sbdcsierra Chapter 1675 3 years
Chapter 1675 3 years
Chapter 1675 Thirty Years
Do you know Kenzo Matsumura?
Li Xuewu waited until they all left before taking a shower and changing his clothes, but before he could come out of the bathroom and put on his shirt, Gao Yaqin came back.
"Don't you care at all?"
He stretched his shirt somewhat helplessly, trying to cover his chest where the other person was staring. "There's a difference between men and women, comrade."
"Since we're all comrades now, why bother with the guards—" Gao Yaqin reluctantly looked away after seeing him put on his shirt.
It wasn't that she liked Li Xuewu; it was just that middle-aged women couldn't help being attracted to youth and strength.
Li Xuewu usually dresses in a somewhat old-fashioned way to conceal his youth, but when you suddenly see his chest muscles, you can't help but take your eyes off him.
He understood that Gao Yaqin's lust was very simple, without any emotion, so he didn't care much.
Consider it a compliment to myself.
But Gao Yaqin didn't intend to praise him. Instead, she glanced at him and complained, "You're so stingy."
"When I return to China, if my older brother is home, I'll come to your house and give you a proper tour."
Li Xuewu twitched the corner of his mouth and laughed, "See if your big brother won't beat you up."
"If he were as strong and fit as you, I would be satisfied even if he was all looks and no substance—" Gao Yaqin sighed and spoke her mind.
However, for a female cadre who has been married for many years and whose child is in middle school, such teasing doesn't put her under any pressure.
Just as many people in later generations do not believe, female squad leaders in the army are the most skilled at scolding people, while male squad leaders are all inferior.
"What's this?" Li Xuewu glanced at the card in her hand and asked, "Why did you suddenly decide to ask about Matsumura Kenzo?"
He will be at the banquet tonight.
Gao Yaqin raised her eyebrows, handed him the card in her hand, and explained, "This is an invitation that Director Han just sent over."
"What do you mean? An invitation?"
Li Xuewu glanced at her with some surprise, then took the invitation and examined it. It was indeed a very cultured and elegantly designed invitation.
Do you know the difference between an invitation card and a formal invitation?
Some might think that in ancient times, when scholars made friends, the greeting boxes and invitations they exchanged were more formal and solemn than invitations.
Actually, quite the opposite is true. A visiting card is a visiting card, and an invitation card is an invitation card. Invitations tend to be more casual, while invitations are more formal.
The invitation in his hand was sent in the name of Kenzo Matsumura, inviting representatives of the Red Steel Group to his home in Shirokanedai, Tokyo, tomorrow evening.
"You're asking me if I know him?"
Li Xuewu chuckled as he put down the invitation and looked at Gao Yaqin, asking, "So, the other party is here for me?"
"Your extraordinary abilities are unfathomable in my eyes." Seeing his reaction, Gao Yaqin realized she had misunderstood and teased him with a smile.
This wasn't intentional on her part. In her eyes, nothing Li Xuewu did was surprising; it seemed he always had a network of relationships she couldn't fathom.
This is true in Beijing, in Tianjin, and even in the port city.
“You really overestimate me,” Li Xuewu shook his head, picked up his watch from the coffee table and put it on. “I don’t know any important people like that.”
"Then it must be Director Li?"
Gao Yaqin raised an eyebrow, and seeing him looking over, she spread her hands with amusement and said, "Anyway, it's not me. I know him, but he doesn't know me."
"That's hard to say," Li Xuewu said with a smile. "You've made quite a name for yourself in Hong Kong in the last year or two, the mysterious Honggang Group, huh?"
"Heh—" Gao Yaqin laughed self-deprecatingly, glanced at the invitation on the coffee table, and said, "With my insignificant reputation?"
She reached out and tapped the invitation, then looked at Li Xuewu and asked, "Is it worthy of this LDP elder to personally host me?"
“I can tell you, it absolutely cannot be Director Li.” Li Xuewu shook his head slightly and said, “He wouldn’t have that kind of relationship.”
“That’s very strange,” Gao Yaqin said, frowning slightly. “I’ve asked around, and we’re the only ones who received an invitation.”
“Going to his house must mean it’s a private meeting,” Li Xuewu said casually. “How could he possibly invite so many people?”
