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Volume 3 Far East Story Chapter 253 Imperial Meeting

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    After Ito Hirobumi, a master figure in politics, the only big boss in Japan's political and military circles is Yamagata Aritomo, who is known as the father of the Japanese army. Former Prime Minister Katsura Taro and current Prime Minister Masaki Terauchi are both disciples of Yamagata Aritomo.

    Peace talks with China are the general trend. Yamagata Aritomo is the only big boss who controls the political situation in Japan. During the Meiji period, because the emperor was relatively strong and appointed himself the Commander-in-Chief of the Japanese Army, and there was an outstanding figure like Ito Hirobumi who controlled the political world, so Yamagata Aritomo kept a relatively low profile.

    Ito Hirobumi is like Zhuge Liang in Japanese politics. He is extremely capable, but he is exhausted all by himself. However, Yamagata Yuto is a bit like Sun Quan. He is not very capable, but his ability to employ people and promote and train his direct descendants is important. Unlike Ito  Bowen is so aloof and looks down on almost everyone.

    After Emperor Taisho took over, Japanese politics was almost dominated by the Yamagata faction of Yamagata Aritomo. This time when China proposed to resolve the territorial issue between China and Japan, the 80-year-old Yamagata Aritomo was behind the scenes.  Someone who really makes the decision.

    ??This guy originally set two lines for Japan's foreign policy, one is called the line of sovereignty, and the other is called the line of interests. The so-called sovereignty line refers to the national border line that Japan must guard, and it is also Japan's lifeline.

    The line of interest is closely related to the line of sovereignty. If the line of interest is violated by a foreign country, the line of sovereignty will also be in danger.  For example, Western Siberia and North Korea are both considered to be such lines of interest at the moment.

    As for Taiwan, it originally belongs to this line of interests. However, for the sake of Taiwan, which is originally China's 36,000 square kilometers, it turns against China and loses 1.6 million square kilometers of territory in Western Siberia. Shanxian Youpeng will never do this!

    As for the Japanese financial and industrial circles, China is their largest order customer and market at the moment. These guys who have breasts are mothers will not support the government's demand for war with China, not to mention the people standing behind China at the moment.  It's the United States. The strength of the United States is definitely not something that Japan can challenge now!

    After the Terauchi Cabinet passed the motion to resolve the territorial issue through peace talks with China, the heads of the Privy Council, the House of Lords, the House of Representatives, Prime Minister Terauchi, the Minister of Army and Navy, and the Chief of Staff attended the imperial meeting of Emperor Taisho.

    "My lords, is China so powerful now? Do you want to surrender without fighting?" Emperor Taisho is 39 years old, born on August 31, 1879. His real name is Yoshihito, and he is the 123rd emperor of Japan.

    He was the only son of Emperor Meiji who lived to adulthood. After Meiji died of diabetes in 1912, Yoshihito succeeded to the throne as the crown prince and changed the Yuan Dynasty to Taisho based on the line of the Book of Changes: "The tycoon uses righteousness, and the way of heaven is the way."

    After becoming an adult, she married Kujo Setsuko (Empress Zhenmei) as the Crown Princess.  He has four sons.  That is, Emperor Showa Hirohito, Prince Yoshihito of Chichibu Palace, Prince Nobuhito of Takamatsu Palace, and Prince Takahito of Mikasa Palace.

    "Your Majesty, it will take some time for China's national strength to catch up with Japan. However, in the past year, with the assistance of the United States and Japan, at least in the north, the strength of the Chinese cannot be underestimated!" Masaki Terauchi answered respectfully.

    "Don't the majestic Imperial Army and Navy have the courage to fight?" Emperor Taisho, who was sitting upright, couldn't help but frown. Damn, what a glorious and powerful country Japan was when Emperor Meiji was in power. He just took over the throne.  How many years did it take for China, which had just emerged from the ashes of the Manchu Qing Dynasty, to become so powerful?  Forget about the awkwardness in the Emperor's heart when he sends back the territory he seized to the Chinese in his own hands!

    "Your Majesty! The Imperial Army is always ready to sacrifice for the country! Defend the interests of the Empire to the death!" The new Minister of War, Yusaku Uehara, expressed his chest.

    "Your Majesty! The Imperial Navy is still the dominant force in Asia. We have the confidence to blockade any Asian port or escort the army to land!" Navy Minister Kato Yusaburo raised his chest not to be outdone. He must make a statement. Everyone knows that the cabinet's decision is  The result came out after behind-the-scenes consultations between Yamagata Yutomo's Yamagata faction, the Rikensei Friendship Association, the Rikensei Comrades Association, and the major chaebols, and it was just a formality at the Imperial Council.

    In fact, both the Minister of War and the Minister of the Navy of Japan have the power to directly submit memorials to the Emperor, and candidates must be recommended by the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Navy, and those who serve must be active generals or lieutenant generals. This is what Yamagata Aritomo did back then.  established tradition.

