Shigenobu Okuma, 77, Prime Minister of Japan; Takaaki Kato, 55, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan, and Minoru Saito, 57, Minister of the Navy of Japan.

Chen Tian looked at the three people in front of him one by one, judging from their identities alone, they should be the core figures in the Japanese government, but as far as Chen Tian knows, Japanese politics is actually controlled by some veterans who have retreated behind the scenes, and the so-called government cabinet is just their "spokesperson" most of the time. Out of political necessity, each cabinet will initially receive the support and support of the senators, but once they encounter domestic political scandals or diplomatic failures, the senators will choose to continue to support them or ruthlessly abandon them according to their own interests. For this reason, the successive cabinets of the Japanese government since 1885 have rarely been in power for more than five consecutive years, and even more so, they have only been a few months of firefighting cabinets, and this instability has also been a major feature of Japanese politics since the Meiji Reform.

"Your Majesty, it's really disturbing to come so late!"

Shigenobu Okuma, who was in a wheelchair, bowed respectfully to Tatsuten, an old man who had been active in Japanese politics for many years, had gray hair and his legs were crippled when he was attacked by the opposition in 1889, but this did not stop him from politics. In 1898, Okuma reached the pinnacle of his political career for the first time, but his cabinet lasted only five months before it was dissolved. In April 1914, when the Yamamoto cabinet collapsed due to a funding scandal, Okuma formed a second cabinet and regained his political peak.

Takaaki Kato and Minoru Saito, who were behind Okuma, also bowed, but Tatsuten did not return the salute because he did not like bowing to others at all, let alone bowing without real respect.

"You may be seated!" Chen Tian was not polite, but just invited the three of them to sit opposite him.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

After sitting down respectfully, it was the old man Okuma who spoke first.

"Your Majesty, as far as your name and wisdom may have guessed the purpose of our coming here, our idea is very simple, since the meeting has voted to adopt the proposal put forward by your delegation as a model. Then I only hope that your delegation will support us with a little improvement proposal! ”

Chen Tian was still unmoved by their compliments, he just asked with a flat expression: "Oh? Suggestions for improvement? That's great, let's hear it! ”

It was still Okuma who spoke, "Your Majesty, that's it!" Since our Empire of Japan, the German Empire, and the Russian Empire have formed a regional alliance in the Pacific, it is time to unanimously face our number one opponent in the Pacific, that is, the United States! So. We hope that the US government will be more restricted at the naval conference, and if your country insists that the total tonnage of the capital ships of the Imperial Japanese Navy is less than 320,000 tons, then we believe that the tonnage of the US Navy should not exceed 270,000 tons! ”

Chen Tian pretended to ponder for a while, and then said slowly: "Although we have formed a regional alliance, the purpose is to avoid war!" Wouldn't war be better than a military confrontation if war could be avoided by concluding an international naval agreement? The United States and Japan are the two strongest countries in the Pacific region, and the same tonnage I think is beneficial to maintaining equilibrium, and on the surface we Germany do not take sides, but Mr. Prime Minister, don't forget that the Americans are going to send half of their ships to the Atlantic Fleet to protect their east coast! ”

"Your Majesty's analysis is very reasonable!" Okuma first actively agreed. Then he added: "But do you remember that in 1914 the United States accounted for more than one-third of the world's industrial output?" Germany, Japan, and Russia together are less than two-thirds of the United States, and the gap has not narrowed this year! In the same way, American steel, coal, shipbuilding, and automobiles all have huge advantages for us. In the event of a war between us and the United States, the United States will be able to quickly make up for the difference in naval vessels with its enormous resource and industrial superiority, and the consequences will be very dire......"

The content of Shigenobu Okuma's analysis is also what Tatsuten has always been worried about, but he still carelessly stimulates the Japanese: "What we bring about through the International Naval Conference this time to limit the naval arms race is peace, so what about war?" ”

"Your Majesty, I'm talking about what if, in case of war...... We can't ignore the possibility! Okuma's voice became deep, and so did his eyes.

"I know!" Tatsuten didn't like Shigenobu Okuma's old fox-like eyes, so he shifted his gaze to the other two people, Kato and Saito, and made a suggestion: "If your country is really worried." Germany can assure your country that in the event of a war, we will ensure that the Americans keep at least half of their capital ships on their east coast, that is, on the Atlantic! Just like the secret agreement between your country and Germany when the Americans wanted to support the British government! ”

Minoru Saito, who was short and fat, did not refuse, but it was Okuma who responded on behalf of the Japanese side:

"Even so, our navy still hopes to maintain a certain advantage, if not in numbers, but in technology!"

