Reborn Action Star: Starting in Hollywood

Chapter 476: The Battle for Control of Sony, Hammering Down the Evil Old Consortium (Large Chapter of Words)

2004, September 9, 1:8 am, Sony headquarters building.

Kazuo Hirai, head of Sony's electronics entertainment division, was dressed in a suit and had his hair carefully combed back with wax, looking smart and capable.

At this time, he tidied his appearance in front of the dressing mirror and prepared to go downstairs.

"President Hirai, it's almost time. Mr. Lin Yuan will be arriving soon." The assistant knocked on the door and reminded.

(Sony Electronics Entertainment is an independent company under the group's holdings, not a branch, so he is called the president)
"Okay, I'll go downstairs to meet him," said Kazuo Hirai.

"President, is it necessary to be so polite? Although Mr. Lin Yuan is a major shareholder of the company, it is reasonable to greet him. But will doing so really not cause dissatisfaction from Mr. Mitsui?" asked the assistant.

The Mr. Mitsui mentioned by the assistant is Morio Mitsui.

He is the head of the Mitsui Group, which owns a 7.2% stake in Sony Group.

The reason why Kazuo Hirai was able to rise through the ranks in the Sony Group was because of the support he had from Morio Mitsui.

Hearing his assistant's advice, a hint of determination flashed in Kazuo Hirai's eyes.

The assistant has been with him for many years and is his absolute confidant. The opinions he puts forward are naturally based on his perspective and consideration for him.

The current Sony Group CEO Nobuyuki Idei is backed by the international faction, which is mainly composed of Wall Street capital and is the largest faction in the company.

The local faction represented by Morio Mitsui is an alliance centered on Japanese conglomerates and is the second largest faction in the company.

Where there are people, there are factions. Factional struggles and factional attacks are inevitable in any human organization.

Today, Lin Yuan, as a representative of the international faction, came to the company to attend the board meeting, which is bound to bring about open and covert struggles.

In order to build momentum for Lin Yuan, CEO Nobuyuki Idei organized a large group of employees to welcome his arrival downstairs.

As a member of the local faction, I shouldn't go downstairs to greet Lin Yuan.

In the eyes of Morio Mitsui, this would definitely be considered a betrayal.

But the fact is...

Kazuo Hirai did betray.

He had made up his mind to completely change his ways and jump onto Lin Yuan's chariot.

The assistant didn't know how much influence Lin Yuan had in the company, but based on the intelligence he had secretly collected, Kazuo Hirai knew that shareholders with nearly 40% of the shares had already sided with Lin Yuan.

The local faction represented by Morio Mitsui only holds 24% of the shares, which is a huge disparity in power.

Of course, in addition to these two major factions, there is also a neutral faction with a 36% stake.

Their attitude can be said to determine who will ultimately be in charge of Sony.

If the neutral faction supports the local faction, then the equity ratio will reach 60%, which will enable them to have relative control over the company and have the right to decide on senior personnel appointments and dismissals.

If the neutral faction supports the international faction, it will be even more serious. The equity ratio will reach 76%, exceeding the two-thirds absolute controlling rights.

It's not just about personnel appointments and dismissals, but also about the core areas like company charters and financial systems, where the international faction has the final say.

All this shows that who holds the core power of Sony depends on the attitude of the centrists.

So the question is, which side will these 36% of neutrals support?

If this question was asked two years ago, Kazuo Hirai's answer would be: I don't know.

Because the neutral faction is not just one person, but a collection of more than 200 institutions from dozens of countries.

With so many investors, even if they are bound together by a joint action agreement, they are still divided into more than 20 groups.

Their interests and attitudes are constantly changing, making it difficult to figure out their positions.

In the same board meeting, the previous issue may support you, but the next issue may be against you.

Therefore, the attitude of the neutrals is the most elusive. They are like the company's floating weights, dynamically balancing every confrontation and every issue.

But in Kazuo Hirai's view, this balance has been broken.

With the appearance of Lin Yuan, this was completely broken.

Kazuo Hirai truly admires Lin Yuan from the bottom of his heart.

