African Entrepreneurship Record

Chapter 568: Chapter 246: Humiliation

”Everyone, now that we have gathered you all here, you can return to Japan!”

On the beaches of the South Ryukyu Islands, more than 130 Japanese expatriates identified by the East Africa Army were gathered together as the East Africa Army arrogantly declared their approach to handling these Japanese individuals, fully displaying the arrogance of Western countries.

”Officer! We are law-abiding citizens!”

”It doesn’t matter if you are law-abiding or not; this is the decision of the East Africa government. If you don’t accept it, then go feed the fish in the sea!”

The East Africa Army’s words turned the faces of the Japanese expatriates purple with anger.

”Baka yarou, this is too much...” A Japanese person dressed as a samurai made a gesture to draw the katana at his waist.

”Bang.”

After the sound of a gunshot, all the Japanese people settled down.

”Haha, I’m curious to see whose head is so hard, who wants to test if our gun is fast enough.”

Kohara Masaki, who was in charge of intelligence on the South Ryukyu Islands, cursed ”fool” under his breath and approached with a face that was even worse than crying.

”May I know your name, sir?”

”Kristin.”

”Sir Kristin, we have lived here for a long time now, and you can’t just send us back because we are Japanese, can you? That’s unreasonable! Moreover, there are Qing Country people on the island, why don’t you drive them away? That’s discriminatory treatment.” Kohara Masaki provoked.

”Hmm, who are you?”

”I am a merchant of the Empire of Japan, Kohara Masaki.”

”You can speak Chinese?”

”As a merchant, it’s normal to know multiple languages, because most of the people coming to the Senkaku Islands are Chinese merchants, so knowing a bit of Chinese is normal.”

”Hmm, you can even speak Minnan dialect; it seems you’re really good at business, so you must earn quite a bit, huh?”

Though he said this, in reality, the East Africa officer Kristin had already adjudged Kohara Masaki as an illegal dealer in stolen goods for pirates, which was certainly illegal in East Africa, but regarding Ryukyu, that remained to be verified.

”Haha, how is that possible? There isn’t much big business on the Senkaku Islands; we manage just enough for subsistence.”

Upon hearing the term Senkaku Islands again, the voice of East Africa officer Kristin suddenly rose dramatically: ”Hmm, what Senkaku Islands? It’s the South Ryukyu Islands! You’d better pay attention, this is our official designation in East Africa.”

This made Kohara Masaki grit his teeth in hatred, thinking that it would be better if this Kristin fell into his hands, so he could really show him what it means to suffer fate worse than death.

But he still forced a smile and said, ”Fine, South Ryukyu Islands, South Ryukyu Islands.”

The situation was stronger than he was; hence, yielding was necessary.

Kristin: ”You asked why there’s discriminatory treatment against Japanese people. I can answer you well, because this is originally the territory of the Far East Empire, so naturally we don’t need to expel these locals.”

Kristin’s words made Kohara Masaki’s heart sink; this sentence clearly defined the relationship between the South Ryukyu Islands and Japan. Of course, it could also be seen as East Africa denying Japan’s claimed ownership of the so-called Senkaku Islands. Coupled with previous humiliation and disdain from East Africa towards Japan, Kohara Masaki felt deeply humiliated.

”Sir, the South Ryukyu Islands were originally the territory of the Ryukyu Kingdom, how can it be considered the territory of the Far East Empire? They’re two different things.”

”Where are the people of the Ryukyu Kingdom? I’ve heard that the Ryukyu Kingdom seems to have been annexed by your government! Moreover, the Ryukyu Kingdom was also a vassal of the Far East Empire, so naturally it’s part of the Far East Empire’s territory.”

”Even if hypothetically the Senkaku Islands are the territory of the Far East Empire, what does that have to do with your country?” Kohara Masaki restrained his anger and asked.

”Of course, it’s related, because the Far East Empire has already transferred the administration of the South Ryukyu Islands to East Africa, so now the jurisdiction of the South Ryukyu Islands is in East Africa’s hands.”

Well then! Kristin’s explanation made Kohara Masaki even angrier; this was no transfer of administrative rights, it was clearly East Africa coercing and enticing the Far East Empire into handing the South Ryukyu Islands over as a colony.

Well-played diversion of disaster, Kohara Masaki thought so in his heart, but this also made him even more unbalanced, because last year Japan proposed to the Far East Empire a method to divide the Ryukyu Islands, which the Far East Empire did not accept.

Kohara Masaki admitted that Japan just hadn’t fully assimilated the northern central Ryukyu Islands; the so-called division method was merely a delaying tactic. Now that East Africa has taken over the South Ryukyu Islands, Japan then finds it difficult to focus on the South Ryukyu Islands.

Although East Africa isn’t a European country, it was founded by Germans, these Western people’s mannerisms he knows all too well.

The meat at the mouth suddenly snatched away by others, and still a country stronger than Japan, no one would be willing. In reality, the Far East Empire is also very strong, but the Japanese aren’t afraid because they understand the Far East too well.

But East Africa is different; East Africa is also an emerging country with powerful naval forces, and at the same time, is a German country with close relations with Germany and Austria-Hungary, no matter how you look at it, not easy to mess with. East Africa is indeed formidable in Africa, but overseas it’s somewhat lacking. Africa is comparatively stronger than the desolate Oceania and the penguin-inhabited Antarctica among all continents.

Although Africa is weak, it doesn’t mean East Africa is weak. However, the entire strength of Africa is the ceiling for East Africa, and the two parties are a relationship inclusive and included.

”Very well, Mr. Kristin, I think we will meet again soon!” Kohara Masaki said.

Kohara Masaki believed the Empire would not abandon the South Ryukyu Islands, and with East Africa being so far from the Ryukyu Islands, this gave the Japanese government room for operation. Therefore, he believed he would return soon.

”Oh, really! But I hope you can return safely to Japan first.” Kristin said indifferently.

”Haha, thanks for your auspicious words.”

...

Kohara Masaki did not return to Japan but went to the North Ryukyu Islands and reported to the Okinawa Prefecture government about the East Africa occupation of the South Ryukyu Islands, embellishing East Africa’s humiliation towards the ”Great” Empire of Japan.

Soon, this intelligence was passed back to Japan, causing the Japanese government to be furious; the leaders were enraged, and the military fumed with indignation, demanding to use force to expel East Africa. Some opposed this, expressing that Japan should not offend Western countries, and should endure for a while, and retaliate later.

The two parties were deadlocked, eventually deciding to use the old method, first protesting to the East Africa government, meanwhile, the Navy to blockade the South Ryukyu Islands, under the premise of avoiding severe casualties, to force East Africa to comply and voluntarily withdraw from the South Ryukyu Islands.

As for declaring war with East Africa or causing severe casualties, these are things Japan doesn’t dare do presently, because Japan’s strength is genuinely lacking now, it can’t even gather enough steel to build warships, how can it compete with East Africa, a top ten naval power.

As for the possibility of defeating the strong while being weak, it’s too small a possibility; the current Japanese Navy is barely scraped together, they don’t dare to gamble.

However, the Navy’s weak strength can use civilian ships to cause trouble; Japan’s civilian shipbuilding industry is quite prosperous, with various boats, though quality can’t be guaranteed, the quantity is sufficiently abundant, even ants can bite to death an elephant. Certainly, Japan’s goal was to interfere with East Africa’s rule over the South Ryukyu Islands and add colonial costs, as truly aiming to destroy East Africa’s navy is an illusion.