Ishiwara Kanji
In real history, he was the man who, together with Itagaki Seishirō, instigated the Liutiao Lake Incident and the Manchurian Incident , leading to the independence of Manchukuo.
He envisioned relocating Japan's economic base to the vast and resource-rich Manchuria, aiming to build a Greater East Asia Order centered around Manchuria and Mongolia.
Furthermore, he exploited the active-duty officer requirement for War Ministers —a system that required military ministers to be active-duty officers—to sabotage cabinet formation. If the Army's demands were not met, he would simply refuse to nominate a minister from the Army, effectively paralyzing the government.
His theory of the Final World War predicted four dominant global blocs—Europe, the Soviet Union, America, and Japan—clashing over world domination. In this war, air power and weapons of mass destruction would enable total annihilation warfare, determining the victor in a short period of time.
October 1928
Imperial Japanese Space Force Headquarters
"I am Captain Takashiro Soryu."
"I'm Major Ishiwara Kanji of the Imperial Army. Thank you for taking the time today."
A few days earlier, the Army had contacted the Space Force requesting a meeting with Major Ishiwara. For Takashiro, it was about time they finally met face-to-face. Besides, since Ishiwara held a higher rank, there was no reason to refuse.
"Your exploits have been quite the topic of conversation in the Army. You're practically a household name now."
There was something unpleasantly sarcastic about his tone.
"Major, how can you say such things? A lowly officer like me achieving feats worthy of mention in the Army? Everything I've done has been by His Majesty's command. And when you say 'topic of conversation'… do you mean I'm being discussed as one of those 'evil advisors surrounding the Emperor' ?"
At first glance, it was a game of mutual probing.
"Hahaha, you're sharp. Let's skip the formalities here, shall we? I dislike unproductive games. Nigang, the establishment of the Legitimate Russian Imperial Government, the Nine-Power Treaty, the Nanjing and Hankou Incidents, the withdrawal from China, and the founding of the Qing Empire—you've scripted them all. Not to mention Richard Investment, which bought up massive amounts of government bonds after the Great Kantō Earthquake. That company is under your influence too, isn't it?"
Impressive. Intelligence capabilities were limited in this era. How had he reached these conclusions? No wonder he was called a military genius and heretic —those titles weren't just for show.
"Major, I appreciate the flattery, but I must decline such praise. I merely offered advice to His Majesty. All decisions were ultimately made by His Majesty's judgment and orders."
"Hmph. Be that as it may, fair enough. Tell me, Captain—what do you think of Japan's future?"
Japan's future… To Takashiro, it wasn't a matter of what he thought—but rather, what he intended to do. Ishiwara likely knew that and had asked the question accordingly.
"Well, Major… if you ask what I think, the answer could go many ways. As for myself, I can only express the hope that Japan becomes a peaceful nation where people live without fear of hunger, disease, or war."
"Indeed. That would be a perfect answer in a peaceful future. But this is not that time. Let me narrow the question: What are your plans for governing the Qing Empire? You're not encouraging Japanese immigration, yet you actively provide agricultural machinery and technical support to enrich the people of Manchuria. While that might serve as a buffer against the Soviets, it seems to offer little benefit to Japan."
That phrase—"peaceful future" —felt suspicious.
"Major, do you really believe a prosperous Qing offers no benefit to Japan? I don't share that view. If Qing becomes wealthy, it will buy textiles and industrial goods produced in Japan. We can import crops grown in Qing, lowering food prices, which increases disposable income for our citizens. The domestic farming population may decrease, but we can absorb that labor force into industry, accelerating Japan's development even further. And through alliances, mutual defense agreements, and collective security treaties, couldn't we establish a deterrent-based security framework?"
"You're going about it the long way. Right now, Japan has over ten thousand households of poor farmers who own less than five tan of land. Wouldn't sending them to Manchuria help alleviate poverty faster? And wouldn't that accelerate Qing's development? Moreover, if Qing became a protectorate, there'd be no need for security treaties. It would prevent betrayal and rebellion."
That was indeed the historical policy. At the time, Japan lacked the productive capacity to sustain its entire population, so it actively promoted emigration to South America, the Americas, and Manchuria-Mongolia. In truth, it was less immigration and more abandonment . And while Manchukuo was declared independent, it was effectively a puppet state under Japanese control.
"Major, the number of such poor farmers has already dropped to half of what it was ten years ago. As Japan industrializes, labor shifts occur naturally, and poverty declines. Also, Manchuria and Mongolia belong to others. The Manchus have lived on that land for thousands of years. Suppose large numbers of Chinese immigrants suddenly flooded into Japan, cutting down forests and claiming land in the name of development—would you welcome that?"
"…No, I suppose I wouldn't. But America succeeded through immigration. If that model worked, why not make Manchuria the American-style success story of East Asia?"
"Major, America achieved that success by exterminating the indigenous Native Americans. Up until around 1860, they directly slaughtered them. After that, realizing outright killing was problematic, they killed off the bison—their main food source—driving them to starvation instead. That's how America 'cleansed' the land and built its prosperity. Are you suggesting honorable Japan should follow suit?"
"S-so… you're saying that actually happened? Is that true?"
"Officially, it's said the Native Americans declined due to wars with the Americans. But the truth is massacre. Eliminating indigenous peoples certainly reduces conflict. However, even after a century of American independence, discrimination and restrictions persist for newer settlers like the Japanese and Chinese. There are almost none for British settlers. Personally, I doubt large-scale settlement in Manchuria would succeed. Moreover, as Japan industrializes, labor shortages are inevitable."
Thank you for reading Chapter 58.
Now begins the question: What does Ishiwara truly want?
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