As he said this, he was also thinking about the old man who was nearing the end of his life.
It's not an exaggeration to call Kenzo Matsumura an old man, since he was born in 1883 and is already 88 years old this year.
He wasn't surprised that the other person was coming to the welcome dinner tonight, but he was surprised that the other person was still so healthy.
As Gao Yaqin mentioned, Kenzo Matsumura was a Japanese politician, a veteran of the Liberal Democratic Party, and one of the key promoters of the normalization of diplomatic relations between China and Japan.
Two years ago, when he visited the mainland in 69, Li Xuewu participated in related activities. It was on that occasion that Kenichi Nishida made special arrangements for the cooperation between Honggang Group and Sanhe.
This was, of course, told to him later by Taniguchi Heiji. Nishida Kenichi demanded that Taniguchi take him down at all costs and push for a second round of negotiations between the two sides.
The key point is that Kenichi Nishida requires Heiji Tanikura to fully understand him, or rather, to achieve close cooperation.
Li Xuewu would certainly not take the bait, because the consequences of doing so would be extremely serious, as evidenced by Su Weide's current situation.
Do you think the Suweide affair is over?
How could that be? It's far from over.
The content reported by Gu Cangping was beyond what Su Weide could withstand. The reason he wasn't punished this time was due to other considerations.
This is undoubtedly a tragedy for Suweide. Although he seems to be fine now, his future is ruined, but the seeds of disaster have been sown.
Letting him off the hook was because the higher-ups saw that he was too deeply involved with that person and didn't want to escalate the conflict at this point in time.
Coincidentally, Li Huaide was sensible and went to plead for leniency at this time, which gave Old Li face, thus stabilizing the situation for both the person in charge and the Honggang Group.
The fact that he hasn't been dealt with yet means that this matter has been recorded and is still under investigation, or even that it's being accumulated and dealt with all at once.
Kenichi Nishida's plan didn't fall on Li Xuewu, but on Su Weide, all thanks to Heiji Taniguchi.
When he learned that the barn had been planned, Kenichi Nishida was disappointed that it wasn't him, but he was also somewhat satisfied.
After all, this is a breakthrough.
However, with the defection of the barn, Kenichi Nishida has been blacklisted by the Honggang Group in mainland China and is no longer welcome.
It's important to understand that in business collaborations, blocking the other party's responsible person is a highly unusual practice.
However, neither side was willing to give up their cooperation, so a strange phenomenon occurred.
The moment Gao Yaqin mentioned the name Matsumura Kenzo, he thought of Nishida Kenichi and already had a guess in his mind.
Just look at Kenzo Matsumura's resume and you'll know:
1906: Graduated from the Faculty of Political Science and Economics, Waseda University, and worked as a reporter for the Hochi Shimbun.
From 1928 onwards: He was elected to the House of Representatives 13 times consecutively, and his political career lasted nearly 50 years.
Post-war key positions: Minister of Health and Welfare, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, Minister of Education, later served as an advisor to the Liberal Democratic Party and leader of the "Miki-Matsumura faction".
1969: Withdrew from Japanese politics.
Li Xuewu said that this person is a big shot in Japan, which is not an exaggeration at all, and his influence will definitely extend to Sanhe Co., Ltd.
In terms of his influence, he visited the mainland five times and successively reached a consensus on "promoting official relations through people-to-people exchanges and gradual improvement," laying the foundation for LT trade, initiating semi-official and semi-private trade between China and Japan, and establishing liaison offices and exchanging journalists.
Some people ask whether there was any commercial interaction with the outside world during this period.
The answer is definitely yes, and it's quite widespread, but there's little public participation.
It is important to note that the consensus reached in 59 on "promoting government through the people and gradual improvement" was still carried out under the organization of the government.
You're asking whether Honggang Group's business operations are those of government officials or private individuals?
Of course they are citizens, but enterprises have collective attributes, so they are not simply citizens.
The fact that a trade agreement has been reached, and that liaison offices and journalists have been exchanged, already indicates a very close relationship.
Everyone knows that China and Japan will normalize diplomatic relations next year, but few people know that Kenzo Matsumura is the chief contact person for the Japanese side.
Every time I visit the mainland, I am received by Mr. Z, who cleverly breaks the ice through cultural exchanges such as Go and orchids, a practice known as Go diplomacy.