The Japanese have a natural admiration for the strong, and Lin Yuan's legendary rise in the past few years has amazed Kazuo Hirai.

What shocked him even more was that strong people are often disliked and not very popular. This is human nature.

But Lin Yuan is not only not annoying, but is loved by countless people around the world.

This is outrageous.

But what's even more outrageous is that he is not only likable, but he can also make money with everyone and bind allies with interests.

Lin Yuan has not been on Sony's board of directors for long.

In such a short time, he has firmly grasped Sony's film and television division, the new Columbia Pictures, and Sony's LCD project, a joint venture between Sony and Samsung.

The huge success of these two business segments has allowed Sony's shareholders to enjoy extremely generous returns, and naturally won the favor of a large number of shareholders.

This of course includes a large number of neutral shareholders.

At this time, these neutral shareholders have not had the opportunity to express their attitudes in a public setting, so some people are still pretending not to know.

But Kazuo Hirai believes that today's board meeting will definitely be the stage for Lin Yuan to make a stunning debut.

He would never want to stand against Lin Yuan. Doing so would be like a mantis trying to block a car, which would only be ruthlessly crushed.

If it weren't for the stubbornness of the local faction represented by Morio Mitsui, who actually wanted to snipe Lin Yuan's proposal today, Kazuo Hirai might not have wanted to join Lin Yuan's side.

After all, changing one's job is a very risky thing.

But when the chariot he was riding was about to crash into a high steel wall, smashing it into pieces and bleeding, Kazuo Hirai had to find a new way out for himself.

He is only 44 years old this year, which is the prime age for a man. If he sits on the bench for ten years because of failure in factional struggle, all his ambitions will fade as he grows older.

Three days ago, he expressed his desire to join the company to Lin Yuan through Director Yui Aragaki.

As a token of his allegiance, he also leaked Mitsui Shigeo's plan to Lin Yuan.

Once the arrow is shot, there is no turning back. Now he has only one way to go, which is to go all the way to the end.

Kazuo Hirai believes that this newly crowned world's richest man will definitely become the benefactor who helps his career take off next time.

"Let's go. From today on, we are Mr. Lin Yuan's people." said Kazuo Hirai.

"Nani?"

The assistant was obviously quite surprised. He didn't know when his immediate boss got in touch with Lin Yuan.

"Some people cannot see the wheel of time and want to stop a chariot with their bare hands. We cannot be crushed along with them. This is the wisest choice," explained Kazuo Hirai.

"That's great! President! I have long wanted to be loyal to Mr. Lin Yuan instead of working for that sinister old man Morio Mitsui. This is really wonderful!" The assistant quickly accepted the fact and cheered.

"Then let's go. We will be different after today." Kazuo Hirai straightened his already neat clothes again and walked downstairs.

When Kazuo Hirai arrived at the first-floor lobby, he immediately saw CEO Nobuyuki Idei and a group of executives from his faction.

They were also dressed in suits and were eagerly waiting for Lin Yuan's arrival.

Behind the company's management, there were a large number of company employees standing, holding various welcome banners in their hands, which looked quite grand.

What was even more surprising was that reporters from major media outlets also swarmed on both sides of the gate.

Not only local news media, but also press bureaus of various countries in Tokyo have sent their best reporters to gather here.

They all regarded Lin Yuan’s visit today as the most valuable news, so how could they miss this opportunity?

Seeing this scene, the assistant couldn't help but sigh, "Mr. Lin Yuan is so impressive! Even if the Prime Minister visited Sony Group, there wouldn't be such a grand ceremony. But considering Mr. Lin Yuan's status as the world's richest man, it seems quite reasonable."

Kazuo Hirai nodded and felt more at ease: the stronger Lin Yuan was, the more correct his decision to change his ways would be.

"It's a wise decision to choose Mr. Lin Yuan!" the assistant continued.

Hirai Kazuo said firmly: "In the future, we will definitely be grateful for our decisiveness on this day."

After saying that, he strode forward, walked into the crowd welcoming Lin Yuan, and came to a seat in the first row.

