The Far East is a colossal market, while Japan at the sa ti is an erging market, similarly a significant source of immigrants and grain trade market for the Kingdom of East Africa in the Far East.
To show its emphasis on Japan, the Kingdom of East Africa established diplomatic relations with the Japanese governnt on the second day after establishing ties with the Qing Governnt.
Sebastian, the general manager of the Heixinggen Bank branch in Japan, served as the minister to Japan, and East Africa set up a series of consulates across Japan.
After the iji Restoration, the Japanese governnt began to heavily focus on industrialization, which requires substantial capital. The ans by which the Japanese governnt raised funds were either borrowing from Western and dostic grandees or extre internal exploitation.
Japanese won and farrs were hit hardest, with the iji Governnt encouraging won to engage in textile work. In the sa period, "special service industry" beca the second largest area of employnt for Japanese won.
Given these conditions, East Africa certainly wouldn’t miss out. After sending diplomatic envoys, they openly imported female immigrants from Japan.
The iji Governnt initially invested in light industries such as silk and cotton, hiring foreigners to guide industrial production. However, industrial modernization projects required massive labor, particularly female labor in the textile industry. But recruitnt t with difficulties, as rural people were unwilling to leave their villages. National propaganda aid to persuade won to work in factories, and so local officials sent their own daughters as examples. Once governntal demonstrations were effective, many ca to see factories as safe environnts.
This facilitated the introduction of immigrants to East Africa. The thod was simple: invest in textile factories in Japan, recruit female workers, and send them to "Europe" under the guise of internal company transfers.
Then ca a wave of cunning operations; ships heading to "Europe" often encountered issues like storms or pirates, "getting wrecked," with losses in the hundreds or thousands.
Factory owners would then express sympathy over the "mariti disaster," issuing symbolic compensation, handled by the Japanese authorities, without concern over whether it reached the families.
"Mariti disasters" being acts of God, the Japanese governnt could offer no criticism, especially given Japan’s low international status. Having offered compensation, what more could be asked?
There are disadvantages, though. Shell companies often shift operations, enabling another group to continue the deception, with ready-made excuses such as a predecessor factory owner going bankrupt due to disaster-related losses, leaving factories insolvent and subject to acquisition.
Shifting bla to avoid accountability is simple; bla falls not on the Kingdom of East Africa but on German and even European investors. Ask their origin and you’ll hear Poland, Ukraine, the Russian Empire, Italy, or even long-disappeared Holy Roman states.
The second tactic involved directly purchasing from Japanese farrs. Yes, literally purchasing, as won’s status was so low they lacked rights. In tis when many Japanese couldn’t afford als, so chose to sell their daughters, keeping sons for succession.
This situation reflected Japan’s reality. The Kingdom of East Africa, offering slightly above-market prices and paying in grain, achieved a mutually beneficial arrangent, with those won avoiding "special service industry" and everyone envisioning a brighter future.
Though it seed unscrupulous, East Africa had its ans to ensure the Japanese governnt turned a blind eye.
While textile factories may be veteran elents, they employed a stable group of won, who benefited financially, often sending ho money. Both wages and inco stability were higher than Japan’s textile rates, ensuring fixed revenue and tax advantages for the iji Governnt.
As for the disappearances due to mariti disasters, regrets were expressed, but the stable workers encouraged further "naive" people to join factories invested in by East Africa.
Stable workers weren’t easily replaceable, especially given the low wages in Japan’s textile industry. Not until 1880 did Japan establish minimum wage standards, though many didn’t yet receive wages.
The plants invested by East Africa offered superior conditions, with those stable workers often connected to local Japanese officials.
This resonated with earlier efforts, where Japanese officials encouraged won to factory work by sending female family mbers as examples.
...
"Mr. Sebastian, you’ve truly been a great help! Thank you very much for your assistance!" A group of Japanese officials in Tokyo offered a standard ninety-degree bow.
"Hahaha, this is what I should do as a diplomat," Sebastian said.
Just now, the "righteous" East African minister, Sebastian, successfully obtained compensation for the local governnt from the unruly "Russian" rchants.
Russian governnt: "I’m not aware of that! Which nation’s rchants?"
Trained East African Slavic immigrants proficiently impersonating Russian rchants worked wonders, even fooling Russian diplomats. It wasn’t pretentious; fluency in Russian, a detailed understanding of Russian practices, complented by eloquent speech, thoroughly convinced people.
Especially their carefree dispositions filled in the final gaps, with Russia-established factories where Japanese workers "t with disasters" overseas, leading local authorities to inquire.
Upon explaining the disaster’s origins, unresolved issues remained. Being a contemporary power, "Russian" rchants refused to mind, claiming force majeure, force majeure, force majeure!...
They then threatened to drive out the foolish Japanese, at which point, conveniently, Sebastian, the East African minister, "happened" to pass by while "buying" breakfast, and with overflowing righteousness, reprimanded the "Russian" rchants’ actions.
Finally, Sebastian diated, bringing the parties to an understanding, with "Russian" rchants compensating a sum, ending the matter.
"Sebastian-san is truly a good person, a genuine gentleman."
"Oh, if all foreigners in Tokyo were as understanding as Sebastian-san, it’d be great."
"Sebastian-san dare confront Russians boldly, even reprimanding them directly. Future mbers of the Great Wa Nation should also stand tall like this..."
"Long live the Emperor! We will surely accomplish..."
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