Yes, Prime Minister of Japan

Li Xinghe heard this from Gao Tiao Wuyue while he was taking care of her at the Royal Hospital.

"To be granted the title of king?"

“Yes, a title of king.” The visiting Satsuki Takajo handed the gifts to Misato Ma and Hanae Shikamikazuchi, who were lying on the bed.

Japan's policy on royal recognition, revised after the Meiji Restoration, did not address the definition of the Emperor's father. After all, at that time, succession by father and son was indeed possible.

However, the distinction between the two titles, Prince and King, is quite simple. A Prince is a male within three generations of the Emperor's direct line, while a King is a male within three generations of the Emperor's direct line.

Men outside the family.

Hua Yingmei didn't quite understand and said:

"A prince or a king, at the very least, should be a direct male descendant, right?"

Takajo May raised her eyebrows and joked:

"Yes, if the child in Qiujia's belly becomes the heir to the throne, wouldn't he be the direct father?"

Not only Hua Yingmei, but even Misato was taken aback.

Yes, since the paternal line has already been transferred, it would be only natural for Li Xinghe to be granted the title of King, or even a Prince.

Immediately, everyone understood.

"what?"

"what!"

"what……"

May was right.

Li Xinghe is qualified to be granted the title of Prince.

With such a difficult legal loophole appearing before them, it's likely that not only Li Xinghe is at a loss, but Japanese officials and ordinary citizens are probably equally bewildered. Who knows how much trouble this will cause?

Fortunately, Koizumi and Sennan's marriage, as a political symbol of reconciliation, paved the way for Li Xinghe.

Therefore, Koizumi did indeed sacrifice himself to pave the way for Li Xinghe. With him present, greater mutual concessions could be achieved between China and Japan.

While we were chatting, the phone rang.

Emmanuel, from the Qingshan Command Post, called Li Xinghe:

"Vance wants to negotiate with you. Privately."

Li Xinghe complained:

"What else could the conditions be? It's nothing more than Japan not being allowed to sell off its holdings of US Treasury bonds and instead buying about $2 trillion in 30-year ultra-long-term Treasury bonds to fill its fiscal hole. If I'm willing to back down now, it will force me to buy 100-year interest-free Treasury bonds."

However, that's not all.

Vance is so ordinary yet confident.

Ayman said:

"I'm afraid it's more than that. He probably thinks your regime could collapse at any moment, so his demands are even more outrageous. He's willing to acknowledge political reforms in Japan, but he's demanding that you provide at least 10 trillion yen... in national debt, funds, and various shares to help him alleviate the impending disaster."

Vance might still feel that Li Xinghe's regime is very unstable and could be overthrown in a coup at any time.

In light of the Yasukuni Shrine coup, Vance's judgment was not without error; Li Xinghe's regime was indeed in turmoil, with many potential rebels actively working to fight back to the death.

However, the recent reconciliation with Koizumi has changed the attitude of Japanese society. Koizumi's marriage to a Chinese immigrant did indeed alleviate a major social contradiction for Li Xinghe. Therefore, the instability of Li Xinghe's regime is a false proposition.

"No... even Zelensky wouldn't sign these terms, why should I sign them?"

Li Xinghe sent a message to Katayama Mizuo speechlessly:

“I ordered all Japanese and South Korean automakers to immediately raise the prices of their cars by 25%, to tell them that I haven’t knelt down, and they are not allowed to. At the same time, I plan to cooperate with Chinese auto repair shops in the US, Canada, and Mexico, tacitly allowing smuggled auto parts to enter the repair and warranty channels, bypassing the US auto insurance system.”

Ayman jokingly got down to business:

"It's not too late to start building aircraft carriers now."

Aircraft carriers are the backbone, aircraft carriers are our faith.

The author says:

Author's note: Thank you all for your support. 3900 words. A little less today, I'll have dinner with my mom.

Chapter 723: The Shinano's Theft of Missiles and the Emperor-Supported Socialist State (5100 words)

The special lounge at the Royal Hospital.

Li Xinghe sat side by side with Lu Yuchi and Hua Yingmei, listening to the Maliki Squad's meeting through their earphones.

Maria's serious tone as she began:

"You should know that Vance is also very angry right now, right? Be careful that he doesn't send an aircraft carrier to the Seventh Fleet, or launch a 'surgical strike' against you directly in the open sea."

Li Xinghe twirled his fingers together, mocking Vance:

"Him? A scalpel? I'll give him an eyeliner pencil; maybe he'll know how to draw eye sockets."