Nobuyuki Idei seemed quite surprised to see Kazuo Hirai coming.

Of course Nobuyuki Idei knew this rising star of the company, but wasn't he Shigeo Mitsui's man?

Why did he come to greet Lin Yuan?
Is he Lin Yuan's man? When did he get in touch with Lin Yuan?

Sony CEO Shinichi Idei was completely unaware of this information, but as a veteran with decades of experience in the workplace, he quickly understood:

Lin Yuan began to cultivate his own agents within the company.

This behavior of bypassing Nobuyuki Idei and directly interfering in the company's personnel affairs will definitely make him feel unhappy.

Then, Idei Nobuyuki pointed to the back row and said, "The front row is full. President Hirai, please stand in the second row."

Kazuo Hirai was stunned for a moment, and immediately guessed what Nobuyuki Dei was thinking.

But he didn't say anything, just smiled and did it.

He understood the mentality of wanting to protect one's food, and Hirai Kazuo also understood that Idei Nobuyuki wanted to express his dissatisfaction in this way.

But he didn't care. With Yui Aragaki acting as the go-between, even if he stood a little behind, Lin Yuan would still see him. That was enough.

Even standing in the back row and showing that he doesn't get along with Nobuyuki Idei would be a plus.

Therefore, Nobuyuki Idei did not resist at all. He smiled and went to an inconspicuous corner of the second row with his assistant and stood there.

"This old man Nobuyuki Idei is so mean that he actually wants to exclude you." The assistant said in a low voice.

"It doesn't matter, it doesn't matter at all. Our future depends on Mr. Lin Yuan, and we don't need to care about President Deguchi's attitude." Hirai Kazuo replied.

After comforting his assistant, Kazuo Hirai stood upright.

He raised his head and looked at the familiar window on the 26th floor. He knew that his "former backer" Morio Mitsui should be standing there, watching the scene in front of him.

Kazuo Hirai knew that there was no turning back for him. This was not the first time he had gambled on his fate, and he believed that he would not lose.

He waited silently for Lin Yuan's arrival.

Kazuo Hirai's calmness surprised Nobuyuki Dei.

He originally thought that Kazuo Hirai would be angry, or at least not so cooperative.

However, Hirai Kazuo's performance suddenly brought a strong sense of crisis to Nobuyuki Igai:
Is it because of my recent success that I feel so proud?
The next moment, Nobuyuki Idei immediately reached into his trouser pocket and pinched his thigh hard.

The sharp pain coming from his thigh immediately made Nobuyuki Izumi feel much calmer.

Suddenly, he seemed to realize something, and cold sweat broke out on his back.

Idei Nobuyuki cursed himself in his heart:
"You're just a housekeeper! Mr. Lin Yuan is already the owner of the company! What qualifications do you have to be dissatisfied?"

"Don't say that Mr. Lin Yuan just wants to support a few of his own people. Even if he wants to replace you, you must approach him with a smile and let him do this comfortably!"

"Are you getting carried away now? Are these recent outstanding performances your own? How dare you treat Sony like your own little piece of land?"

A series of self-blames immediately made him realize his mistakes and made him understand how dangerous his previous mentality was.

Although Nobuyuki Idei had great ambitions but little talent, the biggest reason why he was able to climb to the position of CEO of Sony was that he had an upward management ability similar to that of Indians.

He knows how to position himself correctly. He knows that as the CEO, he is actually just a senior employee and not the owner of the company's shares.

If he wants to stay in the CEO position, he must get Lin Yuan's support, otherwise he may be replaced immediately.

Has Kazuo Hirai been in contact with Lin Yuan for a long time?
How will Lin Yuan look at me if I exclude him like this?

A series of thoughts flashed through Shinji Idei's mind.

So he immediately ran to Kazuo Hirai who was sitting in the second row and said with a smile, "President Hirai, I was rude just now."

"President Idei, you are so polite. You have done nothing rude."

"How can I let you stand so far back? Please stand next to me. Let's welcome Mr. Lin Yuan together."