Tatsuten heard Okuma's words, and it seemed that there were basically no obstacles to this naval meeting.

"Aircraft carrier or submarine?" Chen Tian asked elegantly.

"It's better to have both!" Okuma replied greedily.

After a minute of thinking. Tatsuten promised to provide the Japanese Navy with one active aircraft carrier, 10 submarines and corresponding technical materials by 1925, and also sent a group of technicians to the Japanese shipyard for guidance, and the two countries will send special naval representatives to discuss the details later.

"May we be the most solid ally with Your Majesty's Germany!" Okuma replied satisfied.

Chen Tian is not worried that the Japanese will master the technology of aircraft carriers and submarines in ten years, because even if Germany does not provide them with this technology, they will obtain it through various channels and on their own. Thinking of this, Chen Tian said with satisfaction:

"Then it's decided, you should be able to sleep soundly tonight, and I hope the next meeting goes well!"

After bowing again, the Japanese took their leave.

The heightened vigilance, the comfortable villa, and the fact that Okuma and the others were somewhat jealous of the preferential treatment received by the German delegation did not say anything. In contrast, they are more focused on how to assert their interests at international naval conferences.

On the way back, Shigenobu Okuma, Takaaki Kato, and Minoru Saito sat in a car. Although it seemed a bit crowded, the three of them seemed to feel safer to talk like this, ignoring the fact that a bomb could send them to the sky, and then the Japanese cabinet would be updated ahead of schedule, which would obviously affect the current established policy.

However, it is extremely regrettable that such a thing did not happen.

After a period of time from the Kaiser's residence, Takaaki Kato was the first to speak:

"My lord, what do you think of the Kaiser?"

"Fate!" Minoru Saito surprisingly uttered two words.

Kato was amazed. He immediately turned that to Prime Minister Okuma.

At this time, Okuma Shigenobu still looked calm, he just said slowly in a kind of senior to junior tone:

"Saito-kun, this operation of the Admiralty is really a little inappropriate!"

"Could it be...... Could it be ...... No way! Kato's eyes widened, he knew exactly what that meant.

"That's right, it was our Admiralty who planned it! Originally, I wanted Germany to have a grudge with the United States, so that Germany would actively support Japan's strategy toward the United States even if it did not go to war with the United States. In this way, our Imperial Japanese Navy will be able to immediately attack the Philippine Islands in the south, and then attack the Hawaiian Islands in the east within two months, which is equivalent to cutting off all US forces in the Pacific! Next, we just need to sail the fleet to the west coast of the United States and make two turns. The rest of the fruits of victory only need to be collected by Kato-kun's Ministry of Foreign Affairs! Minoru Saito said with a hideous look in his eyes. In the end, he sneered twice.

"It's crazy!" Takaaki Kato tilted his head, he really didn't want to look at Minoru Saito's ugly face, and in his opinion, not informing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of such a major action was really a contempt for him.

Okuma still said in the same tone: "Saito-kun." Your plan is risky, and of course the potential gains are also huge, but I would like to advise Your Excellency to discuss any major actions in the future with the Cabinet, and don't trust your own judgment too much! ”

"There are so many people!" Minoru Saito said meaningfully.

"Aren't you afraid that the Germans will retaliate if they find out?" Kato was very unhappy that as a dignified foreign minister, he had no knowledge of such a major action in his country, and it was really shameful to say it.

"Don't worry, those who know are now on a cruise ship bound for Japan, and I will never let these people see the sunrise tomorrow!" Minoru Saito said with a fierce gaze like a hungry wolf, which was as aggressive as the current Japanese Navy. In a one-day coup d'état 6 years ago. At that time, the core figures of the Japanese Army - Japanese Field Marshal Oyama Iwa, Yama Prefecture Aritomo, Army General Terauchi Masatsuki, Nogi Noshinori, Army General Kawamura Keiaki and others were all killed, their death brought a great change to the Japanese military circles, the Japanese Army lost its original main right to speak, and the Japanese Navy replaced the Army under the leadership of Togo Heihachiro to become the leader of the military circles, since then, the declaration of war on Germany, the siege of Qingdao, and the begging of Germany and other strategies have come from the Admiralty, which is also a reason why Saito Minoru is so arrogant.