Mr. Z also gifted him a pot of precious orchids called "Global Lotus Cauldron".
As mentioned earlier, the upper class in Japan understands Chinese, and even laws need to be annotated in Chinese because Japanese annotation capabilities are insufficient to fully define the rigor of the law.
Kenichi Nishida, Hideji Nakamura, and others all speak Chinese fluently and can even quote classical texts, making them veritable experts on China.
However, when it comes to understanding traditional Chinese culture, Kenzo Matsumura possesses profound knowledge of Chinese studies and is adept at using traditional Chinese theories to address problems.
He advocates that "Asia is Asia for Asians" and opposes the division between opposing camps.
He also has a good reputation in Japan; he is known for his integrity and honesty, and has long been committed to agricultural policy and Sino-Japanese reconciliation. He enjoys high prestige in Japanese politics.
So after Li Xuewu and the other two took their seats according to their name tags, the room suddenly fell silent after they hadn't exchanged more than a few words.
Everyone looked toward the doorway, where an elderly man with faltering steps was being helped in by a young man in a black suit.
He wore round-framed tortoiseshell glasses for nearsightedness, had a stubble of white hair, and his eyes were slightly squinted, making him look like he wasn't in very good health.
But it is precisely because of this that his emphasis on the visit of the industrial and trade delegation to Japan is even more evident.
He was of average strength, and his voice was not loud enough for everyone in the large venue, so he simply waved and bowed slightly to express his gratitude.
Minister of International Trade and Industry Kiichi Miyazawa, as the host, also bowed slightly to welcome the guests in the venue.
A very interesting scene unfolded: while the Japanese representative bowed, the Chinese representative remained seated, waiting until the Japanese side finished expressing their welcome before the delegation leader shook hands and exchanged pleasantries with them.
Li Xuewu couldn't help but smile to himself; the psychological games played in these situations were actually the most interesting.
Guess what we'll be eating tonight?
Sitting next to Li Xuewu, Gu Litong asked in a low voice, "Will there be the kind of banquet you mentioned?"
Li Xuewu almost burst out laughing. He glanced at him and replied in the same tone, "Keep dreaming. If you want that kind of banquet, you have to go to Shinjuku."
"I never even dared to dream of this."
Gu Litong's gaze, like his, never left the two leaders who were speaking in front of him, but he started chatting with them.
Such occasions are recorded on video and photographed, and if you are caught doing something indecent, you will definitely lose face.
So the two of them sat close together and chatted in very low voices, without worrying about being discovered by others.
Actually, it doesn't matter if you get caught. People who frequently attend meetings know that you should never make a special expression when you fart, because no one except the people around you will know that it was you who farted.
"Tell me, how did the girl manage to have food on her body while she was lying on the table?"
To be honest, Gu Litong is really curious. He would have just let the joke go, but he actually remembered it.
Li Xuewu couldn't help but find it amusing and said, "Why don't you go and take a stroll when no one has noticed in a few days?"
"Damn it—" Gu Litong's facial muscles were aching, and he was about to burst out laughing.
When they arrived, Director Han had already held a meeting with them. Japan does have red-light districts, which were called pleasure districts or brothel districts in those days.
The location is easy to find, with the core area concentrated in Kabukicho, Shinjuku, and secondary neighborhoods such as Yoshiwara in Taito Ward, Shinbashi in Minato Ward, Asakusa Rokuku, Ikebukuro North/West Exit, and Ueno Ameyokocho.
It's worth mentioning that there are quite a few wealthy families living in the Minato Ward, including many Japanese tycoons and former powerful figures.
Why did Han Song specifically mention this matter? Because at that time, Tokyo was the largest city in Asia that never sleeps.
The area is densely populated with brothels, Turkish baths, love hotels, and cinemas; the area around the second block is concentrated with upscale clubs and host clubs; and the Japanese yakuza (such as the Yamaguchi-gumi) are deeply involved, making it quite chaotic.
"What if I get lost if I go there?"
When one of the leaders finished speaking, Gu Li took the opportunity of applause to jokingly say, "Why don't you take me to broaden my horizons? After all, you know a lot."
