Chapter 143
Chapter 143
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 143
Chapter Title: Cornered
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[This morning, the South Korean government announced a complete halt to semiconductor supplies to Japan.]
“Minister!”
The next day, news of South Korea's semiconductor export ban threw the Japanese cabinet into chaos.
They had anticipated some form of retaliation, but they hadn't expected an all-out confrontation like this.
The phones had been ringing off the hook since morning, and with the Prime Minister demanding immediate countermeasures, Abe had been overwhelmed all day.
“Can't our semiconductor industry cover this?”
Feeling anxious, Abe pressed his officials repeatedly.
But the answers he received were always negative.
“The 45-nanometer process is irreplaceable. The reality for semiconductor companies worldwide is that they're struggling just to develop a 65-nanometer process.”
“What's the United States saying?”
“The U.S. is naturally expressing concern. A halt in our production could cause a chain reaction of damage in various sectors. But the South Korean government isn't budging.”
The situation was incomprehensible.
What gave South Korea the nerve to ignore the United States?
Then, amid the chaos, more bad news arrived.
“It seems the problem is about to get worse.”
“Why?”
“Unfortunately, due to the earthquake two days ago, several semiconductor plants have shut down. We can't guarantee a supply of even 90-nanometer based memory semiconductors for the next three months.”
“…”
It was one problem after another.
An earthquake strong enough to halt factory operations, at a time like this.
Once a semiconductor plant stops, it takes at least several months to restart.
It felt as if they had been forsaken by the heavens.
“What about shifting our supply source to Taiwan?”
“It's possible, but the hit will still be significant. The global electronics industry is currently releasing products based on the low-power 45-nanometer process. Our 90-nanometer based products will have no competitive edge.”
“Damn it.”
Under these circumstances, the damage would inevitably grow.
Low power consumption and low heat generation in semiconductors had become key marketing points for most companies.
Insisting that the performance difference wasn't that significant would be useless.
Besides, public opinion was unforgiving these days.
Consumers were sensitive to even subtle differences in performance, unlike in the past.
“Um, and… there's something else you need to know.”
“What is it now?”
Abe snapped, irritated by the continuous stream of bad news.
“According to an additional statement just released by South Korea, they will also completely ban the export of all-solid-state batteries, soon to be produced by Jaewoo Group, to Japan.”
“…”
“If that happens, our industry will completely lose its competitiveness.”
He no longer had the energy to even complain.
Just as he was about to clutch his throbbing head, another official burst into the office.
“A call came from Fanuc. They said if they can't get semiconductors from Korea, their equipment exports to other countries will also be threatened.”
“What are you talking about?”
Abe shouted.
The official flinched for a moment before hesitantly continuing.
“The controllers that manage the machinery, sir. They're essentially a collection of semiconductors. If they can't get a supply, production could come to a halt…”
“Hah…”
Abe's legs gave way, and he collapsed into his chair.
Why hadn't he thought of that?
That the modern industrial world was a structure where no one could go it alone.
No, it wasn't that he hadn't thought of it.
He just hadn't expected them to take such an extreme measure.
Frankly, this was a 'you die, I die' situation. His mistake was thinking the unstable South Korean government wouldn't choose such a path.
“And we can't very well go back and stir up the U.S. after we specifically asked them to stay silent on this matter.”
“Sir?”
The official reacted instantly to Abe's muttering.
Snapping back to his senses, Abe turned to the official before him.
“By the way, what's the mood in South Korean politics? No, who's the real power in the current opposition party?”
“That would be Representative Lee Joo-hwan, a figure who has been rising rapidly.”
“Lee Joo-hwan? Has Representative Lee Pil-yong been pushed out already?”
“Yes, Representative Lee Pil-yong's influence has been waning lately, while this Lee Joo-hwan is surging. The problem is, his father was once an independence activist, which makes it very awkward to establish a connection.”
It was disconcerting news for him.
He rattled off the names of pro-Japanese figures within the opposition party just in case, but the response was consistently negative.
“Representatives like Kim Jo-hwan and others who had received support from the Sasaki Foundation are all being pushed out of their party positions.”
“But why?”
“It's all because of Representative Lee Joo-hwan. His argument that the opposition party must have a firm identity to regain power seems to have garnered a lot of support.”
