1936, a new year.
Imperial Palace, Tokyo, February 6th 18.12 PM
*On the 6th of February the emperor Hirohito finally called his main ministers and generals to him, they would discuss the future of Japan and how they could best improve conditions within the land of the rising sun. General Yamashita had expected the conference to be held in early January, but it had been delayed by several weeks because of a coup attempt in Tokyo. *
(The entrance to the Imperial palace in Tokyo.)
Hirohito: Thank you for coming gentlemen, I have several issues that I wish to discuss with you today. First on my list is an apology for the delayer on our meeting. Some of you have been told that there was a coup a few days ago, in which some of our soldiers tried to take control of Tokyo. I am sorry to say that this coup has been affiliated with our current government, the people are not too happy about it and dissent is growing.
*Goto Fumio, Japan's minister of security rises as the emperor waits for solutions to the growing dissent.*
Goto Fumio: My emperor, we can step up consumer goods production to keep the populace happy, as long as they can buy their radios and sake they will forget this coup in a few weeks.
Hirohito: Agreed, you have my permission to do just that. We also need to make the control clique more popular, do you think that your spies can step up their activities in helping the party gain popularity and keep dissenters quiet mr Shiro?
*The room falls silent and OkamuraYasuji rises*
Okamura Yasuji: My emperor, maybe you've forgotten, but I hold the post of minister of intelligence.
Hirohito: you did hold that post, I have fired you, just like I have fired Osumi Mineo as chief of the Navy, our new chief of the navy will be Isoroku Yamamoto. The fact that you Yasuji where unable to warn me about a coup that almost overthrew the officials of this nation proves your incompetence. Yamamoto, since you are now chief of the navy, Hata Shunroku will replace you as will be our new chief of the air force, Yasuji and Mineo, you can leave the room, your services are no longer needed.
*The two men leave the room without saying anything, but before they leave they both bow in respect of the emperor. After the two men have gone the new minister of intelligence, Takasu Shiro rises up and speaks.*
Takasu Shiro: I will indeed do what you ask my emperor, I will get a greater number of spies within our borders and they will certainly do their best to strengthen the party's popularity.
Hirohito: Excellent, I will be inquiring on your progress later in the year.
*At this point the head of the government, Okada Keisuke stands up*
Okada Keisuke: My emperor I strongly suggest that we pass a few new laws, to replace the old ones, we should change our industrial focus from a consumer based industry to a more mixed industry, this will allow us to produce more supplies and war materials, which we can use ourselves or sell to other nations. Before the meeting I also talked to general Yamashita, he suggested that we lengthen the training period's of our recruits, so that their performance will be better, sure they will take longer to train, but it is better with fewer trained men, than huge numbers of barely trained men. After all we don't want our armed forces to resemble those of the USSR.
Hirohito: I agree with you, the laws will be changed. I would like to hear from all of you what you think our research should be based on, I have made a list myself, but I would like to hear what you think.
Yamashita: We need better Radio technology, this would benefit all armed forces. The army, especially the men under my command have outdated support weapons, I suggest the production of a new mortar as well as new light artillery. We also need fabricated camouflage. I also suggest that a few of our generals should try to go deeper into the tactics of the great war and try to learn from them. I am sure that field marshal Kanin would agree.
*Kanin who is both chief of staff and chief of the army nods.*
Hirohito: I agree with you, anyone else?
*The armaments minister, Machida Chuji rises*
Machida Chuji: Yes my emperor: I believe we need to strengthen our industry and our education system need to get better. I also think that we should develop new medicine, this would help both our troops and our population.
* Hata Shunroku, the new chief of the air force stands up.*
Hata Shunroku: The air force also has needs and without a proper air force the army or navy won't be able to function. We need a new fuel tank for our interceptors and also a new airframe, the fighter pilots will also need more training.
Hirohito: Very well, Machida Chuji will be responsible for the research of these new projects, here is the full list Machida:
• Industry
• Monumental architecture
• Giant infrastructure projects
• Education
• Medicine
• Secretary of public information and education
• Broadcasting
• Supply production
• Radio detection equipment
• Radios
• Infantry support weapons
• Camouflage designs
• Light artillery
• Range finding equipment
• Artillery barrel and ammunition
• Basic small fuel tank
• Basic single engine airframe
• Great war analysis
• Fighter pilot training
Machida Chuji: I will go to work at once, however, if we are going to do all these projects I will have to take some resources away from our intelligence, diplomatic and officers sectors.
Hirohito: That will be fine for now. Gentlemen, I must tell you that there have been a new wave of Korean nationalists, they are stirring up trouble all the time.
Yamashita: I will take care of the problem my emperor, Korea is firm within our grasp, they are not going anywhere. To this end I would support that we build up a party militia to be sent to Korea or Manchuria to keep the peace, they don't need to be well equipped or well trained, ruthless and scary will do the trick I think, don't you agree Kanin?
Kanin: Yes, that sounds like a good idea, I support it hole heatedly.
Hirohito: Very well, you shall have it.
Yamashita: We also have to decide whether we should produce our tanks with casting or welding techniques, I support welding, but I don't know what mr Chuji has to say to that.
Machida Chuji: I have to disagree, cast tanks will be much faster to make at a very small sacrifice to their quality. Our industry is burdened enough by ship and air production, we can't spend a lot of Industrial capacity on building tanks.
