African Entrepreneurship Record

The Far East is a colossal market, while Japan at the same time is an emerging market, similarly a significant source of immigrants and grain trade market for the Kingdom of East Africa in the Far East.

To show its emphasis on Japan, the Kingdom of East Africa established diplomatic relations with the Japanese government on the second day after establishing ties with the Qing Government.

Sebastian, the general manager of the Heixinggen Bank branch in Japan, served as the minister to Japan, and East Africa set up a series of consulates across Japan.

After the Meiji Restoration, the Japanese government began to heavily focus on industrialization, which requires substantial capital. The means by which the Japanese government raised funds were either borrowing from Western and domestic grandees or extreme internal exploitation.

Japanese women and farmers were hit hardest, with the Meiji Government encouraging women to engage in textile work. In the same period, "special service industry" became the second largest area of employment for Japanese women.

Given these conditions, East Africa certainly wouldn't miss out. After sending diplomatic envoys, they openly imported female immigrants from Japan.

The Meiji Government initially invested in light industries such as silk and cotton, hiring foreigners to guide industrial production. However, industrial modernization projects required massive labor, particularly female labor in the textile industry. But recruitment met with difficulties, as rural people were unwilling to leave their villages. National propaganda aimed to persuade women to work in factories, and some local officials sent their own daughters as examples. Once governmental demonstrations were effective, many came to see factories as safe environments.

This facilitated the introduction of immigrants to East Africa. The method was simple: invest in textile factories in Japan, recruit female workers, and send them to "Europe" under the guise of internal company transfers.

Then came a wave of cunning operations; ships heading to "Europe" often encountered issues like storms or pirates, "getting wrecked," with losses in the hundreds or thousands.

Factory owners would then express sympathy over the "maritime disaster," issuing symbolic compensation, handled by the Japanese authorities, without concern over whether it reached the families.

"Maritime disasters" being acts of God, the Japanese government could offer no criticism, especially given Japan's low international status. Having offered compensation, what more could be asked?

There are disadvantages, though. Shell companies often shift operations, enabling another group to continue the deception, with ready-made excuses such as a predecessor factory owner going bankrupt due to disaster-related losses, leaving factories insolvent and subject to acquisition.

Shifting blame to avoid accountability is simple; blame falls not on the Kingdom of East Africa but on German and even European investors. Ask their origin and you'll hear Poland, Ukraine, the Russian Empire, Italy, or even long-disappeared Holy Roman states.

The second tactic involved directly purchasing from Japanese farmers. Yes, literally purchasing, as women's status was so low they lacked rights. In times when many Japanese couldn't afford meals, some chose to sell their daughters, keeping sons for succession.

This situation reflected Japan's reality. The Kingdom of East Africa, offering slightly above-market prices and paying in grain, achieved a mutually beneficial arrangement, with those women avoiding "special service industry" and everyone envisioning a brighter future.

Though it seemed unscrupulous, East Africa had its means to ensure the Japanese government turned a blind eye.

While textile factories may be veteran elements, they employed a stable group of women, who benefited financially, often sending home money. Both wages and income stability were higher than Japan's textile rates, ensuring fixed revenue and tax advantages for the Meiji Government.

As for the disappearances due to maritime disasters, regrets were expressed, but the stable workers encouraged further "naive" people to join factories invested in by East Africa.

Stable workers weren't easily replaceable, especially given the low wages in Japan's textile industry. Not until 1880 did Japan establish minimum wage standards, though many didn't yet receive wages.

The plants invested by East Africa offered superior conditions, with those stable workers often connected to local Japanese officials.

This resonated with earlier efforts, where Japanese officials encouraged women to factory work by sending female family members as examples.

...

"Mr. Sebastian, you've truly been a great help! Thank you very much for your assistance!" A group of Japanese officials in Tokyo offered a standard ninety-degree bow.

"Hahaha, this is what I should do as a diplomat," Sebastian said.

Just now, the "righteous" East African minister, Sebastian, successfully obtained compensation for the local government from the unruly "Russian" merchants.

Russian government: "I'm not aware of that! Which nation's merchants?"

Trained East African Slavic immigrants proficiently impersonating Russian merchants worked wonders, even fooling Russian diplomats. It wasn't pretentious; fluency in Russian, a detailed understanding of Russian practices, complemented by eloquent speech, thoroughly convinced people.

Especially their carefree dispositions filled in the final gaps, with Russia-established factories where Japanese workers "met with disasters" overseas, leading local authorities to inquire.

Upon explaining the disaster's origins, unresolved issues remained. Being a contemporary power, "Russian" merchants refused to mind, claiming force majeure, force majeure, force majeure!...

They then threatened to drive out the foolish Japanese, at which point, conveniently, Sebastian, the East African minister, "happened" to pass by while "buying" breakfast, and with overflowing righteousness, reprimanded the "Russian" merchants' actions.

Finally, Sebastian mediated, bringing the parties to an understanding, with "Russian" merchants compensating a sum, ending the matter.

"Sebastian-san is truly a good person, a genuine gentleman."

"Oh, if all foreigners in Tokyo were as understanding as Sebastian-san, it'd be great."

"Sebastian-san dare confront Russians boldly, even reprimanding them directly. Future members of the Great Wa Nation should also stand tall like this..."

"Long live the Emperor! We will surely accomplish..."