Abe scoffed at the words.
It was his firm belief that there was no politician who disliked money.
He wondered how long that would last.
In the end, he called his supporters, figures from the far-right.
-We were just in the process of pressuring Representative Lee Pil-yong ourselves. In a situation like this, the best approach is to shake up government policy through political channels and the media. The problem is, Representative Lee Pil-yong's influence isn't what it used to be.
Still, we have to hold out some hope.
That was somewhat reassuring.
If the Sasaki Foundation was making a move, the actions of the South Korean politicians and media under its influence would soon shake up their society.
Now, time would tell.
“Let's watch how things develop for a while.”
“…”
The official's face soured at those words.
With the industry crying out in protest from all corners, was this really a situation that could be solved by ‘watching’?
But he was speaking to the man designated as the next Prime Minister.
In the end, all he could do was bow his head and back away.
*****
[Within South Korea's opposition party, some are voicing the opinion that the government's recent measures are a step toward self-destruction.]
A fortnight later, Abe finally heard the news he'd been waiting for.
A faction of the South Korean opposition party and the media had begun to move, swayed by the logic of money.
Thanks to them, South Korean public opinion began to fracture, and the worsening public sentiment toward Abe in Japan started to turn positive again.
“Hoo… I can finally breathe a little.”
[Representative Lee Joo-hwan, one of the key figures in South Korea's current opposition, released a statement this morning. He stated that the views of his fellow party member, Representative Lee Pil-yong, are entirely personal and that the opposition party fully supports the government's policy toward Japan. Representative Lee's statement is receiving support from all sectors of society, plunging the economic sanctions between Japan and South Korea into an impenetrable fog.]
But a few days later, another problem arose.
Once again, the turmoil in South Korean politics was quashed by the presence of Lee Joo-hwan.
A panicked Abe immediately had the Cabinet Intelligence and Research Office assess the situation, only to receive even more baffling news.
“Yesterday, Chairman Jin Hyun-seung of Jaewoo Group had dinner with Representative Lee Joo-hwan. We don't know what was discussed, but it's certain that their meeting contributed to shifting the mood in the opposition party.”
“Jin Hyun-seung again!”
*CRASH!*
Abe slammed his fist on the desk in a fit of rage.
Just then, the phone rang.
It was undoubtedly an outcry from business leaders demanding a solution.
“Yes…”
His prediction was correct.
It was equipment manufacturers like Fanuc, as well as Sony and Toshiba. Even Mitsubishi, which had once encouraged him.
Now that the knife was at their own throats, they had changed their tune and were aiming all their arrows at Abe.
“Damn it all!”
******
[Today marks two months since South Korea halted its export of materials and semiconductors. With inventories completely depleted, industries are successively cutting production, and the resulting financial losses are reported to be astronomical.]
[The business community has once again urged the cabinet to reconsider its measures. News reports suggest that if this situation continues for another two months, a wave of companies will go bankrupt….]
As time went on, public opinion against the Liberal Democratic Party worsened.
Even the far-right groups that had initially insisted an ungrateful country like South Korea must be punished had lost their vigor.
The streets, once filled with anti-Korean sentiment, now echoed with voices decrying the cabinet's missteps.
“Abe, stop the export restrictions now!”
Abe was shocked by the public's resistance to his policies, something rarely seen on the streets.
“Damn it!”
It was understandable, as one of the defining characteristics of the Japanese people was their compliance.
Or, more accurately, their lack of interest in politics. But that now seemed to be a relic of the past.
*Bzzz!*
As he was watching the ongoing protests outside his window, his cell phone rang.
A quick glance showed it was the Prime Minister.
As if the Prime Minister were standing right in front of him, he unconsciously shot up from his seat and answered the call.
“Yes, Prime Minister.”
-Have you seen the news?
“If you're talking about the protests…”
-Not that, the statement from our business community. The chairman of the Keidanren is giving a statement on Yomiuri TV right now.
Startled, Abe immediately turned on the TV.
The voice of the Keidanren representative filled the room.
He was lamenting the devastating future facing the economy and strongly demanding a solution from the government.
[What little semiconductor inventory we had is now completely gone. If this continues for just one more month, over a thousand companies will go bankrupt.]
