America: My Time

Chapter 802 The Crisis of Neon

Chapter 792 The Crisis of Neon
John didn't see anything wrong with his current situation. Everyone wants beautiful women, and he was no exception. His current carefree life was simply a benefit of his status and position. They say the higher you climb, the colder it gets, but everyone is striving to rise. Reality is cruel, society is dark, and adults know the darkness of society, whether in the US or Japan. Money and status are what give a person courage and dignity.

The madness in Japan, especially during the bubble economy, is immense, and it will only intensify when the bubble bursts. When someone is driven to desperation, they'll do anything to survive—that's reality. The day the neon bubble bursts isn't far off, because signs are already appearing.

In contrast, people in the entertainment industry like Yasuko Sawaguchi and Chisato Moritaka didn't notice any of this. However, Hitomi Kuroki and Momoko Kikuchi could vaguely sense the changes in Japan and the economic situation. After all, the Japanese stock market was currently declining and hadn't stopped as everyone expected. Considering that John had been warning them not to touch the stock market or the real estate market, this indicated that Japan's economy was in trouble, and it was a big problem. They just didn't know when it would erupt, but their instincts were keeping them cautious.

Although they tried to persuade their family members, few believed them. This made them realize how terrifying the madness in Japan was. Even their own relatives couldn't convince everyone. This shows the extent of the frenzy that the Japanese people have for the stock market and the real estate market, which shocked them.

The stock market is currently falling, but the man she's been following has already made preparations and hasn't been affected at all. Although the real estate market is still rising, John doesn't own much real estate anymore, just some resort hotels, some vacation estates, and some estate properties in Tokyo. It's a staggering difference from when Kuroki Hitomi first took over.

Upon closer examination, he realized that in such a short period of time, the man he was following had sold off most of his assets. Regardless of whether the Japanese economy fluctuated in the future, he could simply observe the situation.

"What are you thinking about, so engrossed in your thoughts?" John couldn't help but ask when he saw that Kuroki Hitomi's expression hadn't changed for a long time. John felt that such an intelligent woman might have some ideas.

"I wasn't thinking about anything in particular, but I was wondering if there was really a problem with Japan's economy. Many people are attracted to the stock market and the real estate market and are investing in them like crazy. Even my family is doing the same. Even when I try to persuade them, it doesn't have much effect. It's as if the entire Japanese population has poured into the stock market and the real estate market. It's too crazy."

Upon hearing Kuroki Hitomi's words, John smiled calmly and said, "That's right, being crazy is good. Who wouldn't want something for nothing? No need to work, just invest money in the stock market and real estate and you can get huge returns. Do you think anyone can resist such temptation? Don't think that Akina's family is greedy; actually, there are many greedy people like them in Japan right now. It's just that this kind of economic, even social, environment is abnormal. When everyone focuses on such speculative behavior, and the returns from the stock market and real estate exceed those from real businesses, what do you think will happen to the manufacturing industry? A country..." A country that loses its real economy and manufacturing sector is in grave danger, and Japan teeters on the edge of that predicament. Think about it: a fortune teller, a mere shaman, can become famous, especially in the stock market. Isn't that a joke? If fortune tellers can predict the economy and the stock market, what's the point of having economic experts? It can only be said that Japan is in a major bull market, which is why fortune tellers like her have become famous. The bigger the bubble is now, the more frenzied the Japanese people are; the more miserable they will be after the bubble bursts. No one can save them, because they won't believe the Japanese stock market will collapse, and they won't believe the housing market will fall.

"Isn't there a solution?" Hitomi Kuroki looked at John with a puzzled expression, wondering if there was no way to resolve the crisis since she knew about Japan's current situation.

It's not that there's no problem, but the opinions of Japan's top management are not aligned, and there are internal struggles among them. Most importantly, they have personality flaws, so it's destined that this crisis will not be resolved peacefully, but will instead cause a crazy upheaval, leading Japan from one extreme to another and into another predicament.

