[War] Japan: "Tehran"

[Ian Martell]

"Tehran"
Prime Minister Shunichi Sato
Japan
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The trip from Kerman to Tehran was quick, in fact the drive in the heavily 
armed motorcade to the Tehran Grand Hotel, the headquarters of the Allied 
Control Council, was almost as long at thirty-minutes.

Once the PM's limo reached the steps of the hotel, and the men with 
sub-machineguns secured the area, Sato emerged and approached Ambassador 
Matsuda and his party who waited for him on steps.

They bowed, and Sato bowed back and introductions and greetings were 
exchanged before everyone headed inside out of the August heat of Tehran and 
the ever-present chance of assassination. The knot of Japanese men, and it 
was all men, Akemi went home after Beijing, walked through the controlled 
chaos that was the Allied Control Council headquarters which was still being 
set up and had the additional problem of what to do about the Chinese to 
deal with now too.

Sato was wondering what exactly he had gotten his country into as the group 
entered the small but elegant conference room that would serve for his 
meeting with the Ambassador. Sato nodded and dismissed his aides and Matsuda 
took it as a cue to do the same and shortly they were alone.

Sato took an admiring view of the room and asked lightly. "Prize of war?"

Matsuda snorted. "Hardly, the Council is paying market rates to rent the 
place," the Ambassador said.

"Likely good news for the owners, I don't imagine Tehran is seeing much 
tourism at the moment. At least no-one that rates the Grand."

"Actually there is a lot of traffic into the city. Protesters mostly, but 
also businessmen representing the bidding parties for the reconstruction 
contracts."

Sato nodded. He forgot war could be good for business.

"How's it look for our companies bidding on the reconstruction?"

"Not good, the transport costs kill us; it's likely going to be local firms 
who do the work."

"Can we get away with transporting them in?" Sato asked.

Matsuda shook his head. "No, the Americans are adamant that the bids are 
fair across the board, even their own companies are losing out."

Shrugging Sato replied. "Nothing can be done then," he said. "I suppose if 
local firms win, all the better, so long as the job is done and done right."

"Believe me, we will be making sure of that."

Sato nodded. He knew Matusda would.

"Now about China."

Matsuda stood up and bowed almost in half. "Let me apologize for my message 
to the Chinese. I did not anticipate they would make it public."

Playing the part of benevolent superior as was required by the custom, Sato 
nodded. "It's fine Matsuda-san, Hong is frequently unpredictable. Let us 
move on."

Matsuda sat back down satisfied he had done what he had to alleviate his 
professional shame at the incident. "Thank you sir," he said.

Sato waved it away. "Let's not think about it any more, what we need is a 
solution."

Matsuda nodded and for a while the conversation was dominated by China's 
newest incursion, when they were finished they moved on to the parts of Iran 
they did have a say over.

"Alright, where does the occupation stand?"

"There are protests of course and some tribal governments forming in the 
hinterlands of the country, nothing that was not seen in Iraq or 
Afghanistan, but less so. No violence as yet though one of our troops did 
get hit by a rock the other day."

"Yes, Corporal Harima, I met him when I was in Kerman," Sato noted. "Thrown 
by an eleven year old wasn't it?"

"Yes, " Matusda said.

"If only our youth were so politically interested," Sato joked.

"Less politics, more fanaticism, they throw rocks because we're the ally of 
Great Satan not because they know or care what our politics are."

"You really should be our Ambassador to Russia, you would get along with 
their President," quipped Sato.

Matsuda smiled. "I've been told that."

Sato returned the smile and then carried on. "That aside, the protests have 
been manageable?"

"So far, however with the Spanish leaving the contingent and the Chinese 
arriving, it would be good to see more boots on the ground."

"Japanese boots?"

"Any boots at this point, but so far Japanese boots are all we have direct 
say over."

"What sort of numbers?" Sato asked.

"A thousand more troops, non-combat mostly, MPs, engineers, people who can 
repair the damage and keep the peace."

Frowning Sato rubbed his chin. The Diet wasn't going to like that idea, but 
it was better to spend some political capital now for more men, than lose it 
all when something goes horribly wrong. "I will put the request in motion," 
he replied.

Matsuda nodded. "Minister Jonouchi also informed me there was an aide 
package being discussed."

Sato nodded. "Yes, the Ministry is discussing it, we're looking at about a 
billion USD for rebuilding as well as money to help small businesses and 
schools, similar to the package we've offered Malaysia and Indonesia, but 
bigger."

Those packages were part of Japan's overall anti-terrorism plan, the idea 
being that if people had education and work they would be less likely to 
throw their life away fighting Great Satan. And in the end prosperity was 
cheaper than war.

"And Azerbaijan?" asked Matsuda.

"500 million," Sato replied. "I discussed it with their President yesterday. 
Don't worry we've read your memos, we won't mess up the end game like the 
West has done so many times before."

Matsuda nodded.

There was a knock on the door and Matsuda shouted enter. Sato's new aide, 
Satoshi was at the door.

"Sir, the Iranians are here," he said to the Prime Minister.

The 'Iranians' were former officials working for the ACC during the 
transition, many of whom planned to run in the elections that would bring 
about the end of the occupation, in short, the future leaders of Iran. Sato 
was determined to make a good impression for the sake of Japan and Iran's 
future relations.

Sato rose. "Ambassador, I suppose our time is up. Shall we go?"
The Ambassador nodded. "Yes sir," as he rose to his feet.

The two left the conference room to meet the Iranian delegation.

---

Tehran - Prime Minister Sato of Japan met with the Japanese representative 
on the Allied Control Council, Hiromasa Matsuda, today in Tehran. While the 
meeting was a said to be private, afterwards, both men announced at a 
meeting of Iranian officials that Japan would be offering a billion dollar 
aide package to the war torn country, including earmarks for school 
construction and a program of business grants.

When asked about the Chinese accusations against the Allied forces 
occupation of Iran, the Prime Minister had this to say: "This [occupation] 
is temporary, and was with the consent of the Iranian government, while it 
undergoes transition, once there are new elections and the peace treaty is 
ratified, we will hand over all functions of government to Iran and happily 
go home. China has made no such promises and entered this country without 
any negotiated terms with the Iranian government. If this were my country, I 
know whose occupation I'd protest."

In regards to the 'oil memo' China released from Ambassador Matsuda, the 
Prime Minister stood by Japan's representative by saying: "China does 
benefit by the swift rebuilding of Iran's oil infrastructure, it is also 
benefits Iran. Oil makes up 80% of Iran's exports and without that money 
Iran cannot rebuild."

.

Actions:
1>	Generally introduce the HQ of the ACC in Tehran.
2>	Offer Iran a billion dollar aide package: 500 million for rebuilding 
projects. 200 million in grants towards improving the Iranian education 
system. 300 million in grants for business creation.
3>	Look into more troops for Iran.
4>	Counter China's claims that the Allied forces are trampling Iran's 
rights.
5>	Support the Ambassador publicly and explain his statements.