesla in the US will become like Godzilla in Japan, and Naoki Nagayama might even try to claim the title of the first trillionaire in human history!

"."

Yoshimura Daitomo felt dizzy upon hearing these words.

"Naoki-san, when did you start planning to get involved with Nissan cars?"

"Of course, it started when we found out that Nissan was up to something behind the scenes!"

Naoki Nagayama's eyes were sharp.

"From that moment on, I was determined to teach them a lesson!"

"However, I didn't tell you about this until I was absolutely certain."

"Part of the alliance with the Yasuda family is to make it easier to intervene in the Fuji Group later on! Ideally, the Ayukawa family should be driven out of Nissan!"

"."

At this moment, Yoshimura Daitomo realized that his friend was indeed cunning and shrewd! This plan had been going on since last year without revealing a single word to them!

Naoki-san... can be quite petty sometimes.

If someone attacks a fellow tree grower, then you must retaliate fiercely, or even destroy their very foundation!

However, that's exactly how it should be done!!

Yoshimura Daitomo steadied himself:

"Naoki-san... can you do that?"

"Of course it's possible!"

Ten years later, Renault of France acquired a 36.8% stake in Nissan for $54 billion. Shuyou's current assets are roughly that much!

Moreover, the US dollar hasn't inflated that much yet.

"However, this is not a short-term operation; it will likely take several years!"

Naoki Nagayama said,

"Moreover, we will also encounter many difficulties."

"In short, Mr. Otomo, have you ever thought about becoming the CEO of Nissan Group?"

"!!!"

Yoshimura Daitomo was a little stunned by this sudden question. He was the CEO of one of Japan's major car companies!

It's important to understand that different industries have different statuses in Japan. CEOs in the automotive industry are clearly more respectable and even more respected in society than CEOs of entertainment or film companies in the entertainment industry!

This was something Yoshimura Otomo never imagined!

However, after taking a few deep breaths, Yoshimura Otomo still shook his head and said:

"It's not that I don't want to do it. I have some experience in entertainment companies, but I have absolutely no experience in the automotive industry. I can't manage it!"

"Well"

Although Naoki Nagayama wanted to say that it's never too late to learn, and that he had guidance from Naoki, he still let his old friend off the hook when he saw that Yoshimura Otomo had very few hairs left on his head.

"Sigh, I still need to find a suitable person. Luckily, I still have a few years!"

After saying that, Naoki Nagayama laughed again.

"Hahaha, Otomo-san, don't you think we're hilarious? We haven't even started planning anything yet, and we're already thinking about how to operate Nissan!!"

".Hahaha"

Yoshimura Otomo chuckled awkwardly a few times.

Others might think it's wishful thinking, but he always felt that since Naoki Nagayama had said it, it would definitely come true in the future!

"Want to become the CEO of Nissan?"

This goal, which Yoshimura Daitomo had never even considered, was deeply imprinted in his mind, making his heart race.

When a new company takes over a large enterprise, there is usually a transition period to lay off senior employees, take stock of accounts, and coordinate with all parties.

Only after the handover is complete will the CEO who is truly responsible for the operational business be appointed.

This interim CEO doesn't need any qualifications in the automotive field; all he needs to do is represent the investors.

"It's not impossible for him to serve as a short-term interim CEO after moving in."

After persuading Yoshimura Otomo at the Tree Friends Building, which filled him with enthusiasm and eliminated his unease, Naoki Nagayama was headed to Tree Friends Capital in Shinjuku.

Although there isn't much business there anymore, the foundation is still there!

We passed by the Imperial Palace during our trip.

Driver Tomoyasu Toda, driving the Rolls-Royce Silver Spur, seemed somewhat nervous.

"Naoki-san, there are far fewer cars on the road today, but there are a lot of people around the Imperial Palace!"

Naoki Nagayama also looked out the car window and saw that the roads around the Imperial Palace were crowded with people who came to mourn the Emperor, most of them middle-aged and elderly.

"Let the Emperor be laid to rest today!"

"Hi"

"As expected, the Emperor's death is a major event for the people!"

As they passed a shrine next to the Imperial Palace, Toda Tomoyasu slowed down:

"Naoki-san, shall we express our condolences?"

"."

Naoki Nagayama glanced at Tomoyasu Toda and understood that he was just a native Japanese, so there was nothing wrong with him asking such a question.

But Naoki Nagayama is not like that!

"No need. Let's go to Ginza! The flow of capital won't stop for a second just because someone else died!!"

"."

"Hi!"

(End of this chapter)