In Hong Kong, we build a global business empire

Chapter 661 News from Japan

Bank of East Asia has surpassed HSBC in market share, and most of this market share was gained from customers lost by HSBC.

This means that the rise of Bank of East Asia was built upon the foundation of Hui Fung Bank's past glory, allowing it to ascend to its dominant position.

Huifeng Bank was once like a towering mountain in the financial field, maintaining a dominant position in the market for a long time thanks to its profound heritage, broad customer base, and outstanding brand reputation.

Its sound business strategy and diversified financial services have earned the trust of countless customers, who entrust their funds and confidence to it.

However, the tides of the times are surging and the financial markets are ever-changing.

With Lin Haoran taking over East Asia Bank, Huifeng Bank launched a business war against East Asia Bank, hoping to use its own advantages to suppress its opponent in one fell swoop and prevent the opponent from posing a threat to Huifeng Bank.

Unexpectedly, in just two months, Hong Kong's financial sector had undergone tremendous changes.

This change shocked everyone, amounting to nothing less than a major earthquake in the business world.

Most people in Hong Kong find it hard to believe that the once rock-solid Huafeng Bank could be overtaken and even surpassed by the Bank of East Asia in such a short period of time.

When Ho Sin-hang gave an interview and admitted the truth of the matter, it immediately caused an even more sensational reaction throughout Hong Kong.

Not long after the interview, He Shanheng met with Mr. Brown, the VP of Standard Chartered Bank, who had come to visit him in person, in his office.

No one knows what they talked about, only that the two talked in the office for nearly two hours.

At that moment, Lin Haoran was in the Kang Le Building, talking on the phone with Huo Jianning, who was far away in Japan.

Three months have passed since Lin Haoran returned to Hong Kong from Japan; time flies like an arrow.

Over the past three months, Hongkong Land's Japanese branch has experienced rapid and unstoppable growth.

With the 2724 billion yen (approximately HK$68.1 billion) that Lin Haoran earned from Toyota stock, the well-funded Hongkong Land Group's Japanese branch naturally developed with wings, and its development speed increased significantly.

Over the past three months, Hongkong Land's Japanese branch has been very active, successfully acquiring multiple plots of land in areas such as Chuo Ward, Minato Ward, Shibuya Ward, and Shinjuku Ward, where real estate prices are expected to rise in the future.

With the Japanese real estate market currently in a slump, JKK Group's Japanese subsidiary is making a move at an extremely low cost.

In addition, Galaxy Securities' Japanese branch has also been actively acquiring shares of companies with the potential to surge during the next economic bubble, such as Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation, Toyota, Honda, Nintendo, Industrial Bank of Japan, Mitsubishi Estate, and Tokyo Electron.

Thanks to its diversified investment portfolio and its prudent and progressive investment strategy, Galaxy Securities Japan Branch appears calm and composed in this investment game.

Hit by the oil crisis, Japan's economy is now in a slump.

However, the companies that Lin Haoran has included in his investment portfolio are all high-quality choices, possessing strong technical capabilities and robust market competitiveness.

He had arranged all of this before returning to Hong Kong from Japan.

Once the economic situation recovers, especially during Japan's economic bubble period in the next few years, a significant surge in these stock prices is almost foreseeable.

"Boss, when are you coming to Japan again?" Huo Jianning asked casually after finishing his work report.

"What's wrong? Have you run into some tough problems?" Lin Haoran teased with a smile.

"No, not at all. If there are any problems I can't handle, I will definitely consult Mr. Ma Shimin. Last month, Mr. Ma even came over for two days and helped me solve many problems. He also taught me a lot of business management knowledge that I had never encountered before."

However, our investment scale in Japan is growing larger and larger, and we are often received by local government officials. If you, boss, could come and oversee things in person, our Land Group would definitely be more confident in Japan!
"Besides, I've had some profound experiences during my six months in Japan, and I'd like to discuss some thoughts with you in person. Talking about it over the phone just doesn't feel as satisfying," Huo Jianning explained with a smile.

Lin Haoran didn't press further, after all, Huo Jianning's loyalty was as high as 99 and his business acumen was outstanding, so there was really no need for him to worry too much.

Although Fok Kin-ning is still young, with the seasoned businessman Simon Ma providing meticulous guidance over the phone at any time, Lam Ho-yin has always trusted him to manage the Hongkong Land Group's Japanese branch.

As things stand, the Japanese branch of Hongkong Land Group is developing rapidly, and everything is progressing steadily on track as he had anticipated, without any mishaps, which he is quite satisfied with.

After a moment's thought, Lin Haoran slowly said, "The exact time is still uncertain. The matters at East Asia Bank have not yet been settled. I will consider going to Japan after things here are settled."

