America: My Time

Chapter 146 Sea Paradise
Chapter 146 Sea Paradise

The plane landed slowly at Narita Airport, and John flew straight to Tokyo as soon as school was out for break. This trip to Tokyo was no ordinary one; there were many things to take care of, the most important being the Universal Studios Tokyo project. This was not only a blow to Disney, but also an expansion of assets in Japan. The plans had already been prepared, and they were all written by masters.

Before flying to Tokyo, John didn't inform Naoko, or even his company in Japan. Upon arriving at the garden where Naoko always lived, John was surprised to find her home. It was already dark, and her bodyguard told him that a party was going on at her house!

John was still somewhat surprised that it was just a few of Naoko's friends together. When they entered the house, everyone was startled, but Naoko immediately rushed over, excitedly saying, "Why didn't you tell me you were coming to Tokyo to pick you up?"

"I wanted to give you a surprise, but I didn't expect it to be so lively here. None of you have any schedules today, and so many people have managed to gather together!" John smiled and hugged Naoko, who had jumped into his arms, gently kissing her cheek. He was quite surprised to see so many idols gathered here!

Not all the girls present knew John, but those from Naoko's agency knew he was their boss and looked somewhat nervous. Some of the other girls recognized John, while others didn't. They all understood that Naoko's ability to live in a prestigious place like Setagaya meant she must have powerful connections. Those who knew more didn't think much of it, as some had even witnessed John chatting and laughing with a Japanese bigwig!

"Alright, don't be nervous. This is a party, don't worry so much. I'm not an unapproachable boss, so relax!" John smiled calmly at Kikuchi Momoko, the youngest girl among the idols, who seemed a little nervous, thus easing the awkward atmosphere.

John sat down and looked around at the girls in the room. He was a little surprised. Not only were there Seiko Matsuda and Yoshie Kashiwabara, whom he had met before, but also Hiroko Yakushimaru and Akina Nakamori. Not all the girls from his own agency were there. Only the group of beautiful girls, Momoko Kikuchi, Minako Honda, and Yoko Minamino, were present. Miki Imai was not there.

“You are Seiko Matsuda, and you are Yoshie Kashiwabara. We’ve met at the party!” John nodded slightly to Seiko Matsuda and Yoshie Kashiwabara, then looked at Hiroko Yakushimaru and Akina Nakamori, and smiled, “This is the first time I’ve met you two, but I know you a little bit. You are Hiroko Yakushimaru, and you are Akina Nakamori!”

John also felt a pang of regret for Nakamori Akina. It was a pity that such a girl would later be so heartbroken by love that she wanted to commit suicide. During the time when he was at odds with Warner, he had also thought about poaching Nakamori Akina from Warner, and she was one of his targets. However, he eventually gave up. There was no need to drag a girl into his struggle with Warner.

It has to be said that Naoko and these girls are very self-disciplined. The table was full of drinks, but no alcohol, not even beer. This was their own home, and these girls didn't have as many concerns as they do in public! The Japanese entertainment industry is very stressful, especially for idols. Smoking and drinking are common, and there are even quite a few who use illegal or prohibited drugs!

Seeing that John was completely unpretentious, the girls relaxed and resumed their previous conversation, which revolved around matters within the entertainment industry. When the topic turned to the assault on Seiko Matsuda, the atmosphere became somewhat somber. As idols, they were all worried about the incident and inevitably carried some lingering shadows. It was Seiko Matsuda before, and perhaps it would happen to them next time.

"Alright, don't worry so much. Just be more careful in the future. That was just an accident, and I've already gotten over it myself. Speaking of which, Naoko, your agency has the best conditions, so there's no need to worry. Maru Hiroko is Kadokawa's top choice, so her safety is guaranteed. Akina is the same, and so is Yoshie. You don't need to worry at all!" Seeing that everyone was a little worried, Matsuda Seiko spoke up to reassure them, as if she hadn't been affected at all. But was she really unaffected? That was impossible. Matsuda Seiko's change began from this moment on.

When Matsuda Seiko mentioned the agency, a hint of jealousy and envy flashed across her face. All the artists in Japan envied Elite Agency. Although the contracts were no different from other agencies, the treatment was completely different. Elite Agency had its own apartments, its artists had dedicated chauffeured cars, and the apartments were professionally cleaned and managed. Furthermore, they received strong support from TV Tokyo and Phoenix Media for promotion. Most importantly, the artists at Elite Agency faced very little pressure; the agency didn't relentlessly exploit them, constantly pushing them onto shows to extract every last penny. It could be said that Elite Agency was the most relaxed agency in Japan!
Just then, as everyone was talking animatedly and John was finding it very interesting, the butler knocked on the door and came in, whispering to John, "Sir, Mr. Akio Morita has come to visit!"

