Recession

The KiShin Tournament spanned several days, during which a 30-year-old man managed to secure victory as the 'Tetris' best player, earning a substantial 1 million yen prize.

Simultaneously, in the 'Street Fighter II: The World Warrior' tournament, Junpei Nakamoto emerged as the champion, also claiming a 1 million yen prize. This event garnered significant media coverage, with the highest scores achieved in various KiShin classic video games leading to cash rewards for the top 1 to 3 players.

Meanwhile, Junpei Nakamoto's triumph in the tournament surprised his father, who was watching TV in disbelief, exclaiming, "Junpei actually won 1 million yen!?" He had initially thought his son was wasting time playing video games, and he might have disposed of the SKES and its games if not for his own interest in gaming. Now, witnessing his son's competition victory, he was genuinely astonished.

During a Tora Corporation conference meeting, President Taro Ikeda remarked on the potential for increased sales of KiShin products following the tournament. While video games weren't their primary focus in the business industry chain, they couldn't ignore the decline in their video game sector.

Consequently, many attendees considered a partnership with Suzuki Electronics to enhance their video game consoles and games through collaborative research.

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As KiShin's success reached new heights in Japan and they prepared to launch their latest products in foreign markets, Japan unexpectedly faced an economic challenge.

The business world in Japan, regardless of their size, had mixed reactions to the Bank of Japan's announcement of lowering interest rates. This move was a response to the Japanese asset price bubble, driven by excessive lending from Japanese banks.

The business world of Japan, whether large or small, responded with mixed emotions when the Bank of Japan announced its decision to lower interest rates. This move was prompted by the Japanese asset price bubble, which had been fueled by excessive lending from Japanese banks.

Japanese media coined the term "Heisei Recession" to describe this economic downturn, which painted a bleak picture of 1990s Japan. Unemployment rates rose, and wages remained stagnant, leading to the downsizing or bankruptcy of many Japanese companies. This loss of confidence in both the Japanese government and the economy became widespread.

Not long before this recession, a significant number of Japanese people had confidence in their economy. They were thriving in Asia, surpassing South Korea and China in economic terms, and enjoying a high standard of living. The video game industry, with KiShin, a leading Japanese company, had contributed to this confidence, although many didn't boast about it. People had faith in their nation, its economy, and the government. However, when the Heisei Recession began with the Bank of Japan's announcement of economic struggles, that confidence began to wane.

However, with the onset of the Heisei Recession and the Bank of Japan's announcement of economic struggles, this confidence began to wane. Small businesses in particular felt the weight of worry as they witnessed the downturn in the economy.

The onset of this economic recession took many by surprise. Japan had weathered the well-known Japanese bubble, but the impending recession caught them off guard.

The impact was felt not only by small businesses but also by larger corporations. Nevertheless, the Japanese Government had already begun preparations to address this economic challenge.

They were aware, though, that it was a formidable task. The Heisei Recession was unlike anything they had encountered before, characterized by prolonged economic stagnation, making it uncertain when Japan's economy would recover.

Amidst the turmoil, several major banks, including the Hokkaido Takushoku Bank, the Long-Term Credit Bank of Japan, and Nippon Credit Bank, faced failure.

Foreign media outlets extensively covered Japan's economic struggles, leading many countries to reflect on the vulnerability of even economically prosperous nations to such shocks.

Meanwhile, at KiShin Headquarters, Shin sat in the central chair of the conference room.

Even KiShin wasn't immune to the effects of the economic recession. Many executives and employees within the company harbored concerns about the future. Despite KiShin's apparent dominance, the economic shock had significantly shaken their confidence in both the country's economy and their own company.

They grappled with the idea that, no matter how robust their company might be, they could soon face substantial economic and financial challenges.

Observing the worry etched on the faces of the executives in the meeting, Shin, seated with his arms crossed, spoke up, "There's no point in dwelling on these worries." A pause followed as he noticed all the executives looking at him, their attention piqued. Shin continued, "We've already established a formidable brand presence! We've penetrated markets in other countries!" He emphasized his point by slamming his hand on the table, exclaiming, "We've achieved a global reach!"

Upon hearing this, the executives experienced a boost in morale.

When one of the executives inquired about the financial adjustments appropriate for the current situation, Shin responded, "Simply trim any unnecessary expenses. Streamline our operations to cut costs, but ensure we don't reduce our employees' wages."

This response surprised the executives, and one of them remarked, "Other corporations are already slashing employee wages due to the economic recession. Why shouldn't we do the same?"

Shin offered a confident smile and replied, "We're not like any other company." He rose from his seat, resting his hands on the table, and continued, "We are KiShin!" A brief pause followed as he locked eyes with the executives and declared, "We'll not only survive this recession but emerge even stronger! We'll lead the world, for we are a global company with ambitions that set us apart from ordinary companies!" His voice resonated throughout the conference room, leaving the executives somewhat stunned.

Sensing lingering doubts among his team, Shin concluded, "You are all dismissed."

The executives nodded and, one by one, left the conference room.

Shin gazed thoughtfully out of the window, murmuring, "It seems that the release of the KiShin-Rebolt cellular phone will need to be expedited." He pondered the cellular phone project, a joint effort between KiShin and Rebolt Technology, which bore a striking resemblance to Nokia from his previous life.

To be candid, Shin was also caught off guard by the economic shock in Japan, and he wouldn't deny that his bank accounts were affected. When the Japanese banks suffered due to the economic recession, his balances dwindled as well. While Shin didn't obsess over his wealth, a significant amount of money had been lost due to this economic downturn.

In hindsight, he wished he had secured some of his funds in a Swiss bank account if he had known earlier.

Considering this, he was already contemplating how to navigate this challenging period, particularly now that Mira was pregnant. While he didn't necessarily need to be extraordinarily wealthy for her pregnancy, Shin wanted to ensure that Mira didn't experience excessive stress due to the situation.