“Minister Shintaro! What are you saying? Did you forget what happened three years ago?” Foreign Minister Kurosawa Kiyoshi frowned and criticized him.

  “Minister Kiyoshi! Don’t you think I said this because I can’t forget? Which country relies on other countries’ forces to defend its territory?”
“Isn’t that a restriction imposed by the international community on a state that has committed war crimes? It is something we must endure as a result of our poor decisions and politics.”
“Should we endure it? Until when? Until thousands of years later? Three years is long enough. Now, we have to be reborn as a country and defend ourselves,” Minister Ishihara Shintaro said determinedly.

  “That should be acknowledged by the international community, not by us.”
“Ha! International community? It should be the recognition of the Josenjin instead, but do you think that day will come? Everyone looks stupid because you are so naive.”
“Minister Shintaro! Isn’t that too harsh?”
Minister Konno Yasuyuki joined forces to criticize Minister Ishihara Shintaro. Minister Ishihara Shintaro jumped up from his seat, pointed his finger, shouted, and exited the conference room in response, “Foolish humans…How did our great Japan end up like this?”
When Prime Minister Uchida and the other ministers in the conference room observed his behavior, they remarked:

  “Haha! That person has no manners at all.”
“Just ignore him and leave him alone.”
“How did such a person become a minister…”
After the meeting was disrupted by Minister Shintaro’s reckless behavior and several ministers gossiped about him, Prime Minister Uchida, who chaired the meeting, cleared his throat and said, “Um! Um! Well! Everyone, please be quiet. First and foremost, today’s meeting will be adjourned for a short period before resuming at 3 p.m. I’ll inform Minister Shintaro through the secretary. Please consider carefully and make your decisions by then.”
When he attempted to end the meeting with such a closing remark, Minister Kurosawa Kiyoshi raised his hand urgently and asked a question, “Prime Minister! Is the Korean government aware of this?”
The question may appear absurd, but as a foreign minister, he felt compelled to point this issue out clearly.

  “Of course, they aren’t, and they shouldn’t. Minister Kiyoshi should pay close attention to ensure that there are no future diplomatic issues.”
<‘Damn! He does what he wants and expects me to deal with the consequences…How pathetic.’>

  Minister Kurosawa Kiyoshi, slightly annoyed by Prime Minister Uchida’s irresponsible attitude, answer with a slight nod.

  January 9th, 2024, 11:00

  Office of Minister of Economy and Industry, Chiyoda City, Tokyo, Japan

  Minister Ishihara Shintaro, who returned to his office after the shambles he caused at the security meeting, was in a secret meeting with someone. He was U.S. Foreign Minister Julian, whom he had met with Prime Minister Uchida earlier.

  Their meeting looked suspicious. If it had been between the foreign ministers from the two countries, it would have been understandable, but a meeting between the Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry and the Foreign Minister seemed out of place. In any case, they continued their in-depth discussion with solemn expressions on their faces throughout the meeting.

  “Those three are close enough that there won’t be any problems with them. The only problem is with the Minister of Security.”
Minister Julian stroked his chin after hearing the details of the security meeting from Minister Shintaro Ishihara as he had concerns. Minister Shintaro Ishihara responded with a slightly mean smile and said, pushing his glasses back up his nose with his index finger, “Minister Takashi was a little surprised, but I don’t think he is very opposed to the change.”
“If that’s the case, it’s a relief. In any case, Minister Takashi is critical to the success of our plans. We’ll have to persuade him.”
“Haha, don’t worry about him. He’s a little cautious but not demanding. I’ll persuade him before the vote.”
“Good. I’ll trust you, Minister Shintaro.”
“There’s nothing to be concerned about. If Minister Takashi is on our side, we will have our way.”
“Hahaha, you should. For the future of Japan and the United States.”
In fact, it was planned for Minister Ishihara Shintaro to become enraged and leave the conference room during the morning security meeting.

  The plan was that after Prime Minister Uchida presented the convocation agenda at the security meeting, he would leave during the meeting in order to grasp the responses of the ministers and suspend the decision-making vote.

  And their plan worked because the decision-making vote was postponed to 3 p.m., and they were able to gauge the reactions of the ministers. If the few ministers with neutral attitudes, including Minister Mike Takashi, the most important part of the plan, came to their side, Minister Julian would be able to do whatever he wanted.

  “Now! We don’t have much time left, so I’ll leave Minister Takashi to you, and I’ll go meet the rest of the ministers.”
“Yes, let’s do that.”
January 9th, 2024, 14:00

  Around the security office building in Shinjuku City, Tokyo, Japan

  The Defense Ministry’s government office which was destroyed by the massive bombing during the Korea-Japan war was rebuilt and established as the Ministry of Security. Although it was not as tall or as large as before, it was rebuilt as a modern building.

  A dark tinted black van was parked by the side of Road 319, 350 meters west of the Ministry of Security.

  The black van belonged to the headquarters of the National Intelligence Service in Tokyo. It had been parked on the road for an hour and inside of it, several agents were in the midst of a task using various advanced equipment.

  “It’s easier to just break in and check,” grumbled a young agent in his twenties as he removed his headphones. He was Lee Hyun-ho, the Tokyo branch’s youngest agent.