-This has become an awkward situation. We asked the U.S. to remain silent about our measures just two months ago, and now reversing that is… What's more baffling is that the U.S. has started digging up old issues.
“Old issues?”
-That time our far-right groups secretly provided aid to North Korea.
“Wasn't that issue smoothed over with a massive arms purchase at the time?”
-Somehow, South Korea found out and is pushing the issue hard. So the U.S. has no choice. But the strange thing is America's reaction.
“What do you…”
-The U.S. Secretary of State subtly asked me if our government was truly not involved in that incident.
Abe fell silent at his words.
He thought he heard a clicking of the tongue from the other end, followed by a remark filled with disappointment.
“Anyway, what are you going to do now?”
“…”
The Prime Minister's words felt like he was cutting his losses.
This was the reality of Japanese politics.
Sensing the end, Abe immediately offered his resignation, but the Prime Minister's tone remained harsh.
-This isn't a problem that will be solved by you alone resigning.
“Then what on earth am I supposed to…”
-First, contact the U.S. State Department. Tell them we're willing to call this whole thing off and ask for their mediation.
“But we've already lobbied them heavily not to get involved. If we suddenly change our stance, what will they think of us?”
-Is pride the issue right now? The entire administration is on the verge of collapse.
“…”
-Frankly, the U.S. is probably hoping for this. It's a headache for them, too, when two of their key allies are at each other's throats.
“But if South Korea continues to press the issue of our right-wing groups' aid to North Korea, mediation won't be easy, even for the U.S.”
That part was a burden for Abe.
After all, he had used South Korea's alleged illegal aid to North Korea as the pretext for this whole affair. Now, the tables had turned.
But the Prime Minister's stance was firm.
-That's just South Korea's claim. It'll depend on how the U.S. decides to handle it. Especially if we show some sincerity.
“Show sincerity?”
-Tsk!
For a moment, he heard the Prime Minister click his tongue over the receiver.
As if he was displeased with the entire situation.
After another long sigh, the Prime Minister continued.
-I've proposed a large-scale purchase of F-15s to the Americans.
“…Appease them with another arms deal?”
-Is there another way?
“Well… but will it work?”
-The old North Korea aid issue was, on the surface, unrelated to our government anyway. So, the U.S. said they would emphasize that point to placate South Korea and end the matter by simply sanctioning our far-right businesses.
That was a relief, at least.
After all, the U.S. wouldn't want to see Japan, its key ally in Asia, cornered completely.
It was a pity for the far-right groups that would be sacrificed, but it was unavoidable in this situation.
“By the way, if we're going to buy fighter jets anyway, wouldn't the F-22 be better?”
Abe voiced a thought that suddenly occurred to him.
Was he imagining it, or did he hear another click of the tongue from the other end of the line?
-Would the U.S. sell us the F-22?
“…”
-It seems they only agreed to the F-15 purchase because Boeing is in such a difficult position right now. We don't have a choice.
He understood, but he didn't like it.
Frankly, he was tired of simply increasing defense capabilities by numbers alone.
Of course, Boeing was planning to upgrade the F-15, but it was unclear to what extent. And it was a fact that it still wouldn't surpass the KFX developed by South Korea.
“Understood. I'll contact the U.S. State Department shortly.”
But as always, he had no choice but to accept.
That was the politics of this country, the custom.
The one silver lining was that he hadn't been forced to resign, but he wondered what the point of just keeping his position was in a situation like this.
-Keep this in mind. The U.S. must never find out that our government was involved in the old North Korea aid incident. It must be concluded as something carried out solely by our right-wing groups.
“Of course, but if the U.S. was already sounding out the Prime Minister like that, don't you think they already have a good idea?”
-There's a world of difference between suspecting something and it being proven as fact.
“…”
Abe swallowed dryly.
It seemed that wasn't the Prime Minister's only piece of advice, as he spoke again.
-And our goal now is to end this situation, no matter what. If this continues, we'll be the first to die. Don't even think about trying to push your own agenda by demanding they lift the semiconductor ban while keeping our sanctions in place.
Abe flinched.
He had, in fact, wondered if such a demand might be possible, considering the vast amount of money they were spending.
“Yes…”
With that short reply, he ended the call.
This was a complete defeat.
Setting everything else aside, he was terrified for the future of a country that could no longer speak loudly to South Korea.