But despite this, Maria's instincts were never wrong. She sensed something was wrong, which meant Vance might indeed be desperate. The Pentagon and the CIA wouldn't protect Li Xinghe forever, especially after he increasingly exhibited characteristics of a dictatorial Japan.

Both Enola and Jill mentioned:

"We need missile forces that can bypass the U.S. military's electronic systems. At the very least, we need to be able to ensure our own survival."

"Yes, that is indeed a risk."

Li Xinghe rubbed his forehead.

The most powerful radar near Tokyo is the Takao, which can only operate one Aegis-equipped missile. As for field air defense systems, apart from the Type 12, which has an extremely low reserve rate, the only truly embarrassing system is the Russian-made S-series air defense missile vehicle, which is only in Li Xinghe's possession. This fully reflects the essence of Showa-era air defense: nine out of ten defenses are ineffective.

The Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) and Standard Missile-6 (SM-6) are anti-ballistic missile interceptors. Japan's current Type 03 surface-to-air missiles are outdated, heavily copied American products from the early 2000s. The new Type 23 surface-to-air missile not only has poor performance but has also been slow to be deployed on a large scale. As for the much-hyped "high-speed glide missile for island defense," that's just old technology transferred from the US Missile Defense Agency. It was said to be operational this year, but there's still no sign of it being deployed.

Scarlett O'Hara, the red-haired beauty, added:

"If Vance is determined to break ties with the Pentagon and order a large-scale halt to the use of weapons by US forces in Japan, even if we don't defect, the technical and logistical personnel of the US forces in Japan will have to leave their posts..."

Then Li Xinghe's protective umbrella would be gone, and many American-made weapons would be out of service. If the Pentagon locked down the F-35 fighter jets, the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force's obedience would be poor, and since they couldn't even destroy the Imperial Palace, they naturally couldn't stop the US military. Among the Maritime Self-Defense Force's ships, the Type 12/17 anti-ship missiles hadn't even filled the vertical launch cells. In that case, Li Xinghe would indeed be practically naked in Tokyo.

This could be said to be the reason why many Japanese prime ministers in the past were unable to take a firm stance.

The US is holding Japan by the ball.

Even Li Xinghe would be troubled by this problem.

The current problem remains: how to quickly provide Japan, or rather, the Li Xinghe coalition forces occupying Japan, with sufficient missile, fighter jet, and aircraft carrier capabilities to counter US aircraft carriers and fighter jets. This technology cannot be significantly linked to the US military, otherwise, we will continue to be held hostage.

Lu Yuchi and Hua Yingmei gripped Li Xinghe's hand tightly with worry. She didn't know anything about missiles and could only ask:

Is it dangerous?

Li Xinghe shook his head slightly:

"No, it's just preparation for a future breakdown in US-Japan relations."

It's not about how things are with Vance now; Vance lacks the ability to do big things. It's about preparing for the future.

If Vance falls from power and is replaced by a more radical far-right Republican president, or an extremely anti-China Democratic crusader, or even a dictatorial ambitionist similar to Putin and Li Xinghe, it's hard to say how much room for maneuver Li Xinghe will have left.

"How about we buy more transport planes?"

Sitting on the other side, Takajo Satsuki made the suggestion.

Gao Tiaowu was overjoyed.

She felt that she didn't even need to do her guidance plan; Li Xinghe would naturally be forced by the United States to side with China.

Rather than saying that Li Xinghe wanted to side with the United States, it would be more accurate to say that Japan, which wanted to remain neutral, had to side with one side or risk its security.

The Maleki squad unanimously said:

"Transport planes won't work; only missiles will do. Missiles are superior to planes and ships."

In terms of technology transfer, Japan holds a significant position within the Western camp. They possess the F-35 series fighter jets, the F-15/F-16, and the now-shut-down F-15/F-16 production line. If they were to acquire technology now, Lockheed Martin's F-21J awaits them. However, expecting Lockheed Martin to immediately deliver the F-21J to Japan seems less sensible than restarting F-15 and F-16 production.

Even assuming we're only discussing missile capabilities, Japan currently possesses the most convenient and rapid...

What can be introduced is a range of Israeli missile technologies.

Contemporary Israel, much like Ukraine, has become a cesspool, fragmented by the protracted Hamas war. Israel has always sold everything, and now its military is even involved in the human trafficking of Jews, not to mention the smuggling of missile technology. The problem is, they don't sell anything of quality.

