World War: Battleship Arms Dealers

"This plan can be scrapped." His voice was soft, but every word was like a nail driven into the hearts of everyone present. "In the foreseeable future, the Empire will no longer allocate large sums of money to the Navy for shipbuilding. Our capital ships have been almost completely destroyed, and rebuilding them will take at least ten years and... hundreds of millions of yen."

"Are we just going to let it go like this?" Operations Chief Suzuki roared in frustration. "We can mobilize all remaining ships to organize a homeland defense! If the Lanfang people dare to come, we will..."

"They're already on their way," Intelligence Chief Hideki Yamamoto suddenly said, holding a newly delivered telegram. "Nagasaki Observation Station reports that around 10:00 AM this morning, four giant warships were spotted in the waters west of the Goto Islands, heading northwest. The ship type... matches the Lanfang Bismarck-class battleships in the intelligence."

The office fell silent once again.

Four Bismarck-class ships. That legendary monster, which just sank four Kongo-class ships, is now heading towards the Japanese mainland.

"What...what do they want to do?" The head of general affairs asked, his voice trembling.

"It could be to pursue the remaining enemy forces, or it could be..." Yashiro Rokuro paused, then uttered the most terrifying conjecture, "to launch a direct attack on the homeland."

"They're insane! They're insane!" Suzuki Kantarō jumped up. "They dare to attack the Imperial mainland with only four warships? Do they think our coastal defenses are just for show?"

"Their main guns have a longer range than our coastal defense guns," Shigetaro Shimada said dejectedly. "The Kongo was sunk outside the range of our coastal defense guns. If they follow suit and bombard the waters off Yokosuka and Kure..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but everyone understood the scene: four giant warships were patrolling near Japan's doorstep, using their massive cannons with a range exceeding 25,000 yards to destroy ports, docks, and warehouses, shell by shell. Japan's coastal defenses could only watch helplessly, unable to reach them.

"Your Excellency!" A young secretary rushed in, forgetting to knock. "The Prime Minister's Office has called, requesting your immediate presence at the Prime Minister's Official Residence! The Minister of the Army, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the Minister of Finance are already here. An emergency imperial meeting... will be held in one hour!"

What was bound to happen has finally happened.

Rokuro Yashiro slowly stood up and straightened the collar of his military uniform. His movements were slow and meticulous, as if he were attending not a life-or-death meeting, but a regular social event.

"Shimada-kun," he said to the Chief of Naval Operations, "please prepare a document for me. It should detail the ships and personnel lost in this battle, and... my resignation letter."

"Minister!" Everyone stood up.

Yashiro Rokuro raised his hand to stop them from saying what they were about to say: "There must be someone to take responsibility for defeat. I am the Minister of the Navy, and I approved the Combined Fleet's sortie. I will take responsibility for this."

He walked to the coat rack, took down the military overcoat embroidered with the insignia of a naval admiral, and carefully put it on. In the mirror, he looked fifty-six years old, his hair already gray, and the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes deep and etched.

"Gentlemen," he turned and gave one last look at his men who had followed him for years, "I'm going to a meeting. You... do your jobs. Remember, no matter what happens, the spirit of the Imperial Navy must not crumble."

He pushed open the door and went out.

The corridor was empty, save for the echoing sound of his footsteps. Sunlight streamed in through the window at the end of the corridor, casting dappled patterns on the floor. Outside, the streets of Tokyo were still bustling, with trams clanging and vendors' calls faintly audible.

The general public is unaware that this very morning, the fate of the empire has undergone a fundamental shift.

Rokuro Yashiro took a deep breath and walked towards the black sedan that was already waiting at the door. The driver opened the car door for him, and he got in and closed his eyes.

The car started and drove toward the building that would soon determine his fate.

Prime Minister's Official Residence, Conference Room, 10:30 AM

The atmosphere in the meeting room had become extremely tense.

Seated around the rectangular conference table were all the core members of the cabinet: Prime Minister Shigenobu Okuma sat in the main seat, with Army Minister Ichinosuke Oka, Home Affairs Minister, and Justice Minister on his left; and Foreign Minister Takaaki Kato, Finance Minister Reijiro Wakatsuki, and Navy Minister Rokuro Yashiro who had just arrived.

At the far end of the table sat several generals in military uniform—General Yoshimichi Hasegawa, Chief of the Army General Staff, and Vice Admiral Shigetaro Shimada, Chief of the Naval General Staff. They were there as representatives of the military.

Prime Minister Shigenobu Okuma is 67 years old this year. His hair is completely white, but his eyes are still sharp. He taps the table lightly with his fingers, his gaze sweeping over everyone present.

"Gentlemen, everyone is here. Let's begin the meeting."

He paused, then looked at Yashiro Rokuro: "Minister of the Navy, please give us an overview of the situation in the East China Sea. We need to know... exactly what happened."

All eyes were on Yashiro Rokuro.

Rokuro Yashiro slowly stood up and took out the document that Shigetaro Shimada had prepared for him from his briefcase. He didn't open it, but spoke directly:

"Your Excellency Prime Minister, colleagues. Between 6:40 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. this morning, the main force of the Imperial Navy Combined Fleet engaged in battle with the main force of the Lanfang Navy in the central East China Sea."

His voice was steady, but every word was as cold as ice: "Based on the available intelligence, the results of this battle are as follows: Our side lost four Kongo-class battlecruisers—Kongo, Hiei, Haruna, and Kirishima, all confirmed sunk. Four heavy cruisers—Chikuma, Aoba, Kinugasa, and Myoko, confirmed sunk. Thirteen destroyers, three light cruisers, and one battleship (Kawachi), confirmed sunk or severely damaged and rendered combat ineffective."

With each name he called out, the temperature in the conference room dropped a degree. By the time he finished, the entire room was as cold as an icebox.

"Preliminary estimates of personnel losses..." Yashiro Rokuro paused, "exceed four thousand. This includes Vice Admiral Tomosaburo Kato, Commander-in-Chief of the Combined Fleet, Colonel Kameto Kuroshima, Chief of Staff, as well as many captains and senior officers."

Dead silence.

A deathly silence that lasted for a full minute.

Then, Army Minister Okaichinosuke slammed his fist on the table, his gaunt face contorted with rage: "Four thousand men! Four Kongo-class destroyers! Minister Yatsushiro, tell me, how was this battle fought?!"

His voice was shrill and sharp, cutting through the air like a knife: "How much of the nation's blood tax did the Imperial Navy cost them? Forty percent of the annual budget went to the Navy! And what was the result? The result was that within an hour, the Empire's most elite fleet was handed over to the enemy?!"

"Okaichi-kun!" Foreign Minister Kato Takaaki tried to dissuade him, "Now is not the time to assign blame..."

"Not the right time? When is the right time?!" Okaichi no Suke ignored him completely and continued to roar at Yashiro Rokuro, "Your navy has been so arrogant all these years, talking about 'sea control' and 'fleet decisive battle' all the time, and in your first real decisive battle, you've lost so badly! What are you going to tell the people? What are you going to tell His Majesty the Emperor?!"