"I know you're just a lecherous old man with the desire but not the guts—"
Li Xuewu couldn't help but twitch the corner of his mouth and said, "There are plenty of taxis on the street, and they're very cheap. Just ask them."
"Then let's forget about it," Gu Litong said with Li Xuewu, turning around after the big shots finished speaking. "It's a real shame."
“What’s there to regret?” Li Xuewu smiled and explained, “You’ll see when you get there; it’s actually not that great.”
“I didn’t say I had to go, I was just curious,” Gu Litong emphasized. “I just wanted to see another side of capitalism.”
"Heh—" Li Xuewu found the explanation a bit far-fetched and somewhat amusing. "If you can't explain it clearly, it's better if you don't say anything."
Japanese banquets are very elaborate, with individual servings and each person having their own dining area, which looks very classic.
This is exactly the aristocratic dining etiquette learned from the Tang Dynasty, except that it wasn't fully learned and was all mixed up.
From the Sui and Tang dynasties to the Song and Ming dynasties, this dining culture has been evolving. They are a bit out of touch with the times and are still eating strange things.
"Hello, the kaiseki meal is about to begin."
A waitress in a kimono came over, whispered a message, and then removed the hand towels from in front of them, taking small steps and speaking gently.
Gu Litong tried his best to keep a serious face, especially when the waiter came to collect the towels. Li Xuewu, sitting next to him, could tell that he was nervous.
Are you nervous about such a small, special service? You're really looking forward to going to Shinjuku to experience it, but you'll be in for a world of hurt once you get there!
Some people are curious about the nature of this service, while others express disgust or make subtle jokes, but there's really no need for that.
At least in Li Xuewu's view, existence is its own justification, and the more economically developed a society is, the more complex the forms of resource possession will be.
He was not saying that all the girls in Shinjuku were forced into this profession for a living; in fact, the reasons for doing so are varied.
Ultimately, everyone is exchanging their youth for money; no one is more noble or less despicable than anyone else.
If you ask Li Xuewu, every man should go to a place like this at least once. He doesn't need to experience it firsthand, but he should still gain some knowledge from it.
Only by seeing it with your own eyes can you truly appreciate the meaning and purpose behind this special event.
For the price of an outfit, you can get her to sing and chat with you, and she'll go along with any topic without the slightest resistance.
At this point, you will understand the power of money, cherish the value of true love, and see through their hypocrisy. Money cannot buy true love.
To gain so much knowledge at such a low cost, do you think it's worth it?
Therefore, whether you are a young person or a middle-aged person who is striving, only by facing the abyss can you be unafraid of it.
Later generations joked that if real estate tycoon Wang had just gone to a KTV to broaden his horizons, he wouldn't have been so captivated by that kind of woman.
This is what perspective and cognition are all about.
You never know your own potential and future. If one day your understanding fails to keep up with the pace of wealth, your wealth will also be lost.
Li Xuewu jokingly suggested that Gu Li go along to broaden his horizons, but it wasn't entirely a joke; after all, he might be able to resist such a subtle temptation.
After the waiter left, Gu Litong secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Looking at the smile on Li Xuewu's face, he couldn't help but twitch the corners of his mouth.
"Did you do some research beforehand?"
He asked somewhat awkwardly, "Why don't I see you being nervous?"
"What's there to be nervous about? She's not a spider demon," Li Xuewu said irritably. "Do you think she'll jump into your arms? Dream on."
“You’re not being sincere, kid—” Gu Litong was ashamed of his ignorance and stubbornly believed that Li Xuewu had experience.
It's a real injustice. Li Xuewu only remembers numbers 8 and 7, and nothing else. How could he have any experience?
"Hello, this is the prepayment. Please enjoy."
The waiter who had just left returned, carrying a plate. He knelt beside them and gently served them small dishes, his tone still light and gentle.
Well, no need to look, Gu Litong over there is speechless, his expression is very stiff.
Li Xuewu chuckled and shook his head, then nodded slightly to the girl and said, "Thank you."
Please don't be shy—
The girl lowered her head shyly, smiled, and raised her hand to indicate, "This is crab, new rice, and large leaves. Please enjoy."
"Okay, thank you for your hard work." Li Xuewu nodded slightly in acknowledgment, then picked up his chopsticks, took a small piece of cooked food, and put it in his mouth.