One reason Israel can exist in the Middle East is the technology transfer and support from Europe and the United States. It's like a Western equivalent of Yangcheng Lake, a wellspring of knowledge and resources that China initially benefited from. However, this was only true when Western technology was advanced. As the US began its frenzied development in the new millennium, focusing on abstract concepts like littoral combat ships and Zumwalt-class destroyers, its missile technology has remained largely unchanged for 20 years, leaving Israel with only scraps.

Excluding Israel, the Middle East is currently experiencing the most rapid advancements in missile technology. The Houthis' missile technology originates from Iran, which in turn draws from the Soviet Union, with guidance from North Korea. North Korea is now a highly advanced missile technology base. Even neighboring South Korea has developed its Hyunmoo series missiles using Russia's Iskander technology.

When it comes to finding and searching for missiles, it's the brothers on the peninsula who know how to play the game.

So after some conversation, Maleki's team found the disoriented Nan Hao:

"Nam-ho-nyeo, your mission has arrived. The Maleki squad has made a collective decision: you will go to the General to discuss establishing a Japan-Korea missile technology research institute and request North Korea to send technical personnel to assist the Allied Forces in advancing missile research..."

"Me? I'll go talk to them?"

Nan Hao pointed at herself, bewildered.

Aren't you afraid the general will make exorbitant demands?

Enora gave detailed instructions:

“Let’s do it in the name of the joint forces. We need to make it clear that we are taking a different technological approach from the Self-Defense Forces and the US military. If North Korea is willing to export finished missiles, we will accept it. But they must be able to be improved and adapted to existing launchers and vertical launch systems.”

While they were busy acquiring missiles, Li Xinghe was plotting how to switch them out without the Americans finding out.

We still need to give Vance a big surprise, so that he'll be too angry to pay attention to missile research.

Therefore, Li Xinghe called directly into the president's private jet at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries:

"Now I'm going to give you a task. Enlarge the hull of the Izumo-class helicopter destroyer, add an angled deck, increase the weight to 5-7 tons or more, build it to the standard of a regular aircraft carrier, and publicly declare it to be a top secret plan of the Cabinet Office, saying that it is the second largest aircraft carrier in Asia."

"Declare?" the president of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries asked, puzzled.

How could I possibly tell anyone?

"Yes, claim."

Li Xinghe reiterated this point.

The president of Mitsubishi did not have any particular doubts. After all, Li Xinghe had taken over the mission from Kenichiro Nagumo and had been pushing forward the aircraft carrier project. It seemed reasonable that he was in a hurry to start construction and also wanted to promote it.

First, lay a large hull. This is not a problem for Mitsubishi Nagasaki Shipyard, which has dry docks for building 20-ton oil tankers.

As for what to do with the hull after it's built—whether it's an aircraft carrier, an aircraft-carrying cruiser, or simply a missile arsenal ship—we'll see when the time comes.

Now, just enough to scare Vance is enough.

Li Xinghe explained to China, Britain, and the United States:

"Nominally we'll build a large aircraft carrier, but secretly we'll import missiles. Missiles are superior to ships; this is our plan to steal the sky and change the sun."

Lu Yuchi Huayingmei had some doubts:

"What's your name?"

"Shinano".

Li Xinghe revealed another example in history: a crudely made aircraft carrier that was submerged in the sea just 17 hours after leaving the factory.

……

Late March.

With the grand Sanno Festival just over, Tokyo's investment market and financial sector are showing signs of recovery as new immigrants arrive and various infrastructure renovation projects are underway.

The influx of safe-haven funds from the United States has also propelled the Tokyo stock market into a boom, with various financial systems becoming quite active.

As the country with the largest financial investment position in the world, Japan's financial industry has been revitalized while the financial markets of other East Asian countries are declining, and it has begun to continue its overseas expansion.

Taking the opportunity, Li Xinghe announced the opening of the National Assembly at the National Assembly Hall.

This is a very large congressional meeting.

The event was attended not only by various scattered political forces since the collapse of the Liberal Democratic Party, but also by minority parliamentary parties such as the Japanese Communist Party, the Constitutional Democratic Party, the Kuomintang, and the Shinsengumi. It even included members of the Self-Defense Forces, various bureaucrats, religious leaders, representatives of the people, and even leaders of radical far-left violent groups.

Li Xinghe also pulled Deren and his wife out.

Thousands of people sat in the parliament building, and everyone was very curious.

Li Xinghe first announced to those below:

"The fiscal budget for fiscal year 2029 is 110 trillion yen. We will drastically reduce fiscal spending and allocate the majority of the funds to the welfare of the people."