[War] Japan: "Tough Questions"

[Ian Martell]

"Tough Questions"

Prime Minister Shunichi Sato

Japan

1 July 2014 (Happy Canada Day WARverse)



"Welcome to the NHK Morning Hews, here are today's top stories. In an early morning press conference the National Police Agency announced that they have detained four foreigners belonging to a radical Islamic sect for violating the terms of their work visas, these four, Justice Ministry spokesperson Akira Hiroda suggested had connections to the Rising Sun of Islam organization which was responsible for last years failed attack on the Tokyo subway system. While the Ministry refuses to comment on their role in the organization they did confirm that these arrests were part of an ongoing investigation that began after the failed attack. Moving to the international front the Prime Minister is expected to address the departing personnel of the Western Army Infantry Regiment, the first combat ready unit being deployed to the Azerbaijan region."

 

Sato handed Akemi back her phone which could apparently get television now (who could keep up with such things?) and settled back into his chair and looked out the window, they were getting close to Iruma air base now and the departure of the troops. He shuffled his hand written notes in his hand checking them over.

 

"So who did we really arrest?" asked Akemi breaking Sato's concentration.

 

"Hmm?" Sato grunted looking up.

 

"Who did we arrest?"

 

"Some radical Muslims from Indonesia," Sato said. "According to the Justice Ministry they'll be questioned for a while and then deported for their visa violations, or imprisoned under the Subversive Activites Law if they confess to anything."

 

"I really hope that's not our plan to stop terrorism."

 

Sato gave his daughter a raised eyebrow as he looked up from his cards and smiled. "Of course not, what sort of fools do you think run this country? Those men were arrested so the Ministry could show the people we are doing something about terrorism and they really don't care what it is so long as it sounds good on the news." 

 

"I really don't think people are quite so. gullible," she said.

 

"Believe me it's not a matter of gullibility they know what we are doing, but they don't care. They are afraid, there are men with bombs out there that hate them and they want to know their government is doing something about it, unfortunately all the really effective things we're doing we can't talk about. So we let the NPA reel in a few guppies on legitimate charges, show them off to the press, and we continue, in the shadows to reel in the sharks."

 

"And how are we doing that?" Akemi asked shifting in her seat.

 

"A number of ways, first, after the attacks we reached out to the Muslim community, we offered them protection and support against any backlash, we also asked them in our shared interest to keep an eye on the radicals in their community and some of them did because they know they'll look bad if their own community spawns more bombers, in fact they fingered our four in Osaka as possible threats. Another thing is overseas we're funding education programs in Muslim countries for the sort of people who have nowhere else to go but the free schools, if you can call them that, that are offered by the extremist sects. Third, it is also part of why we are in the Straight of Malacca right now combating piracy, which is a source of funding for terrorist groups in that region. Unfortunately we can't really talk about any of it, the Muslim community would loose face by admitting they are concerned about their own members, we would offend our international Muslim allies by explaining what that funding is going towards, and well the last we've mentioned in the past, but really, it's old news now."

 

"There is more though, right?" Akemi asked. "Things you aren't telling me about?"

 

Sato nodded. "Yes, there are."

 

That was to say, that in addition to relying on Muslim leaders, the Public Security Intelligence Agency had been quietly recruiting agents within the Muslim community and engaged in a number of classified surveillance operations, but Akemi wasn't cleared for any of that.

 

She nodded. "I understand," she says. "I still don't like it though."

 

Sato snorted. "Nature of politics," he said. "You will find as you go on in things Kemi-chan, there will be many things you don't like but are good for the country all the same."

 

Akemi smiled at Sato's use of her childhood nickname but it wasn't long lived shortly afterwards a look of concern crossed her face again.

 

"What now?" he grumbled without really meaning it. 

 

"I do have one other thing that was bothering me," she said. "I really didn't want to bring it up."

 

She paused and looked down at her hands and looked back up. "Actually, forget it," she said. 

 

"While I am impressed to see you can do a fair imitation of the traditional obedient Japanese daughter, Akemi, that is not how your mother, or I, raised you. Speak up, it's just us and my driver here."

 

"These attacks by Iran," she said. "The terrorist attacks I mean, not the invasion, they feel wrong."

 

"Wrong?" Sato asked. 

 

"Well, it just seems. stupid," she said after a moment. "I mean like they want the West and China to attack."

 

Which they have Sato added, he had watched the Chinese attack live on feed from a Japanese satellite along with the chiefs of the JSDF and Minister Inukai.

 

"What do you suspect?" Sato asked.

 

"I don't really know, but you understand what I am talking about? Why make them more angry? They closed all the windows of negotiation."

 

Sato was about to dismiss that thought out of hand but then thought about it, yes they really had, though it wasn't the stupidest thing anyone has ever done in war, not delivering the declaration of war on time in 41 was one of them. But Akemi had a point, what was the Iranian's strategy? Hit the coalition and hope they folded? Not likely, history showed that terrorism only strengthened a nation's resolve to go to war as the former government of Afghanistan could attest to.

 

He nodded. "I see your point, I don't see what moves they have left either, they should be negotiating right now if they were sane."

 

Not something you could easily accuse the Iranians of really, but still someone over there had to believe they might be in some trouble.

 

"I'll look into it," Sato said. 

 

Akemi looked relieved and she lowered her head. "Thank you," and then looked up. "What about today's deployment?" she asked. "If we're not sure what the Iranians are up to?"

 

Sato held up a hand. "This deployment really has already been decided on I can't reverse it, besides, we have carefully calculated the risks involved, we are not willing to send some of Japan's best ground forces into danger without having considered things carefully."

 

Akemi sighed. "Another of those things that is good for the country in the end?"

 

Sato nodded. "Unfortunately so, Japan will need to change, and these men will be part of that." 

 

Actions:

 

1>    Highlight arrests made in order give public perception of immediate action against terrorism. All arrests are made for legitimate charges however.

2>    Recap the measures taken in an earlier post that lay out how Japan is really dealing with terrorism. 

3>    Deploy 500 more troops to the mission in Azerbaijan, the men will be drawn from the elite Western Army Infantry Regiment.

4>    Quietly send a personal message to President Williams and ask: What's Iran's strategy? Why do they want us to attack them? And if not them, who?
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