34 Tora Corporation Meeting
In various stores and malls across Japan, the Shatei spread fear by intimidating store owners and mall operators under the orders of Wakagashira Ryuji.
Japan is home to numerous Yakuza families, some with honorable reputations, and others with a history of violence and wrongdoing.
While some managers resisted the Yakuza's demands, others complied. However, those who dared to resist soon found their machines destroyed, incurring significant losses.
---
The sales of KiShin SKT continued to surge, and the revenue generated by KiShin reached unprecedented heights.
At the Tora Corporation headquarters, Asahi Tanaka convened a meeting with the board of directors. He presented the estimated earnings of the KiShin SKY FamiCom to the directors.
"As you can see, in just two days, the sales of KiShin SKT Famicom alone have already generated at least 70 million, according to our estimates. It could even be more, but one thing is certain: this is a highly profitable venture," Asahi confidently stated.
Initially, he had always wanted to present this business idea, but he lacked proof of its true profitability.
The board of directors listened attentively and were visibly impressed. One director inquired, "If Chairman Tanaka is presenting us with such an opportunity, are you suggesting we explore a similar business?"
The curiosity of the other directors was piqued as well.
Chairman Asahi Tanaka nodded and replied, "Indeed. At the very least, I have plans to explore this opportunity."
Another director chimed in, "But the product is already licensed and protected by copyright law."
"Somehow, I think we can find a way to imitate it and avoid legal consequences," someone else mused.
"That's an intriguing thought," said another director.
However, Asahi shook his head at their assumption. "No, my intention is to acquire the KiShin company and make it a subsidiary of Tora Corporation," he explained, a smile playing on his lips.
The directors chuckled, and one of them commented, "That's an even better idea."
"I hadn't considered that," another director admitted with a chuckle.
"But will they agree to sell? Given their current revenue, they may not be inclined to," inquired another director.
Asahi Tanaka's expression turned serious. "The KiShin company is currently a customer of our subsidiary, Tora Electronics. They don't even have their own components to manufacture their products. So, if they resist selling, we can apply pressure through contract negotiations. We can also wait for the current contracts to expire and cease supplying them," he articulated firmly.
However, another director raised a concern, saying, "KiShin company could turn to Suzuki Electronics if we pursue that course."
"Yes, Suzuki Electronics is the leading electronic company in Japan; they can readily become KiShin's new supplier. If KiShin does this, they might seek out other partners, such as Suzuki Electronics, which would result in losing a significant customer and revenue," another director added.
"I believe such a plan is risky and ill-considered, Chairman Tanaka. This doesn't seem like your usual approach," quipped a portly man, Jin Mashida, who held the position of Vice Chairman and possessed 10 percent of the voting rights.
While 10 percent may seem relatively small, it represented a substantial 300 billion yen in shares within the corporation, valued at 3 trillion yen. In contrast, Chairman Tanaka held 26 percent of the voting rights, equivalent to a significant 800 billion yen.
Chairman Tanaka responded to the Vice Chairman with a smile, saying, "Actually, I wouldn't typically consider such a move, but when I delved into the background of the individual who owns KiShin company and discovered his true identity, I was rather astonished."
The directors and the Vice Chairman became intrigued, and someone inquired, "Oh... I wonder who he is."
"He must possess a wealth of experience."
"Yes, and he appears to have the spirit of an entrepreneur."
Vice Chairman Jin Mashida asked, "Could you please reveal his identity, Chairman Tanaka?"
Chairman Asahi Tanaka paused momentarily and then disclosed, "He happens to be the youngest son of the Suzuki Group's chairman, and his name is Shinro Suzuki." He retrieved a photograph from his pocket and placed it on the table for the board of directors to examine. However, it appeared that the directors and the Vice Chairman had missed his verbal announcement, as they were now fixated on the photograph.
The Vice Chairman gazed at the picture and expressed his surprise at the youthfulness of the individual.
"He looks remarkably young!"
"My own son might be older than him," chimed in another director.
"Is he genuinely the owner of KiShin company?" the Vice Chairman asked, still harboring doubts.
Chairman Asahi Tanaka nodded in affirmation.
"Wait, did you say he is the youngest son of the Suzuki Group's chairman!?" Vice Chairman Jin realized the significance of this and asked in a state of shock.
The board of directors turned their attention to Chairman Asahi Tanaka with evident surprise.
Chairman Suzuki confirmed, "Indeed, that's correct. He is Shiro Suzuki's youngest son, Shinro Suzuki."
"I only became aware of this because I happened to catch a TV interview. I saw half of his face, and then my son mentioned that the person who owns KiShin company is Shinro Suzuki. So, I initiated an investigation to confirm it," Chairman Tanaka explained.
Another director expressed surprise, saying, "How did you recognize the face of the Suzuki Group's chairman's youngest son, Chairman Tanaka? Many people in Japan may share the same name."
"Yes, and there are rumors that the Suzuki Group chairman's least favorite son is the youngest one."
"That's just hearsay..."
The directors engaged in a discussion.
"I recognized his face because I attended business gatherings in Tokyo, and on one occasion, I saw the youngest son of the Suzuki family. During that event, when I conversed with the chairman of the Suzuki Group, he seemed to be disregarding two of his sons, including Shinro Suzuki," Chairman Asahi Tanaka explained.
"Oh, now I recall. That gathering took place a year ago. I'm surprised you remembered, Chairman," Vice Chairman Jin Mashida remarked, scratching his head.
"But even so, he's still a member of the Suzuki family, which makes it more likely for him to have Suzuki Electronics supply KiShin company," Vice Chairman Jin Mashida added.
The board of directors nodded in agreement, and another director chimed in, "Indeed. If KiShin were truly a company backed by the Suzuki Group, our attempts to pressure them would likely prove futile."
However, Chairman Asahi Tanaka shook his head, countering, "No. According to our investigation, Shinro had a falling-out with his father. When the youngest son established a company under the Suzuki Group, his father swiftly disbanded it without hesitation. This forced Shinro to become independent and establish his current KiShin company," he explained, tapping the table with his fingers for emphasis.
Vice Chairman Jin Mashida voiced doubt, saying, "What if it's merely a ruse orchestrated by the Suzuki Group? What if it's all for show? How else could KiShin company have achieved such remarkable growth in just three months since its founding?"
The board of directors nodded in agreement. "Yes, what if it's all part of the Suzuki Group's plan?" another director added.
Chairman Asahi Tanaka remained in contemplative silence for a moment before speaking with a serious expression, "You all make valid points, but based on my intuition, I don't believe that's the case. However, I acknowledge that it's merely a gut feeling on my part. That's why I've brought this matter to all of you for discussion."
As the board of directors nodded, Chairman Asahi Tanaka continued, "If we can't acquire KiShin, we can always explore the option of buying the rights or becoming a licensee, allowing us to manufacture our own consoles."
One of the directors raised a question, asking, "Do you think they would agree to sell us the rights or grant us a license?"
Chairman Asahi Tanaka smiled and replied, "They would profit if we become their licensee, but I doubt they would sell the rights. However, we can strategize to maximize our profits while minimizing potential losses." He pondered the possibilities, considering ways to secure the most advantageous outcome.