  “Won’t you concentrate on your work? Won’t you do it right?”
“Yes!”
As assistant manager, Kim Eun-ho, glared at him, Agent Lee put his headphones on again.

  “Is it because you’re young that you’re attempting to solve every problem with your body? If you were older, I could understand how difficult it would be for you to use this equipment.”
“Oh! Assistant manager Kim! Didn’t you watch Mission Impossible? As a spy agent, you must infiltrate and risk your life.”
“Ha! Only a young man is pretentious…”
“You’re not even that much older than I am. Why do you keep referring to me as a young man?”
“Is a five-year gap not a significant difference? Instead of arguing, just listen carefully!”
“Since I’m already recording, do I really have to listen to it?”
“Hit!”
“Ah! I’m listening,” Lee Hyun-ho, who had taken a defensive stance after being hit by the assistant manager, mumbled once again.

  At that moment, a car parked near the black van and a man alighted and headed for the black van.

  “Oh, you’re here, Team Leader!”
He was Hwang Jin-kyu, branch manager of the Tokyo branch.

  “Yes, did you get anything?”
“Yes, we got some useful information.”
“Really? Good! As soon as you finish, bring the recorded file to the branch!”
“Yes, we will.”
“I’ll then go to team one’s leader, who is in the midst of preparation.”
“Okay. Good luck.”
After Team Leader Hwang Jin-kyu left, agent Lee Hyun-ho, who had been listening through his headphones, smiled and hit his knee. “Yes! I got a proper one. Haha.”
“Really?”
Assistant Manager Kim Eun-ho then controlled a few dials on the console equipment, and the conversation that was being intercepted and playing on the headphones could now be heard in the black van.

  “If you agree, we will take all the necessary steps to ensure that your entire family can live comfortably in the United States following your political retirement, as well as provide you with ten million USD.”
“But it’s far too dangerous. Isn’t it true that we only have 60,000 troops armed with personal weapons, all of whom are dispersed across three islands?”
“You don’t have to be concerned about that. The United States Marine Corps and special forces will assist you, and the Pacific Fleet will move as well. The Minister should only bring as many security forces that are stationed on Honshu, to Tokyo under the training cover.”
“I mentioned earlier, there are only 30,000 security forces stationed in Honshu. What can you do with that?”
“The security forces are just a symbol, and everything will be handled by the United States.”
“Whoo.” A deep sigh flowed out from the speaker.

  “What do you think? You got it, right?”
“Right, that would be enough.”
“Then, shall we leave now?”
“Okay! Let’s wrap this up and go to the headquarters!”
“Yes!”
The conversation they had intercepted was between Minister Mike Takashi and the U.S. Foreign Minister Julian, who were currently in the security minister’s office.

  The Tokyo branch of the Foreign Intelligence Agency had known about Julian’s top-secret visit to Japan for a long time, and all agents in team one have been closely monitoring him since he stepped into Haneda International Airport.

  January 9, 2024, 15:00

  Office of the National Security Council of the Central Office, Chiyoda City, Tokyo, Japan

  By 3 p.m., the 22 ministers, including the prime minister, were seated in the National Security Council room of the Central Office and resumed the meeting that began in the morning.

  Unlike the morning security meeting, which had a heated exchange of words, the atmosphere of the afternoon security meeting was relatively calm.

  “Even though it was only a short time, I believe everyone gave it their full consideration. This agenda is critical for the future of Japan. Please consider this carefully while voting.”
Before the decision-making vote, Prime Minister Uchida delivered his request by looking at the ministers in a serious tone.

  “So! Then, we will begin the decision-making process on the issue of the ‘declaration of independence,’ through which Japan can be reborn as a self-defense state. Please press the blue button for approval and the red button for denial from among the buttons in front of you.”
After some time, each of the 22 ministers pressed one of the two buttons in front of them. The approval and opposition statuses were then displayed on the large screen at the front of the conference room. There were 11 votes for and 11 votes against.

  Then all eyes turned to Prime Minister Uchida. This was because, if the decision-making votes were tied, the prime minister could use his right to vote to break the tie.

  The prime minister then quietly closed his eyes and pressed a button. The number in favor then shifted from 11 to 12.

  “Huh! How can the Prime Minister vote in favor…”
Foreign Minister Kurosawa Kiyoshi, who strongly opposed it, was shocked and speechless.

  When the score was tied, he expected Prime Minister Uchida, who was always concerned about Japanese citizens, to vote against it. But, contrary to his expectations Prime Minister Uchida voted in favor of the change.

  “As a result, I declare that Japan’s ‘declaration of independence’ has been passed with 12 votes in favor and 11 votes against.”
“Prime Minister Uchida! Why did you vote in favor of the change?” Minister Konno Yasuyuki jumped up from his seat and pointed his finger at Prime Minister Uchida. However, Prime Minister Uchida quietly got up and left the conference room after striking the gavel and declaring the results.

  “Stand there. How can you just leave?”
“Hoho! Minister Yasuyuki! Whether the prime minister voted in favor or opposes it how can you question him? Keep your dignity,” teased Minister Ishihara Shintaro after the results revealed his preferred outcome.

  “What? You? This person?”
“What’s wrong with you? Calm down.”
“Do you think it is over?”
The National Security Council’s office quickly devolved into a total mess……