After saying that, Nobuyuki Idei did not allow Kazuo Hirai to refuse and pulled him to stand in the middle of the front row.

Unable to refuse such a kind offer, Kazuo Hirai had no choice but to let him go.

Only a moment later, a black Bentley appeared in front of them.

This car was the one that Lin Yuan and GAKKI were riding in.

They have two cars in total, a small red Toyota, which is used for daily travel and is low-key and will not attract other people's attention.

The other black Bentley is used for business occasions that require more formality.

The vehicle drove to the front of the Sony building, and Lin Yuan and GAKKI got out of the car.

Nobuyuki Idei immediately stepped forward and took the initiative to shake hands with Lin Yuan.

The media also took action, with cameras clicking and flashes flashing non-stop.

Will the world's richest man, Lin Yuan, visit Sony Group and bring new changes?

Once a news report like this is released, it will immediately receive a large number of readers. Which media outlet would not want to compete for such hot news?
Both Hayashi Gen and Idei Nobuyuki are quite experienced and they know how to cooperate with the media.

The two of them kept changing angles while talking, allowing media from different directions to take satisfactory photos.

After doing all this, Lin Yuan let go of Izumi Nobuyuki's hand and walked towards Hirai Kazuo with a smile.

Seeing this scene, Nobuyuki Idei immediately felt relieved:

It turns out that Lin Yuan has a relationship with Hirai Kazuo. Fortunately, I didn't do anything stupid just now, otherwise it would be embarrassing.

Lin Yuan walked up to Hirai Kazuo, smiled, and extended his hand, saying, "Nice to meet you. I heard Aragaki Yui mention you before. You're great!"

Lin Yuan, 22 years old this year, said such words to Hirai Kazuo, who is twice his age, and it did not make Hirai Kazuo feel uncomfortable at all.

On the contrary, he was very happy.

What does age matter? He's qualified! He's a leader!

The less your leader cares about these details, the more it shows that he treats you as his own.

Hirai Kazuo then firmly grasped Lin Yuan's right hand with both hands: "I have been looking forward to meeting you for a long time. Could you please give me some time later? Could you please personally guide me on my work?"

Lin Yuan nodded: "Okay, let's wait until after the board meeting. Let's go in now and don't keep the shareholders waiting for too long."

"Okay, please come this way." Kazuo Hirai led the way attentively.

Looking at the smiling middle-aged man, Lin Yuan couldn't help but sigh in his heart:

Who would have thought that this man with a somewhat fawning smile was the toughest CEO of Sony Group in his previous life?
In his previous life, Kazuo Hirai came from Sony's entertainment department. Before taking the position of CEO, he worked in Sony Music and Sony Games departments.

His greatest achievement was cleaning up the mess for Nobuyuki Idei.

The success of the three projects, PS3, PSP and PSV, helped Sony turn losses into profits and ended its long period of sluggish decline.

In terms of ability, among all the Sony presidents in the next 20 years, Kazuo Hirai may be the most capable one.

Therefore, when Lin Yuan learned from GAKKI-chan that Hirai Kazuo was willing to surrender and had submitted a letter of allegiance.

Lin Yuan chose to accept him immediately.

After all, Nobuyuki Idei was not someone he personally trained. Although he cooperates with him now, his abilities are limited and he is a bit older, so he will definitely be replaced in the future.

In Lin Yuan's vision, Nobuyuki Idei would stay in the position of CEO for another three to four years, during which time he would train Kazuo Hirai.

The next few projects that he wanted to implement at Sony could be handed over to Kazuo Hirai.

This will not only allow Lin Yuan's intentions to be perfectly implemented, but also allow Hirai Kazuo to gain enough reputation to climb up the position step by step.

Now he is still the head of a subsidiary, and he is at least three or four steps away from the position of CEO, which will take some time.

When the time is right, Kazuo Hirai will take over Nobuyuki Dei's shift, which will be a seamless transition.

By then, his control over Sony Group will be further strengthened. Hirai Kazuo led the way, and Lin Yuan and GAKKI-chan, accompanied by Idei Nobuyuki, went to the large conference room on the 15th floor of the building.

