The "Master Plan" of Japan
“We’re not participating in the ’88 Olympics?”
The Prime Minister’s rhetorical question was immediately met with enthusiastic agreement from the other ministers.
“Ah, that is a brilliant idea!” the Foreign Minister began.
“It’s a fantastic plan. If we, Japan, do not participate in the ’88 Seoul Olympics, many other countries will surely follow our lead and boycott as well!” the Justice Minister chimed in.
“Precisely. After all, we Japanese are a people beloved by the entire world!” the Finance Minister shouted.
It was a statement that reeked of pure narcissism, but the Japanese people at the time—and even well into the 2010s—genuinely believed that they were a race cherished globally. It wasn’t without reason that Japanese people who traveled abroad often suffered mental breakdowns. They would go overseas, introduce themselves as Japanese, and expect foreigners to fawn over them, saying, “Wow! You’re Japanese?!” But in reality, who would ever react like that? Many more Japanese than one might think were left in deep shock by the lukewarm, indifferent reactions they received from foreigners.
However, those who returned to Japan could never speak of these experiences. If they did, they would be bullied by those around them.
It sounds like a lie, but Japan is truly a country where such things happen. And so, all fourteen ministers shouted in unison that they must not participate in the ’88 Seoul Olympics.
And the Prime Minister? “Very well. Let us decide that Japan will not participate in the ’88 Seoul Olympics!”
Thus, Japan’s “master strategy”—which would be considered a total comedy if viewed by South Korean politicians—was finalized.
“How is a university student’s vacation?” at YS’s question, Yoon-gi nodded.
“Well, I’ve never really experienced a proper vacation to begin with.”
In truth, Yoon-gi didn’t have any grand feelings about “vacation.” In his past life as a laborer, a break was just a period where he either starved or got beaten, and in his current life, a vacation was no different from any other day. So, even as a university student, he felt nothing special.
“I suppose that’s true, given how busy you are. Let me change the question then. How is university life?”
“It’s not bad, though I’ve barely been able to attend classes lately. I did take the exams, though.”
Yoon-gi didn’t obsess over attendance. It didn’t matter if he got the lowest grades, and if a subject gave him an F for missing classes, he didn’t care. After all, he could just stop going to university if he wanted. To Yoon-gi, a Seoul National University degree was something he could take or leave; four months after enrollment, he had no lingering attachment to campus life.
“That’s a statement that would make students across the country faint. Still, university has long since become a gateway for employment, so there’s no real need to be attached to the life itself.”
Some call university a “place to broaden one’s academic horizons.” But saying that basically implied one’s family was well-off. How could one study without working unless they had money?
“You are very realistic, Prime Minister.”
“Indeed. If there’s a dream that isn’t realistic, you just have to make it a reality. Just like how we smashed the Government-General of Korea.”
“That’s why I like you, Prime Minister.”
“Haha, I like you too. You’re actually achieving the things I only vaguely thought about.”
YS lifted his teacup in a gesture of a toast, and Yoon-gi followed suit, clinking his cup against YS’s.
‘Does life become enjoyable enough that you don’t need alcohol?’ He used to be someone who drank constantly, but in this life, he hadn’t touched a drop. He hadn’t even drank during his university days.
“If you were a drinker, we’d be toasting with beer or soju instead of tea.”
“You don’t necessarily need alcohol to have fun, do you?”
“It’s just fascinating that you haven’t even drank during your university life.”
“I actually find something else more fascinating.”
“What is it?”
“The fact that kids who were playing leapfrog until their senior year of high school suddenly can’t get close to each other the moment they become freshmen unless they’re drinking.”
“Ho-ho, now that you mention it, that’s true! I don’t know why people stop playing ttakji-chigi or marbles when they grow up. Hahaha!”
YS, who had been saying this, looked at N. “How about it, Mr. President? Would you like to play a round of ttakji-chigi with me?”
“No, at this age, how could I…”
YS and Yoon-gi were chatting away, eating tea and snacks next to N, who was deeply immersed in work. This scene had become quite common in the Blue House lately. Of course, only N, YS, and Yoon-gi could witness it.
“Shall I teach you how to play ttakji-chigi in a way that’s thrilling regardless of age?” At Yoon-gi’s words, both N and YS looked at him with curiosity.
“How?”
“Yeah, how?”
“It’s simple.” Yoon-gi pulled two 10,000-won bills from his wallet and folded them into ttakji. He then waved them toward N and YS. “How about this? Doesn’t this seem like it would make for a very thrilling game?”
For a moment, the eyes of N and YS met in the air. A moment later, without anyone needing to say a word, N and YS pulled out their wallets and began folding their own ttakji out of two 10,000-won bills.
“How do you fold it?” At N’s question, Yoon-gi began folding his, and YS followed suit, watching him.
“Now, then…”
“Yes.”
N and YS stood up and took a strange stance.
[[Rock! Paper!]]