Even Shigenobu Okuma, who is the prime minister, does not dare to dictate to the Admiralty, and is more often "discussed" and "suggested" on weekdays. He said earnestly, "That's good! Saito-kun, it seems that we can still get a lot of benefits from this Kaiser, so is your Admiralty's assassination ...... temporary?"

Although strong, as a Japanese who is very sensitive to status and hierarchy, Minoru Saito still bowed his head to the limit, "My lord, please forgive me for saying more, on history, on spirit, on national strength, we in the Japanese Empire can not always be so respectful to the Germans, besides, although the focus of Germany's development is now in Europe, Africa and the Mediterranean, but the forces of our two countries will one day intersect, and then the conflict of interests cannot be avoided, and the final result can only be a life-and-death war!" Wouldn't it be better to have Germany and the United States lose both sides than to co-opt Germany against the United States? ”

Okuma nodded, "Although this is the case, but from the perspective of geographical environment, Germany and the United States are not so prone to war!" Even if the two countries go to war, at most the navy will fight in the Atlantic, and it will not be like Germany and France at all! The most important thing is that although Germany is very strong at present, there is still a certain gap compared with the United States, as I said to the German Emperor tonight, the industrial strength of the United States is more than that of Japan, Germany, Russia, and the Austro-Hungarian Empire combined, and steel, coal mines, shipbuilding, and automobiles are also out of reach of several of our countries! Although our navy and the German navy are strong, but the warships cannot go ashore after all, I would like to ask Saito-kun, with the strength of the Imperial Navy, can we send a few army divisions to the continental United States and maintain the logistics for them to fight there? ”

Minoru Saito thought for a while, "If we launch ocean-going steamships across the country, I think we can send three army divisions to the continental United States and maintain them fighting there!" ”

Shigenobu Okuma asked, "Which is better than 50,000 tired soldiers who are tired from their journeys and far from their hometowns, or 100,000 weak soldiers who are waiting to work and defend their homes?" ”

Minoru Saito replied with some reluctance, "Weak soldiers have a better chance of winning."

Okuma still nodded, "The Germans are the same, no matter how strong their land is, they can't play it, so it will take five years for Germany and the United States to build a new ocean fleet, with Germany's current strength!" After the Americans regain their strength, they will be able to concentrate on dealing with the threat of our Great Japanese Empire in the Pacific! ”

"We can attack while the United States has not yet recovered!" Saito retorted.

"The United States can block the Panama Canal and build ships on the East Coast!"

Minoru Saito thought about it, and then Japan really couldn't win, so he became sincere and humble, "My lord, please forgive me for being foolish, what ......do you mean?"

"Germany, distant enemy; The United States, a close enemy. With the strength and ambition of the Germans, it was the limit to build a vast empire encompassing Europe, Africa, and the Americas in a hundred years; With the strength of the Americans, the Americas, the Pacific and Asia are under their ambitions. Germany alone cannot defeat the United States, and Japan alone cannot defeat the United States! ”

"Joint?" Minoru Saito came to his senses.

"United!" Shigenobu Okuma closed his eyes, "One in the east, including East Asia, South Asia, the Pacific and the Americas, and one in the west, including Europe, Africa, West Asia, the Atlantic and the Mediterranean!" Whether they will jointly dominate the world or divide the winners and losers, that's not something I'll know in my lifetime! ”

Minoru Saito looked at Prime Minister Okuma with admiration, while Takaaki Kato looked at the two in amazement, and he suddenly realized at this moment that the difference between people is so big, thoughts, ambitions, and courage!

It is a pity that there has never been such a visionary person in the Japanese political circles after Okuma Shigenobu, but as a political tool of the elders behind the scenes of Japanese politics, the Okuma cabinet has not escaped the fate of frequent changes in the previous Japanese cabinets, and the following year, after the Okuma cabinet concluded the second secret treaty with Germany and Russia, the expectations of the elders for this cabinet have been fully realized, so when the bribery case broke out again in the political arena, they did not hesitate to give up this cabinet that lost its usefulness, and Okuma Shigenobu also withdrew from politics. Since then, neither the Terauchi Cabinet, which succeeded Okuma's cabinet, nor the successive cabinets, have ever mentioned Okuma's blueprint for the coexistence of East and West, and Japan's terrible war machine has not long been on the road to destruction.