Sony Group's board of directors and shareholders' meeting will be held there at 9 am this morning.

Let me explain a little more here. The board of directors is similar to the standing committee in China and can decide on various daily work matters.

However, when it comes to amending the company's articles of association and major matters stipulated in the company's articles of association, a vote by the shareholders' meeting is required.

Some matters that concern the vital interests of all shareholders may even require the consent of more than two-thirds of the shares before they can be passed.

Today, there are two important matters that require the vote of the shareholders' meeting.

Although they are said to be two different things, strictly speaking, they can be considered the same thing.

This matter infringed upon the fundamental interests of the local faction represented by Morio Mitsui, so they decided to attack Lin Yuan's proposal.

Hirai Kazuo's token of allegiance was to reveal this matter to Lin Yuan in advance.

For Lin Yuan, Hirai Kazuo's willingness to pledge his allegiance is important, but the pledge itself is not important.

Because he has absolute confidence that he can overcome any obstacles.

Whether Kazuo Hirai leaked the information to him in advance would not affect the final result.

Lin Yuan and GAKKI came to the large conference room where major shareholders and company executives were sitting on the podium.

Small and medium-sized shareholders sit in the audience.

Lin Yuan's seat was located right in the middle of the rostrum. This was an arrangement made by Idei Nobuyuki, which fully highlighted his status.

GAKKI-chan couldn't go up to the podium, so she sat down below.

Lin Yuan came to the podium alone and sat in his seat.

As soon as he sat down, he noticed the man next to him: Morio Mitsui.

Morio Mitsui is over 60 years old. Today he is wearing a neat black kimono embroidered with exquisite golden dragon patterns, which makes him look solemn and luxurious.

Although his hair is gray, it is still combed meticulously, revealing his rigor and respect for details.

His thick, slightly arched eyebrows give him an impression of fortitude and determination, his straight nose and the subtle smile that often lingers at the corners of his mouth convey a calm and confident air.

This is a person who has been in a high position for a long time, is stubborn and free-spirited, and is difficult to get along with.

Lin Yuan came to this conclusion through his talent of "Life is a Play".

It was obvious that Shigeo Mitsui was dissatisfied with Lin Yuan sitting in the C position, and his eyes expressed it all.

Because he did not take the initiative to greet Lin Yuan, Lin Yuan naturally ignored him.

Lin Yuan treated him as if he were air and ignored him, and kept communicating with Nobuyuki Deji on the other side.

This scene made Mitsui Shigeo even more dissatisfied. He snorted and said, "The distinction between the superior and the inferior, the order of seniority, is uneducated!"

He was making a veiled comment, implying that Lin Yuan did not take the initiative to say hello, did not understand the concept of seniority, and lacked manners.

Lin Yuan was quite amused: "Are you used to being the boss on this cramped island of Japan? Where do you get the confidence to talk about hierarchy with me?"
So, he sarcastically said, "The most important human relationship is between father and son. Who is this person who is uneducated?"

"You!" When Mitsui Shigeo heard Lin Yuan's answer, he was furious.

Lin Yuan didn't say it clearly, but Mitsui Shigeo could fully understand the subtext:

Lin Yuan is of Chinese descent, whether you consider him Chinese, American, or both.

One of these two countries was Japan's father country in ancient times, and the other is Japan's father country today.

In a father-son relationship, what qualifications do you have to take advantage of your seniority?
You are not worthy of talking about hierarchy in front of me!
Lin Yuan didn't give him any chance to retort, and immediately said, "I am the 'Sword God' of the Japanese Kendo world. The Emperor has accepted me as his master and has performed the ritual of a disciple. What gives you the right to act like an elder in front of me?"

"You!" Mitsui Shigeo became even angrier, but he couldn't say a word.

After this year's Kendo Conference, Lin Yuan's status as the Sword God was officially recognized by Japan.

The emperor presented him with a letter of apprenticeship and accepted him as his disciple.

Although the two were only master and apprentice in name only, they had never met formally and had not really imparted any knowledge.

