The Story of Nagayoshi Tōudōu and Lucky Strike

Chapter 33

There is a scene in Nagayoshi Tōudōu’s life that he will never forget.

“Don’t forget this. Without it, the country will die. It has to be transported from overseas, refined, and delivered where it’s needed. It’s as troublesome as a demanding woman.”

His mentor, who taught him the rope, said this with a nonchalant expression. Being a prospector* was not a respectable trade. Manchuria, Heilongjiang Province, The extreme temperature fluctuations were harsh due to the inland location.

[T/N- A prospector is someone who searches for mineral deposits, such as gold, oil, or other valuable natural resources. Yes I took it out straight out of Wikipedia]

“Is it really there?”

“It is. The survey team from the United States confirmed it. The equipment is not those domestic junk, but high-performance American-made. It’s definitely there!”

There was madness in his face. This was the dream and last gamble of a seasoned prospector who pursued oil in this land as a continental adventurer (大陸浪人 - Tairiku Ronin ) and later worked at the Palembang oil facility during World War II. The development of this Manchurian oil field was his life’s final bet. From Tōudōu’s perspective, developing an oil field in such an unstable political situation was insanity. However, the value of Manchuria as a buffer against communism was increasing, as it was the only place where the defeated Kuomintang army could flee amid the Chinese Civil War. If an oil field was discovered when its value rose, Western oil majors might seize all the interests. Iwasaki Trading, where Tōudōu was employed, leveraged their local knowledge and experience from the Manchurian rule to secure a 30:70 joint venture, a significant victory for a Japanese conglomerate that had lost influence after switching sides and surrendering to the Allies during World War II. It was also partly because the Americans were not very serious about it.

Tōudōu, a graduate of the Imperial University, was assigned to this venture with the prospector because he was outside the inner circles of the conglomerate. The conglomerate’s decision to join this dubious venture was influenced by a family member indebted to the prospector during the repatriation. There were no elite inner-circle members willing to come to this war-torn land after the Manchurian War and the Chinese Civil War.

“The war is over, and we can now import oil from the U.S. We don’t need to drill for it.”*

[P/R- War here means WWII not Manchurian or Chinese Civil war , it can be confusing so just to clarify here , & Tōudōu basically saying japan can just buy oil from America(at that time 1909 to 80's US basically controled Whole African/Arab oil field, well they do now too but 30 years back it was whole another level , they basically created this monopoly to ensure safety of DOLLARS . I won't going to explain how currency works now. This much knowledge is okay to understand the context]

“Fool. We were driven to war and defeated because they cut off our oil supply. If we had our own oil fields, there wouldn’t have been a war!”

[T/N- Historical Context:

In the lead-up to World War II, Japan was highly dependent on oil imports to fuel its military and industrial activities. A significant portion of this oil came from the United States and other foreign sources.

The Oil Embargo:

In 1941, as Japan expanded its military presence in Southeast Asia and posed a growing threat to Western interests, the United States, along with other Allied nations, imposed an oil embargo on Japan. This embargo severely restricted Japan's access to oil and other critical resources.

Consequences:

Faced with the prospect of running out of fuel for its navy and air force, Japan decided to secure its own oil supplies through military conquest. This strategic need for oil was a major factor in Japan's decision to attack Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, hoping to cripple the U.S. Pacific Fleet and secure the resources of Southeast Asia, including the oil-rich Dutch East Indies (modern-day Indonesia).

And then you got Little Boy and Fat-man (sound kinda Yaoi Doujin)]

To endure the cold, he held a cigarette in his mouth but did not light it due to the location. He tossed the whole pack of American aid supplies—Lucky Strike—to the prospector, who had gestured for one. The prospector laughed upon seeing it, as the cigarette’s name originated from a slang phrase used by those who struck it rich during the Gold Rush. He took one from the pack, put it in his mouth, and laughed like Tōudōu.

“You fool. The fun is in finding it yourself. And then, you can bring glory to your homeland.”

Before Tōudōu could say anything, a roar accompanied the gushing of black liquid from the oil well. It wasn’t mud.

“Ha ha ha! Look! It’s really come out! How about that! I did it! I really did it!”

Covered in the gushing mud and oil, the prospector laughed. Tōudōu was mesmerized by his triumph, born of a dream and obsession.

'Will I ever be able to wear that kind of expression?'

This moment marked the beginning of Tōudōu’s career. Neither of them knew then that this oil field, later named the Daqing Oil Field, would have a decisive impact on Far Eastern geopolitics, providing a perfect pretext for U.S. and Japanese intervention to drive out the Communist forces invading Manchuria following the defeat of the Kuomintang. Their lives would diverge after this.

Starting as a field supervisor at the Manchurian oil field, Tōudōu’s career led him to transport this oil to Japan, involving him in the construction of domestic industrial complexes and the development and transport of crude oil in Southeast Asia and the Middle East. The prospector, on the other hand, extorted large sums of money from Japanese and American companies, flaunted it back home, but his later years were unhappy. He squandered his fortune extravagantly and ended up dying miserably, targeted by dubious individuals.

