British Ambition, Japanese Benevolence

What is a planned economy? It's a system where the government says, "We will do this, so execute it by XX year and XX day and generate Y profits."

What is a controlled economy? It's a system where the government says, "X is in short supply, so its use is limited to Y. Z wastes resources, so it's prohibited."

Since a planned economy also involves resource management and prohibiting actions that should not be done at a given time, a controlled economy can be seen as one step into the planned economy characteristic of communism.

- ほうこうおんち

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Japan is far from North America. While the Aleutian Islands and Alaska are relatively close from Paramushir, people inevitably think from Tokyo's perspective. From Tokyo to San Francisco, a Pacific port of the United States, it feels considerably distant because one has to cross the vast Pacific Ocean. On the other hand, North America is not so far from Britain. Of course, one needs to cross the Atlantic, but it is not as expansive as the Pacific. Moreover, the transatlantic shipping routes are well-traveled, making it familiar territory.

Britain possesses oil fields and actively extracts petroleum. This gives them a keen understanding of oil field locations and depths.

"The average depth of the North American Shelf is about 50 yards (45,7 meters), isn't it?"

The newly appointed Minister of Munitions Production, Lyttelton, seized on the information.

"If so, perhaps it's possible to drill for oil in the former Texas region—if any remains, that is."

Oil fields are typically reached by drilling hundreds to thousands of meters underground. Even if land masses submerged up to 50 meters below the sea surface had disappeared, the oil fields beneath them likely remained intact.

"Are there survey ships available?"

"They haven't reached that area yet."

Even Britain lacks the capacity to cross the Atlantic, traverse the vast sea left in place of North America, and investigate the waters where Texas once existed. Because of the unprecedented nature of the situation, Britain prioritized surveying areas from the East Coast to Eastern Canada. The Pacific side is Japan's responsibility. However, while Japan is likely aware that Texas held oil fields, they seem to presume that those resources vanished along with the land and appear not to be conducting detailed surveys of the region.

'This might be an opportunity...'

North America was rich in resources. Faced with the absurd reality of the continent's disappearance, everyone assumes the resources vanished along with it. However, many of these resources lie buried deep underground. Britain, which has long seized mines worldwide to extract wealth, is particularly attuned to this fact. When they heard about the shallow seas with an average depth of 50 meters, their minds immediately turned to this possibility.

'Who needs the surface of the continent when the resources are still there? The United States is just a façade. The only good Americans are vanished Americans.'

With such a cruel perspective, Britain contemplates reclaiming control over the former North American region for the first time in 166 years. Moreover, they are considering a convenient division of the seas with the country on the other side of the ocean.

Namely, the territory west of the International Date Line would belong to Japan, while the territory east of it would belong to Britain. The benefits to Britain are obvious.

'Well, if Japan doesn't realize this, that's the extent of their capability.'

If Japan raises objections, Britain would engage in diplomatic maneuvering as part of the game.

But if Japan accepts, there's no need to explain anything further.

For now, Britain intends to take the underground resources previously controlled by the United States. Some old man is trying to establish a New United States in the Philippines, but what right does he have to speak when he can't exert effective control?

If necessary, Britain might even hand over Hawaii to Japan. In return, they would have Japan deal with the massive fleet stationed there. That way, the United Kingdom can eliminate a threat without losing anything.

'As an ally, Japan is quite a convenient country.'

It's the arrogance of the white upper class, but Lyttelton himself doesn't realize it. Instead, he feels as if Britain is graciously praising Japan!

With that mindset, the Minister of Munitions Production schemes to exploit Japan for Britain's benefit.

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The British leadership is beginning to discuss whether it's time to reveal the truth to the public. Without doing so, the people are unlikely to follow evacuation plans across the seas. Nobody wants to leave their homeland—a place of frequent fog, bad food, and endless cynics. At the very least, they might consider relocating to continental Europe or North America.

But the proposed destinations? A penal colony (Australia), sheep ranches (New Zealand), the spice subcontinent (India), the Cape of Storms (Cape Colony), the equatorial city-state (Singapore), or perhaps Hong Kong. No one would willingly want to go.

These places are far, reek of rural backwardness, animals, or non-white people (reflecting the prejudices of the British mindset at the time).

However, the regions listed are among the better options. Britain also has other overseas territories, such as the Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, British Somaliland, British Guiana, Saint Helena, Tristan da Cunha, and Pitcairn Island. The leadership is considering how to make effective use of these locations as well.

The public needs to be informed that the situation is so dire that they have no choice but to move to such places. It's something that must be done. However, if possible, the British would prefer to inform only their own people, keeping the rest of Europe in ignorance. If there were surplus food supplies, they might consider using other Europeans as servants for the British in the evacuation sites. But for now, ensuring their own citizens' food security is the priority. A little food might be given to Germans and Russians to keep them satiated and distracted for now, but this is only possible because a full-scale famine hasn't yet arrived. The aim is to take action while the colonial empire's reserves still last.

When preparations are complete, then and only then will the announcement be made. At that point, the rest of Europe will descend into panic. But that's their problem for failing to take action!

Thus, armed with evacuation sites, resources, and information, Britain plans to outmaneuver the world and ensure its survival.