But the authorities need Lin Yuan to continue to hold kendo conferences to help Japan promote the influence of kendo around the world, and Lin Yuan doesn't mind getting an honor for free.

Although it was just a formality, having the emperor worship him as his teacher would also bring him many conveniences.

Isn’t this useful now?
In Japan, the emperor is the incarnation of God and is known as the "eternal dynasty."

The so-called "eternal lineage" refers to the fact that the emperor of Japan has always been a member of the same family since the establishment of Japan. Simply put, there has never been a change of dynasty.

Even in modern times, the emperor is still glorious and sacred in the hearts of many Japanese.

But Lin Yuan became the emperor's teacher thanks to his kendo, which was enough to make him nominally superior wherever he went in Japan.

Morio Mitsui controls Japan's largest Mitsui Group, which includes 25 super-large enterprises including Mitsui Bank, Mitsui & Co., Toshiba, Toyota Motor... with total assets exceeding 13 trillion yuan!
Japan's conglomerates are even more exaggerated than South Korea's chaebols.

As a first-tier conglomerate (chaebol), the Mitsui Group's total assets amount to 13 trillion yuan, while the Samsung Group's total assets are only 2.4 trillion yuan.

Many Chinese people know that there are three things that Koreans cannot escape in their lives: death, taxes and Samsung.

Samsung is already so exaggerated, but compared with the Mitsui Group, it is still a little brother.

From the perspective of power and controlled resources, even though Lin Yuan is now the richest man in the world, he is still no match for Morio Mitsui.

Because even if the other party's wealth is not as great as his own, he can control the behemoth Mitsui Group and the resources he can mobilize are far greater than his own.

In fact, if possible, Lin Yuan did not want to go against Mitsui Shigeo.

Harmony brings wealth. Direct conflict with local tyrants like the Mitsui Group is just a dispute of personal feelings and will bring no benefits.

But Lin Yuan's proposal today does not allow him to back down, so the conflict between him and the Mitsui Group is inevitable.

This is a fundamental dispute over the route, and there is no possibility of compromise.

Therefore, Mitsui Shigeo should have also seen this point, which is why he was so rude to Lin Yuan.

Otherwise, considering the benefits that Lin Yuan has brought to Sony in the past two years, the Mitsui Group, as a major shareholder, is also a beneficiary and there is no need to stand against Lin Yuan.

"I will absolutely not support your proposal today!" Shigeo Mitsui couldn't argue with Lin Yuan, so he could only angrily change the subject to show his toughness.

Lin Yuan smiled and shook his head: "This is Sony! Not Sony Japan! We can't allow you to cover up everything with one hand."

When Mitsui Morioh heard Lin Yuan's words, his face turned pale and red.

Because what Lin Yuan said hit his soft spot:

Sony is not a Japanese company. How can you, a comprador agent of a vassal state, be so confident that you have the final say?

Why is Sony's equity so confusing?
Isn’t it because the majority of shareholders behind it are European and American capital?

Do you want to affect Dad's interests?

Don’t you even consider whether the soldiers at military bases like Yokosuka and Kadena would agree?
Lin Yuan never thought that there would come a day when he would take advantage of the power of another to bully others.

But this trick was obviously very effective, and Mitsui Shigeo's expression said it all.

Among so many companies in Japan, Sony is a European and American company disguised as a Japanese company.

This is also the reason why Lin Yuan chose Sony among a number of Japanese companies to compete for control.

This company has no original sin (it was established after World War II), has a complex equity structure, represents the interests of European and American investors, and is his best infiltration target.

Now, Lin Yuan not only wants to take control of the Sony Group, but also wants to steer Sony's chariot in the direction he wants.

This is something that Shigeo Mitsui doesn't want to see, so there will inevitably be a conflict between the two, and neither side can avoid it.

"Just wait and see whether I can do it or not!" said Morio Mitsui hatefully.

Lin Yuan stopped talking to him and sat down quietly in his seat.

Soon, the shareholders' meeting began.

We followed the planned process and proceeded one by one. There is nothing much to elaborate on.

