Chapter 0692: The Elder Statesman

"No, Prime Minister, we absolutely cannot be intimidated by the Germans. To relinquish those territories would be an utter waste!" exclaimed Minister of the Army, Okamichi Isunosuke, with a fierce expression.

"If the Germans send their navy to attack, what should we do?" Prime Minister Okuma Shigenobu asked, visibly troubled and reluctant to antagonize Germany.

"Your Excellency, while the German navy is indeed formidable, can their navy truly land? As long as our army holds the line, the Germans will have no way to defeat us! The longer this drags on, the more disadvantageous it becomes for them. Ultimately, it is very likely the matter will end in stalemate. Although it may cost us dearly, if we can secure those territories, no price is too high to pay!" Okamichi insisted.

"What if the German navy bombards our coastal areas? Our most prosperous regions lie along the coast, and these areas are almost all within the range of their naval artillery!" remarked Minister of the Navy, Yatsuda Rokuro.

"Coward!" Okamichi retorted sharply. "Are the coastal defenses of our navy just for show?"

"Foolishness! That would be like striking a stone with an egg!" Yatsuda shot back, unyielding.

Seeing that the two were on the verge of physical confrontation, Prime Minister Okuma hastily called for the meeting to be adjourned.

"Enough, let's end the meeting for today!" Prime Minister Okuma declared.

"Prime Minister, time is running short. A decision must be made soon!" Foreign Minister Kato Takayoshi interjected.

"I have no choice but to meet with the Elders later. This matter, which concerns the fate of the nation, is best left to the Elders to decide," Okuma replied, his tone filled with resignation.

Though Prime Minister Okuma was the actual head of government, he was but a puppet in the hands of the Elders. The real power lay with them, and should they be displeased with him, they could easily replace him with another.

Upon hearing that Okuma would meet with the Elders, the other cabinet ministers immediately ceased their arguments. They knew that if the Elders were to decide, there was no longer any need for their input. No matter how much they debated, it would be meaningless. Once the Elders reached a consensus, they would simply have to carry out their commands.

The Elders were semi-retired politicians in Japan, wielding immense influence, and could be considered the true highest authorities in the government. All major decisions were made by these Elders, and even the Prime Minister and Emperor had no power to oppose them.

At present, only five Elders remained: Yamamoto Gonbee, Matsukata Masayoshi, Inoue Kaoru, Oyama Iwao, and Saionji Kinmochi. From this list, it was clear that the Japanese Army held significant sway, as two of the Elders—Yamamoto and Oyama—came from military backgrounds. The Navy, by contrast, had no representation. Since the death of Admiral Saigo Tanomo, the Navy had been without a member in the ranks of the Elders, leaving them at a disadvantage in the ongoing struggle with the Army.

The Navy had long hoped to elevate Admiral Yamamoto Gonbee and Admiral Togo Heihachiro to the rank of Elder, but had failed to do so.

That afternoon, Prime Minister Okuma arrived at the residence of Yamamoto Gonbee. As the senior-most of the five Elders, Yamamoto's home was where the Elder meetings typically took place. In these meetings, the Prime Minister had the right to speak, but no voting power. Only the Elders could make decisions.

"Everyone is here, so let us begin the meeting," Yamamoto Gonbee declared.

Though Yamamoto was seventy-seven, his voice was still strong, and his health and mental state were excellent. Among the other Elders, Matsukata Masayoshi, the oldest at eighty, was still mentally sharp, though Inoue Kaoru, at seventy-nine, was in declining health, and likely had only a few months left to live in another timeline. The younger Elders, Oyama Iwao and Saionji Kinmochi, were aged seventy-three and sixty-six, respectively.

It was clear that Japan's political system was one dominated by the elderly, with real power held by men well into their advanced years.

"Prime Minister, what is the difficult decision the Cabinet cannot make?" Yamamoto asked.

"Your Excellency, as Japan's ally of the British Empire, we declared war on Germany early in the conflict. Taking advantage of the situation, we seized the German colonies in the Pacific. Unfortunately, Germany has proven itself incredibly brave on the European front, having already defeated France and Italy. With Russia having exited the war, only Britain remains, though it too will likely fall. The Cabinet is concerned that once Germany finishes with Europe, it will turn its attention to Japan. The Cabinet has two positions: one is to surrender the colonies to Germany, seeking reconciliation and restoring relations; the other is to retain the territories, preparing for a potential confrontation with Germany in the Far East. If Japan wins, those colonies will remain ours, and we may gain even more. However, if we lose, the consequences may be catastrophic. The achievements since the Meiji Restoration could be entirely lost in this war!" Okuma explained, laying out the Cabinet's dilemma. Then, he fell silent, awaiting the Elders' decision.

After hearing Okuma's explanation, the Elders furrowed their brows. Their seasoned experience told them that this was indeed a complex and precarious situation.

Germany was far too powerful, and Japan's actions could be likened to snatching food from a tiger's mouth. No nation could tolerate such actions from Japan. Thus, it seemed highly likely that Germany, once it concluded the war in Europe, would turn its forces on Japan.

"If Germany attacks us, do we have the capability to repeat the victory of the Battle of Tsushima?" Yamamoto asked.

At Tsushima, the Japanese Navy had waited for the Russian fleet to arrive from afar, ultimately defeating them decisively. This victory had ensured Japan's complete success in the Russo-Japanese War.