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<DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV>(OOC: Sorry about spelling etc. My mail program has no spell checker here
at work)</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>"Matters of Perception"</DIV>
<DIV>Prime Minister Shunichi Sato</DIV>
<DIV>Japan</DIV>
<DIV>3 March 2014</DIV>
<DIV>----- </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Sato put down the copy of the Asahi Shimbun as the Foriegn Minister entered
without knocking. They had been political rivals in the past, but in the last
year, the two old men of Japanese politics had become close, even if they
disagreed from time to time.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>"Prime Minister," said Jonouchi as he sat down. "More about China?" he
asked seeing the headline.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Sato nodded. "Yes, a real mess," he lamented.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>It had been his hope that buisiness, aid dollars and under the table
support would have stabilized North Korea somewhat but it seems that the North
Koreans were fully prepared to keep fighting a war that was already over.
Though, he had to admit, if it was Japan swarmed over with Chinese troops no
matter their intent he would fight too.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Jonouchi nodded. "Yes," he agreed. "And the Russians are ending their
support of the medical projects."</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Sato made an annoyed sound. "Figures," he said. Nemerenko was never one to
take unessissary risks.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>"That does leave the question, what do we do?"</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Sato nodded sucking in his cheeks for a moment then blowing out a breath of
air. "We take up some of the slack."</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Jonouchi looked surprised. "Given the complaints about the risk to Japanese
lives in Georgia... do you think it is wise to increase our involvement in
another volitile situation?"</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Sato shook his head. "Wise, I don't claim to know, but it does further our
aims, we want the New North Korea to look at us in a positive light, and
compared to the Chinese right now we are saints, furthering our involvement in
the medical projects will only strengthen our image."</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>"And our people, what happens to our image in their eyes when footage of
Japanese aide workers being killed shows on the 6pm news? Are we prepared to
retaliate?"</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Sato mulled it over. "I have a thought," he said.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>"Yes," Jonouchi replied.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>"We ask the Chinese to set up the camps under the auspices of the Red Cross
as protection for both the Chinese and international aid workers there. In
return we offer the Chinese our help in securing more international
participation, and offer as much as a quarter of what the Russians were
contributing to the effort before they pulled out."</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Jonouchi nodded. "If the camps are attacked..."</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>"Then they are attacking the Red Cross and not China, and they condem
themselves to being seen as savages."</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Jonouchi nodded. "Excellent."</DIV>
<DIV><BR>It was a serviceable plan at any rate. "And make service in North Korea
voluntary. If there is an attack and we lose lives, I want to be able to
say that they chose to face the risks and we didn't have a gun to their
head."</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>The Foreign Minister nodded.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>"Now about the Olympics?" he prompted.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>"How are the peparations coming?" he asked.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>"Our team will be leaving soon, and arrangements have been made for your
visit to Sochi in time for the Figure Skating and Snowboarding events."</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Sato shook his head. Figure skating was far from his favorite sport in the
world, and as for snowboarding... he really didn't care for it, but they were
both events Japan was expected to do well in this year and as such he was going
to be on hand for both. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>"Better you than me," Jonouchi muttered.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Sato gave him a hard look, softened by the hint of a smile on his lips.
"There is still room on the plane."</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Jonouchi laughed. "Anyhow, after that we will be flying to Georgia where
you will visit our peacekeepers, meet with the President, and take a tour of the
Capital."</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Sato grunted his approval. He had no issues with seeing the troops in the
field, in fact, he inisted on it, but the other things, meeting the Georgian
President and the tour of the capital he could do without. In his mind the
Gerogian President was an idiot, Japan was in Georgia to help Georgia retain the
rebel province, not aid in it's departure, yet he railed on about Europe and
Asia's betrayal of his country. Sato didn't think the man would be any better to
speak to in person. As for the tour, it was the usual political bullshit you had
to put up with.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Jonouchi nodded. "On your return trip I will be joining you to meet with
our allies in Southeast Asia to dicuss the anti-piracy task force amoung other
things."</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Sato nodded. That he looked forward to, while it may have been Sakai's
plan, the anti-piracy intitiative was reaping benefits for the whole of Asia by
making it's primary shipping artery from the Middle East more secure. He was
anxious to move ahead and turn the groups attention to terrorisim and
particularly it's funding. More than that the meeting and these programs showed
Southeast Asia, that Japan was concerend about their wellbeing, and was willing
to work with them to secure a better future for themselves and the whole of
Asia.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>"Good," he said.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>"Finally, we're going to need to respond to the US WTO case," Jonouchi
said.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>They had been prepared for this by the Japanese Ministry of Industry and
Trade who kept certain 'contacts' in the US for this sort of thing. Sato had
looked into it. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>"Our statement will be what we dicussed in the Cabinet meeting; this is
ridiculous accusation, if the US is really concerned about fair practices it
would have named more nations in it's case and we'll see them in court. And
privately, I'd like you to speak with their Ambassador and ask them just what
the hell they are doing. The Chinese are on the brink and they slap us, their
only meaningful regional ally, in the face?"</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Jonouchi nodded, though Sato could tell he wasn't pleased about the job.
Japanese, well, most Japanese, didn't enjoy conflict. Sato did, but he couldn't
call the Amabassador onto the carpet and chew him out without this turning into
a bigger deal than it was. Honestly, it didn't matter what the WTO decided,
these things could be put off indefinately, look at the American's payment of
softwood lumber reparations to Canada.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>"Also, I'd like you to liase with the Ministry of Industry and Trade in
putting togeather a campaign to support our case with the WTO and also contact
Beijing, as much as we don't want to be associated with China, we'll do better
if we at least coordinate behind the scenes."</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>"Of course," Jonouchi replied.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Sato smiled. "Good," he said as he leaned back in his chair. "At least
things won't be boring for a while, this situation has more drama than daytime
television."</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Actions:</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>1. Suggest to China that making the camps Red Cross would provide better
protection than leaving them Chinese. Offer to look for additional foreign
assistance and pledge to make up 25% of the support lost by the Russians
leaving.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>2. Arrange a trip to the Olympics, with follow up stops in Georgia to visit
the troops and meet the President of Georgia. Then fly down to Jakarta to meet
with the leaders of the Anti-Piracy task force.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>3. Reply to the US see you in court.</DIV></DIV></DIV></BODY></HTML>