Soon, it was time to vote on some major issues.

Some of these issues were passed and some were rejected, and each issue was a major issue related to the company's core interests.

Lin Yuan also used his equity and influence to vote.

Basically, all the issues he supported were passed, and all the issues he opposed were rejected.

When Lin Yuan showed such dominance, Mitsui Shigeo's face became even darker.

He didn't expect that in such a short period of time, Lin Yuan's influence on Sony Group had reached such a level.

Not to mention the support of the international faction, I didn’t expect that most of the neutral faction also chose to support him.

Fortunately, the local faction, as their core base, still surrounded Mitsui Shigeo, which made him feel a little better.

At this point, the last two and most important issues came to the vote.

In fact, the essence of these two topics is the same, so they are discussed together:
Suggestions on transferring LCD display production capacity to mainland China

Suggestions on Expanding Joint Ventures in Mainland China for the White Goods Sector

These two agenda items were distributed to all shareholder representatives before the shareholders' meeting.

The first topic was Lin Yuan's suggestion to move the LCD display production line to mainland China in order to pursue higher profits.

"I don't agree! This is simply aiding the enemy! We can transfer production lines for labor-intensive industries to mainland China, but technology-intensive industries like LCD screens? What can we do if mainland China learns them?" said a shareholder representative of the Fuji Group.

He was obviously a spokesperson for the local faction and expressed his dissatisfaction with Lin Yuan's proposal.

Lin Yuan smiled and said, "Excuse me, does Japan have a monopoly on the core technology patents for LCD displays? Does it constitute a technological barrier? President Dejing, please answer this question."

Nobuyuki Idei stepped forward and replied, "Not really. Germany, South Korea, Japan, and the United States all have some of the technology, and current technology doesn't constitute a technological barrier. It can be bypassed and surpassed by later entrants."

Lin Yuan continued, "Dear shareholders, this is very clear. We cannot eat this piece of cake alone and keep others out.

Now our LCD display screen has the largest market share, which has led our competitors to form an alliance and start to join forces to encircle us.

If we cannot further reduce production costs and leave a higher profit margin, the future will be very bleak in the fierce competition."

"In the field of commercial competition, one step ahead means one step ahead at every step. If we cannot maintain our leading advantage, then once our opponents seize the initiative, we will fall into a vicious cycle, constantly being beaten and missing the current opportunity." Nobuyuki Idei added to Lin Yuan.

"I understand that Mr. Lin Yuan wants to take advantage of low costs, but why not choose countries like Vietnam, the Philippines, and India, but insist on moving to China?" the Fuji Group shareholder continued to ask.

Lin Yuan replied: "Because of the difference in infrastructure and the gap in high-quality labor force. The countries you mentioned cannot be compared with mainland China at all.

Did you know that in mainland China, the government provides free access to industrial land for foreign technology companies, including the "five connections and one leveling"—water supply, electricity, roads, communications, drainage, and land leveling—after the land is fully serviced? This saves a lot of money!

Do you know the benefits of engineers in mainland China? In those countries, let alone the salary levels, you can't even find enough engineers.

After hearing Lin Yuan’s reply, the shareholder representatives present nodded one after another.

Morio Mitsui couldn't stand it any longer. He picked up the microphone and said, "The LCD project isn't just up to Sony. We need Samsung Group's approval. Isn't it too early for us to discuss this issue now?"

His purpose is very simple. Under the current unfavorable situation, he adopts the strategy of procrastination and postpones the issue to the next shareholders' meeting.

This means a time difference of more than half a year. After all, the shareholders' meeting cannot be held at any time, and it would be good if it could be held once every six months.

Many companies only have the opportunity to hold a shareholders' meeting once a year.

As long as this shareholders' meeting can be delayed, countless variables will arise, and this matter may fail if it is delayed too long.

I have to say that Morio Mitsui's methods are quite sophisticated.

In response to Mitsui Morio's move, Lin Yuan smiled and took out an agreement. "Mr. Mitsui, you don't have to worry about Samsung Group's opinion. I have obtained their authorization, and I can agree to this issue on behalf of Samsung Group."