    Just like in the morning, Army Minister Kenichi Oshima resigned. If the War Ministry refuses to recommend a new candidate for the Army Minister, then the cabinet will collapse and the total resignation will happen. However, Masaki Terauchi is a cadre of the Yamagata faction, and the War Ministry has to rely on the big boss Yamagata Aritomo.  Acting with a face, so Lieutenant General Oshima Kenichi could only become a victim used by the Army Ministry to express its attitude.

    ??It is natural if the House of Representatives proposes to dissolve the cabinet, but who is willing to play such a thankless role at this time? If we really want to go to war with China, we will not only be scolded by the Japanese industrial, commercial and financial circles, but alsoEven the Western Siberian Expeditionary Forces might starve to death in Siberia because of the hostility between China and Japan.

    In front of China's wolf-like 600,000-strong armed force participating in the war, the Imperial Army lowered its proud head for the first time, especially since the 12th Division had landed in Vladivostok to fight against the Soviet Union's one-brigade force.  The division suffered more than one-third casualties. The Chinese captured a series of fortresses and cities such as Shuangchengzi, Khabarovsk, Hailanpao, Nerchinsk, Chita, Ulan-Ude and Irkutsk, and suffered casualties.  The total number of people was only half of the Japanese army in the Battle of Vladivostok.

    "Your Majesty! Compared with the South Manchuria Railway, Guandong Prefecture, Jiaozhou Bay, Qingdao and Taiwan, the Western Siberian Plain is more important to the future of the empire. You can't have your cake and eat it too, and in those places in China, as long as China continues to be strong, we  It¡¯s very difficult to defend, and the empire¡¯s foreign policy has reached a turning point in history!¡±

    Since Masaki Terauchi is the spokesperson of the Yamagata faction and the prime minister of this current cabinet, he can only be the good and bad guy at the moment. Several speakers of the House of Peers, the House of Representatives, and the Privy Council looked grim, but no one spoke.  It takes a lot of courage to jump out and be a hero at this moment!

    ¡°Prime Minister, let¡¯s talk about the results of the previous secret consultations between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and China!¡±

    Emperor Taisho sighed softly. The army and navy were cowed, and without the support of the plutocrats, everyone knew that it would be impossible for Japan to risk the world and challenge China alone and the United States, Britain and France behind it.  Of course, compared to his father, who has focused his attention on the Manchu and Mongolian Korea all his life, his gains over the past few decades are not as good as the 1.6 million square kilometers he opened in Western Siberia in two months!  To put it this way, it¡¯s not embarrassing for me!

    "Your Majesty is wise. According to analysis by Chen and others, Wang Geng, the Supervisor of China's Participation in the War, is quite trustworthy. When the two sides originally agreed to join hands in marching into Siberia and the Far East at the beginning of the year, he promised that the territorial issues between China and Japan could be resolved in a package after the end of the European War.  Moreover, during the entire empire¡¯s march into Western Siberia, China facilitated and ensured logistical railway transportation!¡±

    Former Foreign Minister Hirano Ichiro resigned due to illness. At this moment, Goto Shinpei, who had just been transferred from the Interior Minister to the Foreign Minister, has a black eye in foreign affairs. The result has to be explained by Prime Minister Masaki Terauchi himself.

    "Well, I've heard of this man too. At least his penicillin has made a considerable contribution to the world. Hirano-kun was able to fight off pneumonia because of the penicillin produced in China. Speaking of which, why is Japan authorized to produce it?  The purity and production of penicillin are not as good as those produced in the United States and China?¡±

    Emperor Taisho once rolled up an imperial edict as a telescope at an imperial meeting. Sometimes his thoughts seemed to jump around a lot. It could also be said that his thoughts were not focused, and he didn't understand and thought there was something wrong with the emperor's brain.

    "Your Majesty, I will explain this issue later. However, the export price of penicillin exported by China is lower than that of our own production. Even the Western Siberian Expeditionary Army has designated to use penicillin produced in China. This issue will not affect domestic production in the short term.  The level of medical security! Can Rong Chen finish talking about the Sino-Japanese territorial peace talks first?¡±

    Masaki Terauchi wiped his sweat. These days, the wages of workers in Japanese pharmaceutical companies are not more expensive than those in China. The problem is that after the formula and production process of penicillin were made public, the production of penicillin has gradually evolved into a public benefit. This has led to domestic  Those profit-seeking pharmaceutical companies are unwilling to make great efforts to produce penicillin. First, it is sold all over the world. Second, China sells it with high quality and low price. If it is imported directly from China, why not Japan?

    Don¡¯t talk about penicillin, it¡¯s oil. Japan has become China¡¯s largest oil exporter. In the first three months of 1918, Japan imported an average of at least 20,000 tons of crude oil from China every month, which was lower than the purchase price and transportation cost from Singapore.  At least 30% cheaper!  Moreover, the quality of crude oil produced by China¡¯s Renqiu Oilfield is very good!

    "Well, Prime Minister, you can continue. Japan has paid such unprecedented prices and concessions. I want to see what conditions the Chinese can give!" Emperor Taisho's attention returned from penicillin to the Sino-Japanese territorial dispute.
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