Honestly, he'd rather eat rice balls than try raw food in Japanese cuisine—parasites and such can eat your brain!
Tonight's banquet is very grand. The ceremonial aspect of the kaiseki cuisine is even stronger than that of the traditional kaiseki cuisine, and the standards are quite high.
Some people don't understand what kaiseki cuisine and kaiseki cuisine are, but you can actually understand them from the literal meaning of the words.
The kaiseki meal features a wide variety of dishes, similar to the feast served after a death in the village, allowing for a feast to one's heart's content.
Kaiseki cuisine has a limited selection of dishes, so you'll feel hungry if you hold a rock to your stomach.
The girl just mentioned that "pay first" doesn't mean paying before eating. It means paying first is like an appetizer, like a small side dish in Chinese cuisine.
The crab, new rice, and large leaves that the girl introduced are all seasonal ingredients, used to whet the appetite.
"What the hell are all these things?"
Gu Litong disregarded his embarrassment and, looking at the tiny piece of food in front of him, dared not touch his chopsticks.
Li Xuewu, of course, couldn't bear to see him make a fool of himself, so he whispered a reminder: "Eat the ones that are ripe, you can't go wrong."
"There are even live animals here?!"
Guli looked at him in surprise and asked, "Are you trying to intimidate us by entertaining us with raw food?"
Li Xuewu almost burst out laughing, and explained with his head down, "The Japanese like to eat raw food; it's part of their culture."
"That's really weird."
Gu Litong used his chopsticks to rummage through the food, eating whatever Li Xuewu was eating, as if he was afraid of eating something raw.
Once the meal began, the only sounds were the clinking of bowls and chopsticks and quiet conversations; very little noise could be heard.
This is a dining etiquette; when people are not full, they don't have time to talk.
"Hello, this is a clear soup bowl, please enjoy."
The girl reappeared, carrying a tray of sea bream soup served in a wooden bowl.
Don't ask Li Xuewu how he knew; he couldn't tell either. The waiter introduced the dishes to him after setting them out.
He saw that they were all cooked dishes, so he tasted them all. They were clear and very fresh.
It's not that he's picky; he's just that when you've actually eaten seafood or dishes prepared by a highly skilled chef, you can taste the natural freshness of the ingredients.
It's not that you can taste the flavor of the ingredients just by looking at them, but rather the authentic deliciousness after processing, especially seafood.
"Hello, this is sashimi, please enjoy."
The girl came for the fourth time, and looking at the dishes she served, Gu Litong finally understood Li Xuewu's abilities.
"Are these all raw?" After the waiter left, he poked at the food with his chopsticks and turned to Li Xuewu, asking, "Do you dare to eat them?"
"Of course I dare! What's there to be afraid of?"
Li Xuewu teased him on purpose, saying, "It's okay, you eat yours, there's enough on my plate, you don't need to give me any."
To be honest, the tuna, salmon, and sea bream that were served were all finely cut and beautifully presented, and they were absolutely delicious with wasabi and soy sauce.
He only tried the tuna, and everyone says it's expensive, and it did taste really good.
Gu Litong only took a bite after seeing Li Xuewu eat it, but as soon as he swallowed it, he saw Li Xuewu spit the fish he had eaten onto a napkin.
Are you doing this on purpose?
"Eat it, the medicine won't kill you—"
Seeing that he was staring at him while eating, Li Xuewu explained in an annoyed tone, "I don't like eating fish, I'm just trying it out."
"I don't believe you for a second—"
Gu Litong dared not try it again; it would be troublesome if he got an upset stomach.
Fortunately, the dishes the girl served next did not contain any raw ingredients.
The banquet hall they were in had a Japanese style. Although it was not as traditional as a Japanese-style room, it was more stylish than a Western-style round table.
Li Xuewu and his team listened to a five-minute opening speech, which mainly consisted of a welcome address by Miyazawa Kiichi and a thank-you speech from their own leader.
The menu was actually introduced during the opening remarks, but neither of them paid attention because they were both distracted.
While they were eating, the host, Kiichi Miyazawa, gave a toast, and after the waiter poured drinks for everyone present, Kenzo Matsumura proposed a toast.
