Despite many uncertainties, the economy in Japan maintained strong momentum. This situation seemed quite strange; a country so heavily reliant on foreign energy managed to thrive on its own, which was indeed hard to believe.
"Sir, how should we reduce our holdings in Japan?"
"Filson, to be honest, I think this false prosperity will continue for a while. However, since the think tank believes there is a risk of it spiraling out of control, we must reduce our position. Let's start with the securities that have surged too much." William White felt conflicted; Japan's stock and real estate markets had at least two more years of growth ahead, making it feel a bit premature to act now.
However, despite William's greed, he understood the need to take profits while he could. His capital was substantial. If he waited until 1990 to sell, he might not be able to pull it off in time and could end up with a bad reputation.
"Sir, cashing out in real estate is relatively more difficult. For some larger projects, it might take over a year to execute." After hearing this, William was stunned; he hadn't expected it would take that long.
"Sure, we can cash out for properties in less favorable locations. Ugh, managing all this money can be a headache. Let's first head to London and see how gold prices are. We might want to buy some physical gold."
America was a country that taxed globally; there was no way to escape that, short of just hiding out overseas.
Of course, there were many legal ways to mitigate taxes, yet the high tax rates still caused William a lot of stress.
You could offend any department in America, but never, ever provoke the IRS. They would go to war to collect taxes.
Having made the decision to take profits, William no longer hesitated. One needed to have a sense of reverence; moderate greed is acceptable, but if greed were insatiable, trouble would follow.
William had no idea how much he would be slicing off from Japan, but a rough estimate suggested at least two billion dollars.
Combining exchange rates with assets resulted in terrifying yields. Whenever he thought of this, it was hard for William to contain his excitement.
People from Japan were utterly charming; the exchange rate was 2.5 times, and those stocks and properties were doubling over and over again.
Wow, absolutely charming! If he factored in his secret accounts at the Swiss bank, he would chuckle -- he was really putting the Far East in a tight spot.
Well, tonight he would celebrate with Akina Nakamori, the lovely singer. As for the reason? He was simply in a good mood.
...
"Are you heading back tomorrow? I'm feeling a bit reluctant to leave."
"I will come to see you during summer break. It's just a bit far. Otherwise, I would head to Lanai Island -- too many paparazzi around here."
"Great, it's a deal! I'll wait for you on Lanai Island. Let's create another wonderful memory, okay?"
"What more do you want? You're already pushing it. You are so bad!"
Genghis Khan had a famous saying: rob your enemy of their treasures and sleep with their women.
Alright, though it's a dream for many, it must be said that Genghis Khan's skills were remarkable, but his methods were too crude, resulting in him being bitten hard.
William White, though not as powerful, had no intention of employing such barbaric tactics. You see, taking a gentle slice by slice, making sure the person being skinned is still smiling -- now that's the civilized world's way of pillaging.
...
After sending off a Japanese national treasure, William still felt a bit unsatisfied. He smacked his lips, savoring the moment.
"You really are a scoundrel."
"Nastassja, why do you say that? She was the one clinging too tightly; I just didn't want to hurt her."
His shamelessness had reached new heights, leaving Nastassja speechless. Even knowing it was a risky endeavor, why did those women still leap in so unwaveringly?
If it were solely for profit, their efforts had been richly rewarded. Now, reflecting on others, she felt a bit lost herself.
"What are you thinking? Nastassja, don't you think that some bad boys are more authentic and appealing? Let me tell you, those so-called gentlemen are the real scoundrels."
Though aware he was rationalizing, Nastassja had to admit William's points were valid. If this man hadn't existed beside her, she would have had to pay a higher price.
"Sigh, another pitiful girl."
"Pfft, cough, don't say nonsense. She's an adult, and Asians are different from Westerners."
"Hmph, I don't care! I'm thinking what I'm thinking right now!"
...
The U.S. aimed to take a strong lead in setting GSM standards, naturally causing a heavy backlash from their European allies. However, no one knew just how big the industry could become. Although loud, they would certainly not rip apart relations.
After the Bell Labs scandal, Europe realized their plans were sinking. In truth, they should never have pried into information here. They didn't gain anything beneficial and only attracted a heap of trouble.
Of course, the Americans couldn't admit to the accusations; they needed to maintain a facade of harmony. After all, the next-door bear was frightening, and this fellow was clearly wounded -- that was what they feared most.
To ease tensions, the U.S. was a major player. If they persisted, the wounded bear couldn't reach the U.S. but could crush nearby players into dust.
With no choice left, negotiations had to happen.
The American rhetoric was loud, claiming a unified format would help cut costs, reduce waste, and relieve the pressures of the energy crisis.
Well, no one bought this nonsense. All this chatter was just about grabbing interests. It was too presumptuous; they didn't even invent the phone -- everyone should just sit down and have a discussion.
Europe always had a dream of revival. They were aware of America's Star Wars plan, which was heavy on technology, regardless of its truth.
The absence of communication and semiconductor industries left Europe unsettled. They hadn't expected that just as they began to see a flicker of hope, the Americans would show up looking for trouble, and this time they couldn't easily compromise.
*****
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