Although John hadn't made any secret of his whereabouts, he'd only just arrived in Tokyo and sat down at home when Akio Morita personally came to visit. It seemed these old guys were truly capable, getting in so quickly. Back in the US, Robert Iger had already begun his operations; the news about Universal SeaWorld had been released, and Sony was the first to approach him for cooperation! With the example of Disneyland, it was no wonder Akio Morita was in such a hurry to see him!

"Naoko, come with me to pick up Mr. Morita!" Since Akio Morita has taken the initiative to come, John can't be impolite. Moreover, John had intended to give Sony such an opportunity in his plan, but he didn't expect the other party to come so quickly. It seems that Sony is very interested in investing in the marine park.

Naoko's behavior was normal, but the other girls were shocked and even more curious about John's identity. If he was just the boss of an elite agency, it would be impossible for Sony's big boss Akio Morita to personally visit him!
John didn't ask the girls in the living room to leave; it was too late to do so now, and more importantly, there was no need. John understood Akio Morita's purpose in coming—it was definitely about Universal Studios Japan. There was no point in hiding it; since Legendary Entertainment had already taken action, nothing was a secret, and there was no need to keep it a secret!
Soon, accompanied by John and Naoko, Akio Morita and Riko entered the living room. Seeing so many girls, Akio Morita was taken aback. He hadn't expected this situation. After all, he hadn't known what had happened at John's house before his sudden visit, so it was normal for him to be surprised!
"Mr. Morita, are you here about Universal Marine Park?" John didn't mince words and went straight to the point, asking Akio Morita about his purpose, which was no secret.

"That's exactly why I came. I wonder what John thinks of Sony's investment intentions?"

"Cooperation is not a problem, but this isn't just Legendary Entertainment alone; Phoenix Media is also involved. Legendary Entertainment and Phoenix Media will hold 50% of the shares, with the remaining 50% held by various Japanese companies. It's impossible for all the shares to go to Sony. Before we cooperate, I need to make things clear: this collaboration between Legendary Entertainment and Phoenix Media to develop Universal SeaWorld is not just about building a theme park; it's also a move to put pressure on Disney. With Mr. Morita's capabilities, he must know that Disney is currently confronting Legendary Entertainment on every front, and I have to retaliate! Mr. Morita, you should think carefully before making a decision; you know this expansion plan carries certain risks."

"Disney? With Disney's capabilities, it's impossible for them to pose a threat to Legendary Entertainment. They may have some ability in animated films, but they can't compete with Universal Pictures in Hollywood. Besides, Legendary Entertainment is already the number one giant in Hollywood and the number one media giant in the United States. Why would Disney be so foolish as to go against Legendary Entertainment?"

"Legendary Entertainment may not care about Disney's small amount of power, but Disney is not the only one driving all this, and that doesn't mean Legendary Entertainment can tolerate such provocation. One Atari has not made the Hollywood giants realize the situation, and there are still people who want to target Legendary Entertainment and me. Then don't blame me for fighting back with Legendary Entertainment!"

"Sony will accept, but Disney is not enough to make Sony back down!" Under the lure of huge profits, Akio Morita naturally wouldn't care about Disney. If it were Warner, he might have some reservations, but Disney didn't have that right. Moreover, the one in front wasn't Sony, but Legendary Entertainment and John. If there was trouble, it wouldn't be Sony's fault.

"Mr. Morita, you should think this through. This time, Universal Studios Japan has also chosen Maibin in Urayasu City, Chiba Prefecture, to directly compete with Disneyland and leave them no room to back down!"

As soon as John finished speaking, Akio Morita's eyes widened instantly. This news was too shocking and too crazy. What could possibly make Universal Pictures and Phoenix Media so crazy that they would dare to confront Disney head-on, even though they were already lagging behind Disney, and in the same region!
Akio Morita didn't believe that this was just a decision John made in a fit of anger. Even if he was angry, it wouldn't have made him do something so crazy. Moreover, neither Universal Pictures, Legendary Entertainment, nor Phoenix Media would invest such a large amount of money in a counterattack. There must be some hidden reason that he didn't know about!

(End of this chapter)