Li Xuewu and his group knew it was supposed to be a toast, but the menu program said "Cheers," which is very likely the result of not having fully learned the knowledge.
The waiters quietly asked them what they wanted to drink. The main drinks offered were Black Pine White Deer, local wines, and barley tea.
Kuromakushika is a Junmai Daiginjo sake, similar to shochu (white liquor), but with a lower alcohol content. It tastes sweet, but can get you drunk if you drink too much.
Li Xuewu and Gu Li both chose red wine, which had a refreshing taste and must be of high quality.
Until the waiter left for the last time, the table in front of Li Xuewu was already set with grilled dishes: crispy on the outside and tender on the inside salt-grilled Wagyu beef; fried dishes: lightly coated and crispy tempura (shrimp and seasonal vegetables); assorted platter: colorful abalone, lotus root and konjac eggplant stew, etc.; stewed dishes: slow-cooked and flavorful seasonal root vegetables and fish; and pickled dishes: refreshing and palatable pickled vegetables.
The main course to finish was white rice, pickled vegetables, and miso soup, which she called "fragrant rice and satisfying soup".
Just like the canteens of government agencies in later times, there were also water sweets at the end of the banquet, which were desserts.
Li Xuewu ate apples, yokan (sweet bean jelly), and matcha.
And you know what? After such a complicated set of dining etiquette, he suddenly understood why the Japanese have such complex personalities.
People worry about having food to eat every day; how can their hearts not be complicated?
You see, there are many dishes on the table, but each one is only a small bite. Once you finish eating, there's nothing left, and there's no offer to ask for another serving if you like it.
You asked if I was full or not, so let me tell you this: Li Xuewu was a little hungry before eating, but he wasn't hungry anymore while eating, and he was hungry again after finishing the meal.
The entire banquet lasted 90 minutes, or an hour and a half. He expended more energy sitting there than he ate.
Gu Litong put the last grain of rice into his mouth, put down his chopsticks with a sense of lingering satisfaction, and said with emotion, "They are really having such a hard time. I'm even thinking of donating some."
Li Xuewu knew he was talking nonsense, and said softly, "I brought some local specialties with me when I came. If you're still hungry, come to my place tonight and have some more."
"Is this appropriate?" Gu Litong was actually embarrassed. Since liberation, this was the first time he had faced the awkward situation of not having enough to eat.
If Li Xuewu were to offer him a roast chicken now, he would call him godfather.
"Then I won't stand on ceremony."
He raised his chin, gesturing to the dishes on the table, and said softly, "Even feeding a cat would cost more than this."
It's worth mentioning that they all put down their chopsticks before realizing that the locals didn't call them waiters, but rather female generals or waitresses.
Thankfully, we didn't use their words. If we had said too much and they had called out "waiter," it would have been quite a scene.
In fact, the Japanese representatives were already looking at them with a strange expression, mainly because there were too many rules and regulations for this kind of banquet, and Li Xuewu didn't know the specifics.
Everyone knows that chopsticks should never be stuck into rice, straddle a plate, be licked, or used to point at objects.
However, the idea that one must chew silently while eating, sip soup gently, dip sashimi in soy sauce with the fish facing down, and not mix wasabi with soy sauce is quite different from most people's eating habits.
Everyone knows about politeness, but not everyone knows it in such a comprehensive way.
There was conversation throughout the banquet, but there was very little loud discussion. According to Li Xuewu's observation, the leaders did not talk about work.
"Thank you for attending this banquet."
Just as Kiichi Miyazawa stood up again to summarize the evening's banquet, and after the delegation leaders expressed their gratitude, a staff member came to their seats, bowed slightly, and presented them with a gift bag with both hands.
Li Xuewu politely accepted the food and placed it beside him, but Gu Litong was kind and said with a smile, "It's too much trouble to accept both food and gifts."
"You'd better be more reserved," Li Xuewu reminded him. "There might not be anything good in that bag."
Gu Litong didn't pay any attention. After the leaders exchanged pleasantries and left, he stood up and said, "Let's go to your place first. I'm really not full."
-
"Did you have another meal last night?"
Gao Yaqin got up very early, went downstairs for a walk, and then went back upstairs. When she saw Li Xuewu open the door, she greeted him.
Li Xuewu waved his hand and said, "Don't even mention it, they ate all the roast chicken I brought."