Huo Jianning nodded slightly after hearing this, and said nothing more.

After a moment of silence, he couldn't help but speak up: "Boss, Ms. Keiko Yamada mentioned to me that she misses you very much, but she's afraid of disturbing your work, so she hasn't dared to contact you."

As soon as Huo Jianning said those words, the image of Yamada Keiko instantly appeared in Lin Haoran's mind.

Since he returned to Hong Kong, he had never contacted his personal secretary and the woman he had worked with in Japan.

Although Keiko Yamada had Lin Haoran's phone number, she felt that her status was too low and never dared to call him, for fear of disturbing him.

Now, she holds a special position in the Japanese branch of the Landmark Group. As Lin Haoran's secretary, she shoulders the important responsibility of helping him oversee the Japanese businesses.

If there are any problems at work, she will naturally report them immediately;

But if things are calm and peaceful, she really can't find a suitable reason to contact Lin Haoran.

Lin Haoran's company in Japan is doing well and there haven't been any problems. She hasn't noticed anything wrong either, so Yamada Keiko naturally has no reason to contact Lin Haoran, as she's worried about bothering him.

Lin Haoran was slightly taken aback, and the corners of his mouth unconsciously turned up, a tender feeling rising in his heart.

Keiko Yamada's gentle and graceful appearance became clearer before his eyes, instantly relaxing his tense nerves.

This girl was completely loyal to him, and when he was in Japan, she managed his life and work in an orderly manner.

However, during this time, he had been so focused on the competition between East Asia Bank and Huifeng Bank that he had neglected her, and Lin Haoran felt a pang of guilt.

"This girl is always so sensible and cautious," Lin Haoran murmured softly, his eyes full of pity.

He understood that although Keiko Yamada was his secretary and woman, she always felt that she was of lowly status deep down, and even though she missed him terribly, she dared not disturb him easily.

"I understand, I'll give her a call later," Lin Haoran said with a smile.

"Okay, boss, then I won't bother you any longer," Huo Jianning said with a smile.

After hanging up, Lin Haoran didn't waste a moment and immediately dialed that familiar international phone number—his office number in Japan, where Keiko Yamada had been working since he left Japan.

The phone was answered after only a few rings, and a gentle yet professional voice came from the other end: "Hello, this is Mr. Lin Haoran's office. I am his secretary, Yamada Keiko. How can I help you?"

"Huizi, it's me." Lin Haoran's voice instantly softened, full of doting affection.

Although her beauty was indeed one of the reasons he slept with her initially, feelings for her grew unknowingly over time.

"Haoran-kun!" Keiko Yamada's voice trembled with excitement, and she almost blurted out a cry of surprise.

She gripped the phone receiver tightly with both hands, as if Lin Haoran would slip through the phone line if she let go. "Why...why did you suddenly call me?"

"I heard that someone misses me a lot," Lin Haoran joked with a smile.

Keiko Yamada felt her cheeks burning, and her heart pounded wildly in her chest like a lively little rabbit.

She gently bit her lower lip with her pearly teeth, her voice barely audible: "Haoran-jun, I really miss you, but I'm afraid of disturbing your work, so I haven't dared to contact you."

"Silly girl, when have you ever caused me any trouble? You managed so many things for me in Japan so well, thank you so much. I haven't had a chance to properly thank you yet." Lin Haoran smiled and spoke gently.

If it weren't for Keiko Yamada's reminder, he might have missed out on making so much money from Sony and Toyota.

Therefore, deep down, Lin Haoran was still very grateful to Yamada Keiko. Even though she was a Japanese girl, so what? Conquering a Japanese beauty was an honor!
Moreover, Keiko Yamada had already been completely captivated by him, both physically and mentally.

"It's no trouble at all. I'm so happy to be able to do things for you," Keiko Yamada quickly replied, her voice full of sincerity. "Moreover, the Japanese branches of the Landmark Group, Galaxy Securities, and 711-Eleven are all doing very well now, all thanks to your excellent planning and arrangements."

"Well, to be honest, I've been missing you a bit too. How about this, why don't you come to Hong Kong sometime? I'll be waiting for you there!" Lin Haoran said after a moment's thought.

After spending those months together in Japan, he truly missed this gentle and lovely girl.

He can't get away to Japan right now, but it's very convenient for Keiko Yamada to come to Hong Kong.

He may not have much else in Hong Kong, but he has plenty of houses. He can just let her stay in any one of them temporarily.

Upon hearing this, Keiko Yamada was instantly filled with joy, but then a hint of hesitation arose within her. She said softly, "Hiroshi-kun, will my coming here disrupt your work schedule and cause you any trouble?"

"Don't worry, you know my style of doing things. I always like to give my subordinates a lot of authority. This is true in Japan, and it's no exception in Hong Kong."