Yamamoto: I agree, the navy needs all the resources it can get.
Hirohito: Very well, cast armor it is.
Yamashita: I must also bring up whether we should go for gasoline or diesel engines for our tanks. I would say that gasoline is better for our purposes, we don't need fuel that won't freeze at -30 as our operational area will be in Manchuria and our pacific holdings.
Machida Chuji: You are right Yamashita.
Kanin: As do I.
Yamamoto: I do not think that this is a good idea, what if we were put under blockade by the western powers, then the navy and air force would need most of our fuel, if the army let's their tanks go on diesel instead then it can use second grade fuel and the navy and air force can more easily get what it needs.
Hirohito: A sound argument Yamamoto, I agree, diesel it is.
*Yamashita and Kanin look disappointed.*
Yamashita: Are we all talking like we are expecting a war with the west, is there something in your plans my emperor that I have not heard about ?
Hirohito: Well, the reason I have appointed you in China is obviously because we are waiting for, in fact, desiring a war with China and we are not sure how the west will react to this.
Yamashita: I do not support any of this, but I will say that we can win a war with China, only if the west leaves us to do it in peace, we can't fight both at the same time and hope to win.
Yamamoto: I do not won't to sounds like a defeatist, but I have to agree with Yamashita, the navy is still not strong enough to take on the British, not to mention the Americans.
Hirohito: Relax gentlemen, if a war with China happens I will make sure that we are left to do our business in peace.
*Yamashita and Yamamoto look disillusioned, but they both nod in respect.*
Hirohito: Mr Chuji, do you have anything else for us ?
Machida Chuji: Yes I do, we have to decide whether to build up our synthetic industries further, this will drain our production in other areas, but we will be able to survive a blockade more easily.
Hirohito: I agree, you may go forward and build up a larger synthetic industry. What are we actually producing at the moment Mr Chuji?
Machida Chuji: Right now we are building new heavy cruisers and carriers with their compliment of aircraft. We will increase our production of consumer goods to keep the public happy and Yamashita have requested that we need to upgrade the equipment of most of our men, so I have granted resources to do that as well. We are also making a lot of war supplies to sell, our budget is not as well balanced as it should be.
Yamamoto: I have looked at your report and I am satisfied that we are focusing on the naval production, the army has enough divisions I would say to deal with any incident against the Chinese.
Yamashita: One can never have enough trained men, but for now I am happy with getting better equipment for my forces.
Kanin: I strongly suggest that the army needs more divisions for the future.
Hirohito: You remarks are noted Yamashita and Kanin, but for now I am happy with the state of our industrial output. Anything else Mr Chuji?
Machida Chuji: Well, this is not really up to me to decide, but our airplane factories have asked whether we want to focus on light or heavy aircraft production.
Hata Shunroku: I would say that we should focus on light airplane production, that will increase the numbers of planes to do tactical missions, the production of carrier aircraft will be increased and our factories can build far more fighter planes to keep any enemy away from our home soil.
Yamamoto: I agree.
Yamashita: As do I.
Hirohito: Good that we can all agree.
Hirota Koki: If I may my emperor I would like to talk about our diplomatic front.
Hirohito: Of course Mr Koki, go ahead.
Hirota Koki: We have been asked by numerous small European nations for licenses to produce our KI-59 Mitsubishi light bomber. I have agreed to this as we are not going to fight any of them and it will bring in money to us. I have also talked to the American ambassador and they will be happy to purchase supplies from us at the usual exchange rate.
Hirohito: I agree. I would like you, however, to start aligning towards Germany, I have already sent my brother on a European trip where he will meet with Adolf Hitler, Germany is a going to be a giant in the west under Hitler and since our relationship with the British is ruined we are better off with the Germans.
Hirota Koki: I will contact the German ambassador immediately. I almost forgot, but I have also contacted the BIS (Bank for international settlements) in Switzerland and they are most happy to buy supplies from us.
Hirohito: Go ahead, we need the money. Gentlemen, we have to decide what our industry is going to be focused on this year, expanding the army, navy or air force, what do you think?
Kanin: I would love to say the army, but since all these new ships are being produced we should probably focus on that this year.
Yamashita: I share the viewpoint of general Kanin.
Yamamoto: I am happy to hear that, I would of course advocate for the navy.
Hirohito: Very well, then we agree. Is there anything else before we can conclude this meeting?
Kanin: Yes, we should decide whether to reinforce our garrisons in the pacific with new troops.
Yamamoto: This has to be done, they are very exposed as it is.
Hirohito: Very well, Kanin, you may proceed with this. I think this concludes matters for this time gentlemen, thank you all.
*All the ministers bow in respect and leave the room.*
PS: When war with China starts I am going to write reports from Yamashita to the other ministers.
). I will be playing on normal difficulty as it is ages since I have really played hearts of iron 3. The AAR will be written in two styles so to speak, my standard way of having conferences between the major leaders where the writing will be in dialogue form and the diary of my main character, general Yamashita. I will try to arrange my game as historically as possible, I wont play to win, more like to provide a view of the deep rivalries between the different Japanese armed forces, for instance between the army and navy. I should say that my knowledge of the Japanese chains of commands, historic general's etc are limited so I might make mistakes when it comes to this. I will also try to show my main character's personal view's and the way he tries to advocate his vision of the way forward, he will not allways get his way when it comes to how the war effort(s) will be directed. 