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During the Great Depression, countries capable of implementing bloc economies were referred to as "haves," while those without independent economic spheres or resource procurement regions were called "have-nots."

Japan was a "have-not" nation.

As a result, it sought Manchuria and resources from the South. Now, however, Britain, which controls the South, has started selling resources to Japan. This may have played a part in Japan's decision to withdraw its troops from northern French Indochina.

"What are we doing? Our mission is to liberate Asia from the Western powers and establish the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere. We should advance as far as southern Indochina to liberate the French colony in Indochina."

Such opinions are voiced by a faction advocating for southward expansion and the establishment of the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere.

They are not unaware of the changes brought about by the disappearance of North America. They know that Britain's attitude toward Japan has shifted due to the disappearance of the United States. However...

"A nation as adept at intrigue as Britain would never truly consider Japan an ally. They will use us for their convenience and discard us once we're no longer needed. Therefore, without relying on Britain, we, the Empire of Japan, must lead the liberation of Asia and create an Asia for Asians," they argue.

In some ways, they accurately perceive Britain's self-serving nature and underlying malice.

Furthermore, they declare:

"France and the Netherlands have capitulated to our ally, the German Reich. The United States has vanished. That leaves only Britain. Let us take over French Indochina and the Dutch East Indies, expel the Americans from the Philippines, and liberate Malaya and India to reclaim Asia."

This opportunistic approach seeks to take advantage of Europe's turmoil to liberate Asia.

While Japan's imperialist tendencies are evident, the movement also genuinely aims to liberate Asia. They believe Japan should take the lead in this effort, driven by a sense of "benevolence." Although there is an element of self-righteousness, they sincerely think Japan must guide and achieve Asia's liberation.

However, this ideology was not originally conceived by the young army officers now criticizing the current leadership. The thinkers behind this vision are elsewhere. One is Shūmei Ōkawa, an advocate of Pan-Asianism. The other is Kanji Ishiwara, the proponent of the theory of the world's final war. Both have adapted their ideologies in response to the disappearance of the United States.

Kanji Ishiwara hated white people, referring to them as "demons" and stating, "They must be eradicated from this earth."

In Ishiwara's worldview, with the hated United States now gone, the opportunity had arrived to expel all whites from Asia.

The opponent in his vision of the final world war also shifted.

Ishiwara had previously predicted, "The world's final war will involve a struggle between an East Asian League led by Japan, the Americas, Western Europe, and the Soviet Union. Western Europe has too many nations for a single dominant power to emerge, and the Soviet Union will rapidly decline after Stalin's death. Thus, the ultimate battle will be between Japan's 'righteous path' East Asian League and the 'hegemonic path' of the Americas."

But with the disappearance of the United States, no hegemonic power emerged in South America to replace it. Ishiwara's prediction about the Soviet Union remained unchanged. Therefore, one of the Western European nations would absorb South America and become the new hegemonic power. Given Germany's lack of naval strength to reach South America, Ishiwara believed it would be Britain. He also predicted that Germany, like the Soviet Union, would decline rapidly after Hitler's death.

"The world's final war will be a confrontation between Japan's righteous path and Britain's hegemonic path."

Ishiwara would likely share this prediction with his followers within the Japanese Army.

Shūmei Ōkawa also advocated for the liberation of Asia. Domestically, he promoted a controlled economy. While maintaining Japan's spiritual essence, he sought to implement a Marxist-inspired economic system. This approach aimed to avoid reckless exploitation of Asia's resources, using them systematically for economic development. For this reason, Britain—a capitalist, imperialist power—had to be removed. Ōkawa argued that Britain had no interest in Asia's development and would take everything for its own benefit.

Among the younger Army officers, anti-British and anti-white sentiments were quietly spreading. They did not see a contradiction in being anti-white while favoring Germany. Similarly, while Japan officially opposed communism, these officers entertained ideas of a controlled economy resembling communist principles.

Others shared these views.

"It is fortunate that the members of the disbanded Planning Board could reunite. This is thanks to Kishi-san."

"But we cannot simply rejoice. Japan's resource acquisition and industrial development have historically relied on the United States. Britain cannot fill that role."

"We must regulate the economy, eliminate waste, and plan Japan's development systematically."

"As a have-not nation, Japan cannot rely on liberal capitalism. Ultimately, we would have to purchase resources from the have nations, bleeding our national wealth to foreign powers. Controlled capitalism, which curtails waste and fosters planned development, is the path for our nation."

"Gentlemen, we cannot leave the economy in the hands of reckless corporate leaders. We bureaucrats must guide Japan. Are you prepared for this responsibility?"

"Of course, Minister Kishi."

Before figures like Kanji Ishiwara, Masayoshi Miyazaki (a close collaborator of Ishiwara), Kamekichi Takahashi (a member of the Showa Research Association who advised Fumimaro Konoe), and Hideoto Mōri (an innovative bureaucrat from the Ministry of Finance), Nobusuke Kishi served as the chair, rallying them toward the idea of a "bureaucratic controlled economy."

In their desire to address resource-scarce Japan's predicament after the disappearance of the United States, their "benevolence" ultimately pointed toward a communist-inspired controlled economy.

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The next update will be at 24:00 (midnight on the 26th).

- ほうこうおんち