At the Shonai Alumni Association, Tokyo Meeting.

 Chapter 39

"Ichijou! Over here! This way!!"

"The star of today's show has arrived."

"He's our hope and shining star now."

The Shinjuku Keika-in Hotel's grand ballroom was rented out for the party, and despite the post-bubble era, it was surprisingly lavish, packed to the brim with people. Many seemed to be eagerly awaiting Ichijou's arrival, and as soon as he stepped into the venue, all eyes turned toward him.

The nationwide bank merger drama, driven by the need to resolve a series of bad loans, had been making headlines, and Ichijou, who had risen to the position of executive officer, was undeniably the man of the hour.

"Everyone, thank you for gathering today for the Shonai Alumni Association meeting. Given the current state of affairs, there are many bleak topics, and I'm sure you all are feeling uneasy in your daily lives. Precisely at times like these, we, the people of Shonai, must unite and protect our hometown. So today, eat, drink, and converse to your heart's content. Cheers!"

"CHEERS!!!"

As the host's greeting ended, a thunderous applause erupted, and people with beer and wine in hand rushed towards Ichijou. Some, already inebriated, even wrapped their arms around him and forced drinks into his hands. Despite the raucous atmosphere, Ichijou never got angry. Just a few years ago, he had been shunned from this meeting; people can be shameless in many ways.

"When you reorganized Hokkaido Land Development, I wondered what would happen, but I was relieved when Keika-in decided to build a petrochemical complex in Sakata."

"Thanks to that, funds were allocated for road maintenance projects, and we managed to get by."

"Without public works, rural areas can't survive."

"Indeed."

After the reports at this meeting, there were plans to discuss future challenges. The agenda included lobbying the government and prefecture to promote economic development in Sakata while enhancing the corporate town aspect of the Keika-in Group. These large-scale projects involved not only budgets but also permits, making the alumni associations like this one instrumental in coordinating efforts across various sectors.

"Can't we increase the flights from Shonai Airport to Haneda?"

"Haneda is already at capacity and can't accept more on flights departments."

"When flights get canceled, there are no other options."

"If you can make it to Niigata, it's manageable, but that's uncertain with the snow."

"The Shinkansen... it's supposed to extend to Shinjo, right? From there..."

The man who had been speaking fell silent, knowing that the next words could spark a conflict. While the Shonai region was united here, there was a subtle rift between Tsuruoka, the former castle town, and Sakata, the commercial hub. Thus, one had to choose their words carefully in such settings. Despite the potential for population outflow, stabilizing access to Tokyo was a long-held dream for the snow-ridden Shonai region, crucial for its economic growth.

Handling these conversations with a smile, Ichijou quietly stepped out of the venue for a breather. Heading to a smoking booth on a different floor, he found someone else with a similar idea, smoking alone.

"Ichijou, you can't leave. You're the star of the show. Came for a smoke?"

"I quit smoking. It's bad for the lady I serve."

Kids do hate this smell. Why don't you quit too?"

"Give me a break. How else can I handle the stress from work?"

The man who offered Ichijou a cigarette looked around the newly-built smoking booth with a wry smile. Even in these times, where smokers were still abundant, the Keika-in Group was quick to adopt separate smoking areas. The man, a high school classmate and close friend of Ichijou's, had taken over his family's construction company back home.

"You've changed, Ichijou. A few years ago, you looked like a demon to me."

"I was busy dealing with bad loans. I lost many friends because of that. You even punched me."

"More familiar faces disappeared. These gatherings are for the successful; those who fall rarely return. It's lonely."

Bad loan disposal often led to what was called "debt collection," where banks would mercilessly pursue customers to recover their money. Ichijou had earned the resentment of many through this process. This man was one of them, but knowing the potential consequences, they avoided showing hostility.

"I later learned that you facilitated new loans while collecting old ones."

"Just collecting debts isn't enough to make a living as a banker. I prefer to get punched less often."

At that time, there were broadly two types of bad loans in rural areas. One was from investments aimed at local development, where many places aimed to become the next Karuizawa post-1987's Resort Law, only to collapse with the bubble burst, ending up with massive debts. Many of these loans remained untouched, as addressing them could kill the local economy. The other type stemmed from urban developments funded to secure money for local projects, only to be caught in the bubble burst, leading to even larger bad loans. As the branch manager of Far Eastern Bank's Tokyo branch, Ichijou focused on dealing with these urban bad loans, earning resentment that made him hesitant to attend these alumni meetings until recently. Now, welcomed with masked ulterior motives of securing loans, Ichijou knew too well not to be fooled.

"I heard you went around apologizing, saying, 'I hit him, so forgive him.'"

"I was angry and did hit you, but I also owed you a debt. Still, emotions are separate. It was the right thing to do."

"Absolutely."

A stroke of luck for Ichijou and this man was the resolution of Hokkaido Land Development's largest and last bad loan disposal by the young lady, avoiding further debt collection. Additionally, the impending extension of the Yamagata Shinkansen to Shinjo and the decision to build a complex in Sakata by the Keika-in Group brought much-needed investment to the Shonai area. Local companies still operated on a shoestring budget, but as long as they kept running, the economy would keep moving.

"Are you planning to return to your hometown eventually?"

"Well, it is my hometown."

"Returning to be ostracized wouldn't make sense, right? Sell your favor and loans now while you can."

"I never disliked your meddling."

With those words, Ichijou patted the man's shoulder and returned to the venue. Later, reading in the local newspaper about the low-cost airline AIRHO under the Keika-in Group establishing early morning and late-night flights between Shonai and Narita, the man thought of Ichijou in Tokyo and couldn't help but smile, earning puzzled looks from his employees.

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Glossary 

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Alumni Associations

Prefecture-wide "kenjinkai" (prefecture people associations) are more widely known. Those who attend these and school reunions are typically successful in society. This topic was touched upon in the manga "Shima Kosaku," though I can't recall which role Kosaku was in at the time...

Shonai Airport Haneda Flights

For local airports, the Tokyo (Haneda) route is the most profitable, but Haneda Airport had no available slots at this time. The story ends with the establishment of early morning Narita flights, operated on a route of New Chitose → Narita → Shonai for night stays, and Shonai → Narita → New Chitose. The cargo hold of these early flights would likely be filled with Shonai's rice, vegetables, and seafood.

Yamagata Shinkansen Shinjo Extension

Declared a major project by the prefecture in July 1993 and an agreement for implementation was reached between the prefecture and JR East in February 1997. Such projects often involve local contractors as subcontractors, greatly aiding the area, especially after avoiding bad loan disposal and with the construction of the Sakata complex.

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Translator Note

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Shonai (庄内) refers to a region in Yamagata Prefecture, located in the Tohoku region of Japan. It is known for its rich cultural heritage, historical significance, and agricultural productivity. The region includes the cities of Tsuruoka and Sakata, and it is famous for producing high-quality rice, vegetables, and seafood. Shonai has a unique cultural identity within Yamagata Prefecture, with traditions and festivals that reflect its historical background as a former castle town and commercial hub. The region's natural beauty, including mountains, rivers, and coastline, also makes it a notable area in Japan.