The more extravagant and extravagant these Japanese are now, the more frugal they will become once the bubble bursts. The shift from high consumption to a low-desire, aspirational era reveals a flaw in the Japanese character, a problem the Japanese leadership hadn't anticipated. Of course, John's knowledge of this isn't due to his intelligence or foresight, but rather because he possesses a cheat code.

"There's nothing we can do, nobody can do anything about it. Actually, if you knew a little more about TV Tokyo, you'd understand how much things have changed. TV Tokyo is changing now, cutting costs on programming wherever possible, all to save money. It's impossible to repeat the extravagance of the past, because there's not enough money to burn. The idol market will be in a long-term slump; bands are the future. Economic changes also affect entertainment. Momoko's timely withdrawal was the best choice. After the bubble bursts, who knows how many artists will be affected, how many will be forced to succumb to the unspoken rules. If you're unwilling to accept it then, you won't even have another chance. The agency won't have a choice either; if you're unwilling, many others will!" When idols and artists alike are caught in an economic crisis, they have no choice but to compromise. Even if you don't compromise, you'll be burdened with huge loans, and your income will be decreasing. This forces many to bow their heads and compromise—that's reality.

When the bubble bursts, even the biggest stars have to bow to life and face immense pressure. Momoko Kikuchi was able to extricate herself early, at least she doesn't have to worry about resources or declining popularity. Letting go will make her more relaxed in the post-bubble era, without having to care about so many issues.

John had advised the women around him more than once to stay away from the stock market and the real estate market. Whether they believed him or not, John didn't know. Only time would tell when the bubble burst, and that time wouldn't be long; they would know in two months.

Hitomi Kuroki and Momoko Kikuchi were well aware of this situation, as they had experienced it firsthand. Momoko Kikuchi chose to compromise and sacrifice everything for her 'career,' and fortunately, she wasn't completely taken advantage of and achieved a good outcome. However, many others sacrificed everything in vain, because you don't always reap what you sow.

While John was chatting with the beauty, the Japanese were frantically scheming, trying every possible way to gain more benefits for themselves. Although John's asking price was a bit high, they weren't too bothered, after all, it meant getting oil quickly. Now, these guys were all thinking of countermeasures.

A honey trap? Perhaps someone is plotting that, but it's hard to say how successful it will be. After all, John is not lacking in beautiful women, and they have neither the time nor the opportunity. They only have one day left, so even if they wanted to prepare, it would be impossible. Moreover, they have no idea whether John will even show up tomorrow.

John will be leaving Japan the day after tomorrow, heading to South Korea, then China and Taiwan, so they have to find another way. Akio Morita received some requests from Mitsui, since Akio Morita and John have a pretty good relationship.

Sanwa is also preparing to approach Kuroki Hitomi. They are using every connection they can. It's safe to say that many people won't be able to sleep tonight because they don't have time to rest. They need to find a solution to the problem as soon as possible.

The Japanese officials had mixed feelings about John's reaction. They hadn't expected him to offer help so readily, so they were both pleased and a little worried, and they also had some doubts about John's proposal. Could the problems in the Middle East be resolved in a short time? Many thought it was unlikely, believing that Japan needed to accelerate its oil acquisitions and reserves, otherwise it might face an oil crisis.

However, the current oil market is not one where you can simply buy whatever you want. The market is currently experiencing a situation where there are prices but no buyers, with too many people waiting and watching. Even if some people cannot withstand the pressure and sell their oil futures, they will be snapped up immediately. Therefore, it is very difficult to find buyers at this time. The only person who can acquire oil is John.

Of course, some people wanted to back down. Some felt that what John and Akio Morita said made a lot of sense. If the Japanese economy were to be affected by the oil crisis, it would be a loss that outweighed the gains. It would be better to accept John's initial suggestion and cooperate with the Middle East to sign a two-year contract to ensure that Japan's oil supply would not be affected first. As for the cost, it would be insignificant compared to the economic impact. However, if this was done, the Japanese government would bear the loss. The conglomerates would naturally be willing to accept it, but the Japanese government was unwilling to bear this loss. Therefore, there was no result, and they could only remain silent, pretending not to know what was said, and not make any statement.

(End of this chapter)