Tōudōu married the daughter the prospector had with a local woman in Manchuria, having helped her at the prospector’s funeral when she was being harassed by relatives seeking the nonexistent inheritance. The only thing the prospector had left his daughter was an old empty Lucky Strike box—the same cigarettes from the time they discovered the oil field. Despite marriage proposals from the conglomerate’s inner circle, Tōudōu’s refusal to marry into them ended his career advancement.

Tachibana Ryūji, who had ties with the prospector and knew Tōudōu’s expertise in oil, recruited him to Keika-in Trading, offering him the freedom to work as he pleased. There, he encountered his new dream.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Nagayoshi Tōudōu. I was formerly the head of resource procurement at Iwasaki Trading. Now, I’m working as a consultant at Keika Trading, introduced by Mr. Tachibana.”

When he met Runa Keika-in, he was reminded of the Manchurian oil field development site. Despite being complete opposites, this young lady’s face looked uncannily like that of the prospector. He restrained himself from taking out the Lucky Strike from his pocket.

“Why not? Let’s do it.”

“You say it so casually. Going solo would require a scale of several hundred billion yen, you know?”

He knew what she had accomplished through Tachibana and had verified it himself. Mesmerized by her smile and decision, which reminded him of the prospector’s, the words naturally came out of his mouth.

“A comprehensive trading company in distress. Even if it’s lower-ranked, can’t you buy it with your own hands, Miss?”

In the president’s office at Matsuno Trading’s headquarters in Shibaura, Tokyo, Tōudōu sat. Although his wife didn’t quite grasp the reality of him becoming president, and their grown children only thought of it as increasing their grandchildren’s allowances, he realized they too had inherited the prospector’s blood. He placed a box of Lucky Strike where it could be seen, a reminder of his origins and a fragment of his dream.

“I came to congratulate you. Congratulations on becoming president.”

“Thank you, Young Lady.”

She handed him a bouquet and immediately noticed the Lucky Strike box and the absence of an ashtray. Her perceptiveness reminded him of the prospector, but he didn’t mention it.

“What’s that cigarette box?”

“It’s like my good luck charm. Lucky Strike. The origin of the name is…”

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Glossary 

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[Daqing Oil Field]

From “The Dust of Conquerors” by Kōshū Tani (Kadokawa Shoten, Chūōkōron-shinsha). One of the sources of inspiration when writing about a certain dragon deity.

[Lucky Strike]

I was reminded of it by a description in “A Distant Star” by Daisuke Satō (Tokuma Shoten) about it being taken from a supply depot in collapsed West Berlin. Researching its origin made me laugh out loud. This is how Tōudōu’s character was developed. This is how this author generally writes stories.

 

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Translator Note

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While reading this you will find many aside Manchuria , all other name is like wTf right ? So I will explain these unknown places here(Real World)...

1. 満州 Manchuria:

Manchuria is a historical region in Northeast Asia, which encompasses parts of modern-day China. During the early 20th century, it was the site of significant geopolitical conflict and resource exploitation, particularly involving Japan, China, and Russia.

2. 黒竜江省 Heilongjiang Province:

Heilongjiang is a province in Northeast China, known for its harsh climate and significant natural resources, including oil.

3. 大陸浪人（Tairiku Ronin）:

 This term refers to Japanese adventurers, entrepreneurs, and mercenaries who operated in mainland Asia, particularly in China, during the early 20th century. They were often involved in various enterprises, including resource extraction and military activities.

4. 国共内戦（Chinese Civil War）:

The Chinese Civil War was a conflict between the Nationalist Kuomintang (KMT) and the Communist Party of China (CPC) that took place intermittently from 1927 to 1949. It ended with the establishment of the People's Republic of China by the Communists and the retreat of the Nationalists to Taiwan.

5. ラッキーストライク（Lucky Strike）:

Lucky Strike is an American brand of cigarettes that gained popularity in the early 20th century. The brand's name and packaging evoke a sense of luck and success, often associated with the American frontier spirit and the Gold Rush era.

6. パレンパンの石油施設（Palembang Oil Facilities）:

 Palembang is a city in Indonesia that was known for its oil facilities. During World War II, it was a significant site of conflict and strategic importance due to its oil resources.

7. 帝大（Imperial University）:

This term refers to the former imperial universities in Japan, which were the most prestigious higher education institutions in the country. Graduates of these universities often held influential positions in government and industry.

8. The Daqing Oil Field:

The Daqing Oil Field was discovered by the Chinese geologist Li Siguang (李四光) and his team in 1959. Li Siguang was a prominent figure in China's geological exploration efforts and played a crucial role in the discovery and subsequent development of Daqing Oil Field, which became one of the largest oil fields in China. His contributions to the Chinese oil industry and geological sciences were significant during the mid-20th century.

9. The Kuomintang Army :

KMT was the military force of the Chinese Nationalist Party, led by Chiang Kai-shek. It played a pivotal role in China's history, including the Chinese Civil War against the Communist Party and later retreat to Taiwan after defeat in 1949.