"You even brought roast chicken?!"
Gao Yaqin looked at him in surprise and complained, "Why didn't you say so earlier? I didn't eat well last night either."
"Then who are you blaming?" Li Xuewu said with a smile, "When we saw you go back to your room, we thought you were tired and wanted to rest early."
"I'm really fed up with you guys—" Gao Yaqin said indignantly, "I came out because I was annoyed by their smoking, but who would have thought you'd get to have such a good meal again."
She asked with a hint of envy, "The roast chicken is all gone, is there anything else good to eat? How much food did you bring?"
"Anyway, it's enough for me to eat."
Li Xuewu replied with a laugh, "You're a woman, so it's okay for you to eat less. I get low blood sugar if I eat too little."
Watching him leave, Gao Yaqin pouted, determined that if she didn't get enough to eat at tonight's banquet, she would rob Li Xuewu's room.
The first day of the official visit mainly consisted of sightseeing, and it was a whirlwind tour, like a special forces operation.
Starting at 8:30 a.m., the group had a simple breakfast and then boarded a bus, heading straight to Hitachi Manufacturing in Maru, Chiyoda Ward.
Tokyo's industry during this era was mainly comprised of five sectors: electronics, precision machinery, communications, chemicals, and auto parts. These sectors were essentially the leaders and technological pioneers of the postwar period of rapid growth, and most of them were located in the 23 wards.
The concentration of industry also made it easy to have a quick tour on the first day, and almost no time was wasted on the road.
I started with Hitachi, and continued until I reached Oki Electric.
Japanese companies are somewhat like the Red Steel Group, with diversified industries and strong competitiveness.
Take, for example, the first company they visited, Hitachi, whose products include mainframe computers, color TVs, refrigerators, air conditioners, generators, elevators, semiconductors, railway signaling systems, and so on.
The company leader giving the presentation emphasized that their company completed a 1GB large-scale storage device this year and developed a traffic control system for the Shinkansen.
During this period, the Shinkansen was a source of pride for the Japanese, and anything related to it would inevitably be mentioned.
Of course, even if it's unrelated, it will be brought up indirectly, especially in front of foreigners.
The Shinkansen was indeed a remarkable achievement for Japan in that era, and even the rise of high-speed rail in China in later years was something that Japan tried to emulate.
It's a pity that the pride of the Shinkansen at that time made the Japanese very arrogant, which led them to work hard to achieve the world's number one.
The second stop on the itinerary: Tokyo Shibaura Electric, whose main products include black and white/color TVs, washing machines, refrigerators, semiconductors (early ICs), nuclear energy equipment, and medical electronics (X-ray machines).
The main products produced are consumer electronics and industrial heavy electrical equipment.
The third stop on the trip: Sony, whose main products are transistor radios, tape recorders, black and white/color TVs, and tape recorders (under development).
The fourth stop: NEC (Nihon Denki), whose main products include telephone exchanges, communication equipment, mainframe computers, semiconductors (with plans to expand into DRAM this year), and radar. This is Japan's leading telecommunications equipment company, with a very high market share.
Fifth stop: Fujitsu, whose main products include mainframe computers (FACOM series), communication equipment, semiconductors, and electronic components.
This year, Fujitsu became Japan's largest domestic computer manufacturer, primarily serving banks and government agencies.
After leaving the electronics companies, they visited the precision machinery and automation sector, the heart of Tokyo's manufacturing industry.
The sixth stop: THK, whose main products include guide rails, ball screws, and precision mechanical components. It is a leading manufacturer of basic industrial automation components and a core supplier of machine tools and robots.
The seventh stop: Toichi Manufacturing Co., Ltd., whose main products include torque wrenches, pneumatic tools, and automotive assembly tools.
This year, they became core suppliers for Toyota and Nissan, and their products were exported to Europe and the United States.
The eighth stop: JTEKT, whose main products include bearings, machine tools, and automotive steering systems. At this time, their bearing production capacity was among the top in Japan, and they were a major exporter of precision machine tools to Japan.
The ninth stop onwards is the chemical industry, with formidable research and development capabilities.
Hitachi Chemical's main products are electronic materials (copper clad laminates, insulating materials), carbon brushes, automotive parts, and resins.