Mitsui Shigeo felt very uncomfortable when he saw Lin Yuan easily resolve his attack.

He said stubbornly, "After all, this matter involves too much. Shouldn't we be more conservative and take it one step at a time? How can we be so radical and reckless?"

Lin Yuan laughed.

Seeing Lin Yuan's smile, Mitsui Shigeo's heart skipped a beat again. He felt that his intention was going to fail again.

Lin Yuan said confidently: "Your concerns are reasonable, but we can't throw the baby out with the bathwater and avoid doing anything when we see a little risk.

We Chinese have a saying: Cross the river by feeling the stones.

Reducing risk is simple: we will keep the existing production lines in place for now and move new production lines to expand capacity to mainland China.

Once the new factory is put into production, we will speak based on the actual results.

If the factory in mainland China performs well, it will not be too late to move the remaining production lines there in batches.

What do you think about doing this?"

After hearing Lin Yuan's answer, the shareholder representatives present nodded.

Lin Yuan didn't just throw out a suggestion and paint a rosy picture for everyone.

The bright prospects of cost reduction and soaring profits described in the proposal are certainly attractive, but shareholders are more concerned about the feasibility of the plan and how to deal with risks.

After all, most people are more afraid of losing money than making more money.

Loss aversion is human nature. When Lin Yuan proposed a complete supporting plan, the shareholder representatives immediately realized that the risks were controllable and the benefits were considerable.

Then they will definitely choose to support Lin Yuan.

Seeing this scene, Morio Mitsui felt very powerless.

He knew that it might be difficult for him to stop Lin Yuan in this sense, but he did not expect the situation to be so overwhelming and the situation on the field was completely one-sided.

"Do we need to vote on this issue?" asked Nobuyuki Idei.

"Forget it, that's not necessary. I don't object." Morio Mitsui shook his head.

The voting process will only begin when a certain number of shareholders express opposition.

Seeing that Lin Yuan was bound to succeed on this issue, Mitsui Shigeo no longer asked for a vote.

Otherwise, if there is a real vote and the support rate is extremely high, it will only greatly increase Lin Yuan's momentum.

Everyone will think that Lin Yuan is unstoppable, which would be really bad.

Of course, Shigeo Mitsui would not do such a thing as to boost the enemy's morale and destroy his own prestige.

If you insist on doing something knowing it is impossible, the consequence will only be greater losses. He still understands the principle of giving up when necessary.

"Since there isn't a specified percentage of shareholders who object, this issue will be passed directly!" said Nobuyuki Idei, who presided over the shareholders' meeting.

"Let's move on to the next topic, which was also raised by Mr. Lin Yuan: 'Suggestions on Expanding Joint Ventures in Mainland China in the White Goods Sector.'"

"I object! I strongly oppose!" As soon as the issue was raised, Morio Mitsui shouted.

He no longer cared about letting his younger brothers charge forward for him, but chose to jump out himself.

We can no longer give Lin Yuan the opportunity to prejudge and mislead the shareholder representatives.

Morio Mitsui said: "The white goods industry is not only the lifeblood of the Sony Group, but also the pillar industry of Japan as a whole. How can it be transferred to mainland China?
Everyone knows that teaching your apprentice will starve you to death.

Unlike LCD displays, we cannot defend that field. Instead of letting others take advantage of it, we might as well make more money from it.

But this is not the case in the white goods sector, we can completely stop it!
We must firmly grasp this piece of cake in our hands to maintain the blood-sucking ability of this pillar industry of Japan."

After saying that, Mitsui Shigeo sat back in his seat.

He was worried that many shareholder representatives would be brainwashed by Lin Yuan without understanding the interests involved and would stand on Lin Yuan's side.

Now that he has made his point clear, it will be difficult for Lin Yuan to change everyone's opinion.

Looking at Mitsui Shigeo's smug gaze, Lin Yuan smiled again.

Lin Yuan's smile made Mitsui Morio's heart skip a beat again.

(End of this chapter)