"Alright, I'll give Mr. Huo Jianning a call right now and have him arrange all the details, like the plane tickets. Let's set the departure date for tomorrow. I'll be waiting for you in Hong Kong tomorrow! I'll take care of everything here, so you can come over without worry. Consider it a short vacation and enjoy the unique scenery of Hong Kong." Lin Haoran said with a smile.

Keiko Yamada lowered her eyes slightly, lost in thought for a moment. Her longing for Lin Haoran surged like a tidal wave, eventually breaking through the dam of her hesitation.

She nodded gently, her voice soft yet firm: "Okay, Haoran, I will follow your arrangements."

"Okay, I'll definitely be waiting for you in Hong Kong." Lin Haoran replied gently with a smile in his eyes.

After hanging up the phone, Lin Haoran didn't waste a moment and immediately dialed Huo Jianning's number, instructing him succinctly: "Jianning, have your men book a plane ticket for Yamada Keiko to Hong Kong for tomorrow."

Immediately afterwards, Lin Haoran dialed Suzuki Toshifumi's number.

Today, Toshifumi Suzuki serves as the president of Southern Company, helping him steer the two major international convenience store brands, 711-Eleven and Lawson.

Judging from the current market landscape, in the eyes of those international retail giants, these two convenience store brands may just be small fry, and even though they are not small in scale, they are still immature in terms of market value.

But Lin Haoran knew in his heart that they would unleash amazing potential in the future.

What Lin Haoran values ​​most is the vast sales channels built by these two convenience store brands.

Through this channel, his various fast-moving consumer goods products can quickly expand into the market and achieve efficient sales.

After all, these convenience store businesses are a crucial part of his current retail business strategy.

Through a phone call with Toshifumi Suzuki, Lin Haoran also learned about the current situation of the Southern Company.

Since acquiring the Lawson convenience store brand, the number of convenience stores controlled by Southern Company has directly reached more than 7,000, nearly 8,000.

Whether viewed from an international perspective or from the perspective of chain stores, Southern Company has clearly taken a significant lead over its competitors among other convenience store brands worldwide.

After all, other convenience store brands are already very impressive with hundreds of chain stores, while Southern Company is already aiming for 10,000 stores.

It can be said that Southern Company is now the only giant in the convenience store industry!

This scale advantage not only laid a solid foundation for Lin Haoran's business empire, but also gave him a unique advantage in the fast-moving consumer goods market.

"Boss, in these three months, Southern Company has developed rapidly and continued to expand into overseas markets, especially in the Japanese market. Without Lawson as a competitor, 711-Eleven and Lawson have expanded even more rapidly."

At the beginning of the month, the total number of global chain stores of the two convenience store brands exceeded 10,000, and now it is close to 11,000. Among them, in addition to the Japanese market, the Southeast Asian market and the European market have contributed the most! Suzuki Toshifumi was quite excited when he reported.

Ten thousand chain stores! While other chain store brands are racking their brains to add a few or a dozen new stores each month, Southern Company has already surpassed ten thousand. With such a terrifying number, it is no exaggeration to say that Southern Company is the only dominant player in the convenience store industry.

The gap is too big. In the same industry, the two major convenience store brands of Southern Company have become giants, while other convenience store chain brands are still in their infancy.

"Mr. Suzuki, it seems you've exceeded the goals I set for you. But opening a store shouldn't be about blindly expanding, right?" Lin Haoran joked.

He knew, of course, that Suzuki Toshifumi would never do such a thing; otherwise, he wouldn't have invited him to be the president of the Southern Company.

When Southern Company acquired Lawson convenience stores, Lin Haoran set a goal for Suzuki Toshifumi: to have Southern Company control 10,000 convenience stores by the end of July, without blindly expanding.

In addition, the number of convenience stores under its control will reach 15,000 by the end of this year.

Now, the first goal has clearly been achieved, and achieved even better than he set for it.

"Boss, please rest assured, I, Toshifumi Suzuki, have always been focused on steady and solid progress, and I never expand blindly. Our site selection team is very experienced, and every new convenience store is determined only after detailed market research and site evaluation."

We not only considered the local population density and purchasing power, but also analyzed the surrounding competitive landscape and potential market demand.

"Take the Japanese market for example. After acquiring Lawson, a competitor, we were free from cutthroat competition, and we did accelerate our expansion. But this was all done on the premise of ensuring that our stores were profitable and that our service quality was guaranteed," Toshifumi Suzuki replied solemnly.

Lin Haoran nodded in satisfaction. Although they were on the phone, he could feel Suzuki Toshifumi's confidence and professionalism.

The reason we decided to recruit Toshifumi Suzuki, the biggest contributor to 711-Eleven, was because we knew he had exceptional talent in convenience store management.

