[War] Japan: "The Safety Express"

[Ian Martell]

“The Safety Express"
Prime Minister Shunichi Sato
Japan
July 21st 2006

Sato returned to his residence after the Press Conference only to find that 
a folder from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had been delivered. Shaking 
his head Sato picked it up and opened it. Inside was a yellow sticky note 
reading: Ishikawa good choice – Takezo.

Sato took the note off and crumpled it up and carefully tossed it away, he 
was glad to see his plans for dealing with the New Komeito were moving apace 
and that Takezo was involved now. They were as close to friends as you could 
be in politics, which is to say they liked and respected each other but 
didn’t trust each other much further than they would any man not bound by 
giri to you.

Moving past Takezo’s note he saw the folder contained the plans for the 
evacuation of the Japanese citizens from Lebanon. Of the seventy registered 
residents, sixteen left before the fighting intensified to its current 
level, fifty-four were staying as part of the Embassy staff in Beirut 
leaving twelve who needed to be evacuated and those twelve were being 
comfortably housed in the Embassy while the diplomatic corps in both Lebanon 
and Syria arranged the plans for their departure. Which Sato read would be 
to board a bus hired by the Embassy and be escorted northern border with 
Syria where they’d then be escorted by their Syrian Embassy staff to Aleppo 
where they’d board a Japan Airlines jet sent from Rome to take them home. It 
was simple and effective.

Then the Grand Steward of the Imperial Household Agency called. Sato’s phone 
in the residence rung with the distict tones of the line to the office. He 
walked briskly over to it curious about what might be awaiting him and 
hoping it wasn’t an early belligerent response to his speech.
“Yes, hello?”

“Sorry to disturb you Mr. Prime Minister,” said the voice of his secretary 
Yurika. “But there is a call from Grand Steward Matsumoto of the Imperial 
Household Agency.”

“Really, please put it through.”

“Right away Mr. Prime Minister.”

The line switched over with a click and Sato said. “Hello? Matsumoto-san?”

“Prime Minister Sato I hear you.” The Steward Matsumoto said in the measured 
tones of one used to ritual of speech and address. “How are you this 
afternoon?”

“Well Grand Steward thank you, and yourself?”

“Well,” replied the Steward. “However I have been given a task by His 
Imperial Highness and I had hoped you could help me Mr. Prime Minister.”

Sato nodded curiosity piqued about what task the Grand Steward could be 
given that would require a call without any warning.

“His Imperial Highness has asked me to discover if it is possible for us to 
help the Thais remove their citizens from Lebanon.”

Ceremonial head of state or not a request from the Emperor was not to be 
taken lightly. However he did have to admit, the Emperor also had good 
reasons for his concerns for the Thai people, his closest friends outside of 
Japan were the Thai Royal couple, continuing a centuries long relationship 
between the Imperial and Royal families of both nations, that had even 
brought Thailand into World War II on the side of Japan. This was the 
consideration of a long time friend seeing an opportunity for kindness. 
However there were issues of precedent to consider as well.

“His Imperial Highness will of course understand that this decision to aide 
the Thais can come from no other body but the Cabinet.”

“Of course Mr. Prime Minister,” said the Grand Steward. “His Imperial 
Highness is aware of what his role in national affairs is and merely asks to 
see what if anything can be done.”

“Of course, Grand Steward, however his questions would resound to some like 
an order. Still, there is no harm in helping our friends, I’ll see to it 
that the offer is tendered by our Foreign Ministry before the end of the 
day.”

“Thank you Mr. Prime Minister,” Matsumoto said. “I will relay your words to 
His Imperial Highness.”

The Grand Steward hung up.

“Bastard,” Sato said hanging up the phone. While he held a deep regard for 
the Imperial Family and Emperor Akihito in particular he despised the 
self-important toadies that made up the Imperial Household Agency it seemed 
they could say nothing without sounding condescending.

Picking up the phone again he called the office of the Minister of Foreign 
Affairs and waited for Takezo to answer.

Half an hour later the two men met in the residence.

“Hmm a tricky precedent for the Imperial Household Agency,” Takezo said as 
Sato wrapped up his version of the call. “However it is in their rights to 
make inquiries on behalf of the Emperor.”
“True, though that’s usually in regards to their budget or the approval of 
gifts to and from the Imperial Family,” Sato said. “But anyhow, is it 
possible?”

“We would need to change our requests of the Syrian government and of Japan 
Airlines,” Takezo said. “However if we are doing it for one nation why not 
more, certainly there’s no more room on our bus, but all JAL had in the 
region was a 747 so we have 563 available seats and between the Thais and 
our citizens we’ll only fill 87 of them.”

“You mean follow India’s example and offer to assist other nations evacuate 
their citizens?” Sato asked.

Takezo nodded. “We could form bus convoy to Aleppo then have the plane head 
to East making the necessary stops along the way.”

Sato nodded. “By all means then,” he said.

“We shouldn’t have any problems getting them out even China has barely have 
more than a hundred citizens in Lebanon.”

“Good,” Sato said. “Though, where did we find the money to compensate JAL 
and arrange all this?” the budget of the Japanese government was always 
tight despite the massive overruns that occurred every year.

“Well it was originally thought we should take it out of our yearly aid 
amount to Lebanon however pending the approval of the Cabinet of course we 
thought that we should deduct it from the aid money normally sent to North 
Korea but frozen by our recent sanctions.”

Sato smiled. “A better use than it was being put to before,” he said. 
Everyone knew monetary aid never saw the people, it was what North Korea 
used to finance the missiles they were pointing at Japan.

“I thought you would approve,” Takezo smiled.

“We’ll discuss the funding at the next meeting of the Cabinet unless there 
are immediate needs?”

“No, the bus was rented out of the Embassy’s discretionary funds and the 
President of Japan Airlines was too kind and never mentioned compensation 
however I think the constitution is clear on the matter, we must agree to 
give them something.”

Sato nodded. “Full charter rates will be fine as our opening offer, he’ll 
refuse and likely agree to half.”

Takezo nodded his agreement on that assessment. “Likely,” he said. “Anyhow 
Mr. Prime Minister, shall I get this plan in motion? I have to leave early 
tonight, Akira, Hiroshi and I have a meeting to attend.”

Sato nodded. “Very good, please proceed Minister Takezo,” he said as he rose 
and escorted Takezo out of the residence their minds and conversation moving 
on to more casual topics.

Actions:

1> Contact Syrian and Lebonese governments and secure safe and speedy 
passage through Northern Lebanon to Aleppo in Syria. Perfectly willing to 
allow Syrian customs officials to escort the bus convoy from the border to 
the tarmac to ensure everyone goes directly from the bus to the plane.

2> Contact the Thai government and volunteer the use of the Japanese bus and 
plane for the removal of the rest of their citizens still in Lebanon.

3> Contact the governments of China and South Korea to offer them the chance 
to join the convoy and fly their citizens home on the 747.

4> Once a final tally is done of Japanese, Thai, Chinese and Korean citizens 
being evacuated offer the empty spaces to other East Asian and South East 
Asian nations and provide them with an additional bus if necessary. And as a 
gesture of peaceful intent, this offer is open even to North Korea.

5> Reimburse the Embassy and JAL from the foreign aid funds normally spent 
on North Korea.

_________________________________________________________________
Play Q6 for your chance to WIN great prizes.  
http://q6trivia.imagine-live.com/enca/landing