They are the core of Hitachi Group's materials division, supporting the electronics and automotive industries throughout Japan.
The tenth stop: Tokyo Chemical Industry Co., Ltd., a leading Japanese manufacturer of high-end reagents, producing organic chemical reagents, pharmaceutical intermediates, and fine chemicals, similar to Kyōjō Chemical Co., Ltd.
The eleventh stop onwards is the automotive industry, mainly the parts and components industry.
Denso, a core supplier to the Toyota Group, manufactures automotive electrical components (generators, starters), air conditioning systems, spark plugs, and sensors.
The twelfth stop: Nippon Seiko, a top three manufacturer of ball bearings, a dual mainstay in the automotive and industrial machinery industries, producing bearings, automotive wheel bearings, and precision machinery bearings.
Stop 13: Mitsubishi Electric, a company with strong industrial motors and home appliances, whose main products include heavy electrical equipment, air conditioners, semiconductors, and elevators.
The final stop: Oki Electric, whose main products include communication equipment, printers, and electronic components. A major supplier of communication equipment to the government.
From 8:30 a.m. until 6:30 p.m., the group never stopped walking, looking around and making notes in their notebooks.
Not everyone can persevere; it requires a certain amount of physical strength and energy, otherwise you won't be able to hear what the host is saying by the end.
Li Xuewu, however, persevered thanks to his strong physique, and his notebook was filled with notes.
He had to take it seriously. Old Li was just there for show, Gao Yaqin was there to negotiate, and he was the main force in the preliminary preparations.
The Honggang Group team also participated in today's visit, with their secretaries taking turns to conduct business communication and understanding.
Li Xuewu and his group were just observing the process; the main focus was on the secretaries and clerks, who learned more about the companies they visited.
Generally speaking, members of the delegation only need to focus on and contact companies that are relevant to their own business; they don't need to follow up with every company.
But Li Xuewu couldn't, because all the companies he visited today were related to Honggang Group.
It's either a direct business connection or an indirect technical relationship.
It wasn't that he was a Western worshipper; he was genuinely envious. Looking at these products and advanced technologies, he wished he could pack them all up and take them with him.
If Honggang Group can acquire these technologies, he is certain that within ten years, Honggang will definitely become a world-class industrial enterprise.
He barely ate his dinner; his pen never stopped; he kept writing.
He summarized the characteristics of Tokyo's industry in 1971 in one sentence:
With electronics and electrical machinery as the mainstay, precision machinery as the foundation, automotive parts as the supporting component, and chemical materials as the backbone, Japan was almost entirely driven by a dual model of "technology + export," which was the basis for its global dominance in semiconductors and automobiles in the 80s.
Li Xuewu wanted to learn from Japan's experience and cross the river by feeling his way; this was the development strategy he designed for Honggang Group.
However, the technological gap left him feeling powerless. He hadn't felt it before when he was blindly chasing after the technology, but now that he saw the gap, he realized how immense the pressure was.
Every time he returned to Beijing, he would visit the research institute and talk to the engineers there, just to get first-hand information about the group's scientific research.
Li Xuewu wouldn't dare say he's the most technically savvy person in charge of an industrial enterprise, but within the Honggang Group's leadership team, he is definitely the most technically savvy.
No one understands better than him what technology can bring to a company, and no one knows what changes will occur in the future due to technological development.
The world is progressing faster and faster with technological development. If you are not careful or take a detour, you will be left far behind.
To catch up, it's not as simple as finding the right tricks; there are also the technological and patent barriers that have already been established.
Take telecommunications companies as an example. The reason Nokia has become so successful is because it has a large number of patents that support the company.
Even after going bankrupt several times, it can still rise from the ashes and be reborn.
The development of electric vehicles in later generations, if it weren't for bypassing the patents of gasoline-powered cars, would have made it possible for cars to be so cheap.
Gao Yaqin could see his nervousness and seriousness, and didn't know what to say to comfort him. Even she could see how huge the difference was.
"It will take at least thirty years."
On his way back, Li Xuewu couldn't help but sigh and said, "We need to prepare for a protracted war, a struggle that will last thirty years."
“That’s your problem.” Li Huaide shook his head helplessly and said, “Thirty years, I’ll be almost eighty years old by then, haha.”