Clearly, he didn't dig the wrong hole!
"Mr. Suzuki, I have always had unwavering faith in your abilities. This time, the Southern Company not only achieved its target ahead of schedule but also exceeded it. You deserve all the credit! I am now truly looking forward to seeing how many stores we will ultimately own this year." Lin Haoran laughed heartily, his laughter filled with satisfaction and anticipation.

"Boss, I have some good news! As our scale continues to grow, we have more confidence in negotiating prices, our bargaining power is increasing, and our profits are naturally rising accordingly. Compared to the previous Southern Company, our profits are expected to increase by about 10%!"

Moreover, as our scale expands further, we have a greater advantage in negotiating payment cycles with suppliers, allowing us to extend the original one-month payment cycle to three months.

"In this way, we can have more funds available for expansion, and we can continue to develop on a large scale on our own, without you having to invest any more money, boss!" Suzuki Toshifumi's excitement was palpable as he quickly continued his report.

Although Dairy Farm International, a subsidiary of Hongkong Land Group, is currently acquiring many major international FMCG brands and controlling an increasing number of FMCG brands, the integration of resources and the handover of management rights are complicated matters that require time to handle.

Therefore, at present, there have been no major changes to the supplier systems of 711-Eleven and Lawson convenience stores.

"Well done!" Lin Haoran praised without reservation.

"Boss, this is what I should do. I should thank you for providing me with such a great platform!" Suzuki Toshifumi said sincerely.

If Toshifumi Suzuki were still with Ito-Yokado, he would have no chance of rapidly developing 711-Eleven convenience stores by relying on Ito-Yokado's resources.

Therefore, he was very glad that he agreed to switch jobs back then, otherwise he would have really missed such a good opportunity.

After hanging up the phone, Lin Haoran unconsciously smiled, feeling exceptionally relaxed.

In Japan, everything is progressing steadily according to his expectations.

Hongkong Land's Japanese subsidiary has made precise strategic moves, acquiring prime land in high-potential areas and continuously increasing its investment scale.
Galaxy Securities' Japanese branch followed his plan closely, and the potential stocks it acquired were like treasures buried deep underground, accumulating the power to break through the soil and soar into the sky.

Under the exceptional leadership of Toshifumi Suzuki, the Southern Company forged ahead with unstoppable momentum, overcoming all obstacles.

He leaned back comfortably in his chair, his fingers tapping rhythmically on the table, his thoughts still lingering on the phone calls he had just made, savoring the exciting good news.

Just then, a rapid phone call shattered the office's tranquility.

Lin Haoran picked up his mobile phone. The number displayed on the monochrome LCD screen was clearly He Shanheng's office phone number.

He quickly pressed the answer button and said with a smile, "Uncle He, what's up?"

On the other end of the phone, He Shanheng's voice carried a hint of urgency as he asked directly, "Haoran, are you free right now?"

“I have time, Uncle He, please feel free to speak.” Lin Haoran replied with a smile.

“I have something important to report to you in person about Standard Chartered Bank. Are you still at the Kang Le Building? Should I come over to you?” He Shanheng said directly.

Upon hearing this, Lin Haoran quickly said, "Uncle He, please don't bother. I'm free right now, so I'll come to the East Asia Bank building to find you. Please take good care of yourself and don't overwork yourself."

He knew in his heart that the development of East Asia Bank was inseparable from He Shanheng, the pillar of the bank, and naturally did not want the old man to work too hard.

After all, he is already 81 years old. Although he looks quite healthy, time waits for no one, and his physical functions are not what they used to be.

Lin Haoran didn't want this highly respected elder to suffer any mishap because of some trivial matter.

"Alright, thank you for making the trip," He Shanheng said, his voice full of satisfaction.

After hanging up the phone, Lin Haoran quickly stood up, neatly straightened his clothes, grabbed his coat, and hurriedly stepped out of his private office on the 51st floor of the Kang Le Building.

As expected, the cooperation that Standard Chartered Bank had previously discussed with them to deal with Huifeng Bank must have made new progress.

A sense of anticipation arose in Lin Haoran's heart as he secretly wondered what kind of outcome Standard Chartered Bank had reached.

He wanted everything, whether it was the right to issue currency, Hengsheng Bank, or the other two conditions.

However, he also knew in his heart that Standard Chartered Bank was not one to compromise easily and would not readily agree to these conditions.

It was easy to tell from He Shanheng's tone on the phone that Standard Chartered Bank had clearly engaged in some heated negotiations with him.

As for the final outcome of the negotiations, it all depends on his boss's approval.

At this moment, he was filled with curiosity and eager to know what outcome the two sides had reached after this game.

(End of this chapter)