The Imperial Army of the island nation was undoubtedly determined to proceed with their plan. They harbored no fear of the German forces, or rather, they were so confident in their military capabilities that they believed they could stand against the might of Germany. Eager to begin the conflict, they sought to annex the rich colonies into German territory.
"The Germans truly are arrogant! They are indeed powerful, having defeated both the British and the French. But if war breaks out between our empire and Germany, do we stand a chance of victory? The empire's current achievements have not come easily!" Inoue Kaoru expressed his concern.
"Inoue-dono, no matter how strong the Germans are, this is the Far East, our home ground. The Imperial Army will surely defeat them," Okamichi Shisuke countered confidently.
"Saionji, what is your opinion?" Yamamoto Chōshi asked as he turned to Saionji Kōmatsu.
"Yamamoto-dono, esteemed elders, the Germans' response has indeed taken me by surprise. However, do we truly have any other options? If we retreat now, we will be forced to return the colonies we have seized in the Pacific to Germany. Moreover, we would have to pay a staggering sum of one hundred million marks—equivalent to over fifty million yen! The current Imperial government cannot possibly raise such an amount. Furthermore, the citizens of our empire would never permit us to squander such a vast sum to compensate the Germans. Millions of our people are relying on us to expand the empire and improve their lives," Saionji Kōmatsu declared.
With limited territory and a large population, the islanders desperately desired the army to secure more land, to ensure greater living space. Should the military fail to fulfill this ambition, the consequences would be dire.
Yamamoto Chōshi nodded solemnly, as did the other elders and cabinet ministers.
"Initially, we thought the Germans would not reject us. But now, it seems they hold us in disdain. Even after we defeated the Qing and the Russians, to the Western powers, we are still regarded as a small nation, our words ignored, our requests dismissed. Therefore, we must strengthen our power further!" Saionji Kōmatsu continued.
"Our nation's territory is small, and our resources are scarce. With only our native resources, it is impossible to build a strong nation. Therefore, we must seize more land. Only then can we acquire the resources necessary for the empire's rise and to provide for our people. Now is undoubtedly a golden opportunity; if we miss it, such a chance may never come again," Saionji Kōmatsu emphasized.
"Indeed, what Saionji-dono says is true. This is a rare and fleeting opportunity for the empire. The old powers of Britain and France have been crushed. Though the Germans won the war, their losses were certainly significant. Furthermore, they are now planning an assault on British soil. With their remaining forces in Europe, their ability to send troops to confront the empire will be limited. Should we give our utmost effort, we can mobilize two million troops. While it is unrealistic to send them to Europe to defeat Germany, defeating the Germans who come from across the world to the Far East is entirely possible," Ōyama Iwao said.
"And what about the Imperial Navy? Do we have any hope of defeating the German fleet?" Matsukata Masayoshi inquired.
"Matsukata-dono, the Imperial Navy is currently not strong enough to confront the Germans. Even if the Germans send only a single fleet to the Far East, our navy would not be able to match them. The disparity in strength is too great for us to overcome!" Yatsuda Rokurō replied.
"If we manage to defeat the Germans, we will have the funds to develop our navy. We can then allocate a budget specifically for the construction of more capital ships!" Yamamoto Chōshi added.
"Yes, sir," Yatsuda Rokurō agreed.
With this statement, it was clear that Yamamoto Chōshi had made his decision—despite Germany's rejection, the attack on British colonies would proceed.
"Since the Germans have refused us, our target is no longer limited to just the British colonies. The French colonies in Indochina are now under German control, and we can attack them as well. They too are rich in resources," Saionji Kōmatsu continued.
"In doing so, we will completely alienate the Germans and make them our implacable enemies! If they decide to go all out against us, how can we withstand them?" Yamamoto Chōshi frowned.
"The Germans will not deploy their full strength against us. At least not in the short term. They will not be able to send many troops to the Far East, which gives us ample time to grow. If we can seize the colonies and plunder their wealth, our strength will grow exponentially. Then, we need not fear the Germans. Thus, this first battle with Germany is crucial. If we win, the empire will have a brilliant future. If we lose, however, the empire will have no future," Saionji Kōmatsu explained.
Yamamoto Chōshi nodded thoughtfully. "Indeed, the first German forces sent to the Far East will not be overwhelming. If the empire can win this battle, we will be on the path to full strength. When the Germans send more troops to the Far East, we will have grown stronger and may even defeat them. Though this is risky, the potential rewards are immense. Gentlemen, should we place one final wager?"
Undoubtedly, this was a gamble with the entire future of the island nation at stake. Islanders were naturally inclined to take risks, and having won twice in a row, they believed that their third bet would also succeed.
"I agree. Let us wager the fate of the nation!" Ōyama Iwao declared.
While Matsukata Masayoshi and Inoue Kaoru had their reservations, they too hoped for victory in this great gamble. If they succeeded, the island nation could save much time and leap forward to become one of the world's most powerful nations. Dominating the entire Far East would no longer be a mere dream.