Just as they were shouting “Scissors!” the office door burst open.
“Mr. President, we have a crisis!”
It was the exact moment right before they were about to throw their hands. N and YS were frozen with their right arms raised high. That was the exact situation when the Chief of Staff burst in.
‘Thank goodness for that.’ If he had walked in while they were slamming their ttakji down, it would have been a truly pathetic sight.
“Oh, ahem! We were just stretching.”
“That’s right.”
The Chief of Staff, seemingly satisfied with their explanation, shouted urgently, “Japan has sent word that they will not participate in the Olympics!”
After the Chief of Staff left, YS said, looking dumbfounded, “Wait, they’re not participating in the Olympics? Aren’t these bastards just making it way too obvious that they’re pouting?”
Regrettably, the ttakji that N and YS had folded were neatly unfolded and returned to their wallets.
‘What a waste. I could have been the only person to see N and YS playing ttakji.’ Yoon-gi wasn’t particularly flustered by Japan’s refusal to participate.
“It seems this is because we didn’t send Himura back to Japan. If Japan doesn’t participate in the Olympics, the blow will be quite significant…” N said, and Yoon-gi intentionally put on a puzzled expression.
“Why would Japan not participating be a significant blow?”
“Hm?” N asked back, as if he didn’t understand.
“I mean, Japan isn’t participating, so I don’t understand why you think it’s a ‘significant blow.’”
“Well, obviously… hm?” N, who had been about to say something, stopped mid-sentence.
“It’s just one less participating country. Isn’t there absolutely nothing that could be called a ‘significant blow’? At most, the number of Japanese tourists might decrease slightly.”
“Now that I think about it…”
There really wasn’t anything that could be called a “blow.” If one had to express it, it was just that Japan was boycotting an Olympics that aimed for “world harmony,” but for that to cause meaningful damage, other countries would have to follow suit in a chain reaction.
“There isn’t a single country in the world that will follow Japan and boycott. So, you don’t need to worry about it. And the number of Japanese tourists won’t really decrease, either.”
“Hm?”
“A world-class festival is being held in the country right next door—do you think they won’t come? Even if their own athletes aren’t participating, the people who want to watch will come regardless. In the first place, Olympic ticket competition is fierce, so there are plenty of people who book tickets even if their own country’s athletes aren’t competing.”
“That’s certainly true…” N felt a bit embarrassed, realizing he had been worrying for nothing.
“Wow, I had some concerns too, but hearing you say that, there’s nothing to worry about. Mr. President, just send them a reply telling them to do whatever they want. Do they think we’ll be scared just because they aren’t coming?”
At YS’s suggestion, N nodded. “Let’s do that. If it’s an Olympics without Japan, the public might actually like it better.”
Once the agreement was reached, YS suddenly clicked his tongue. “Tsk tsk, it’s the Japanese athletes who are the pitiful ones. There must be athletes who have worked themselves to the bone for four years just for this Olympics, and now they’re losing those four years entirely because of the politicians.”
“That’s not something we need to worry about.” As Yoon-gi shrugged, YS grinned.
“I suppose that’s true, isn’t it?”
N, YS, and Yoon-gi. If there was one thing the three of them had in common, it was that they put the interests of the Korean people above all else.
It didn’t take long for the South Korean government’s reply—essentially telling them to “do as you please”—to reach Japan. The Prime Minister and his ministers were once again filled with indignation.
“Are these Joseon-jins not being way too arrogant? We said we wouldn’t participate, and they just told us to do as we please!”
At the Justice Minister’s words, the Finance Minister nodded as well. “Indeed. We said we wouldn’t participate, and they didn’t even try to persuade us. This is nothing short of an act of ignoring us.”
In fact, the Prime Minister and the ministers had been harboring a single expectation.
“We were wrong! Please, we beg you to participate!”
They had expected the Korean government to beg them like this. They had hoped for, “We’ll cancel the verdict on Himura and send him back to Japan. So please, we beg you to participate!”
But such a dream-like scenario did not happen. All that returned was a reply saying, “Do whatever you want.” The Prime Minister and the ministers were utterly dumbfounded.
“Ah! There is one thing we forgot.” At the Prime Minister’s words, everyone looked at him.
“We haven’t announced it to the world yet, have we? Come, let’s announce it quickly. Don’t we want to see Korea in a state of panic?”
“Ah, that’s right!” The Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare nodded.
A short while later, Japan’s declaration of a boycott of the Olympics was made known to the world. But that was it. While newspapers in each country reported the fact of Japan’s non-participation, it never made it to the front page. It was just a feeling of, “Oh, this happened.” Naturally, there was no particular response from the Korean government, either.
“Chiksho! Since it’s come to this, we must interfere with this Olympics by any means necessary!” At the Prime Minister’s words, the ministers asked in unison, “Indeed! Do you happen to have a master plan?”
“First, let’s inform the entire world that Korea is a country made extremely unstable by the threat of war!”