Chapter 286: Chapter 286: Asian Goddess
Within the villa of Repulse Bay, Joey Wong was swimming in the pool. Arthur walked out from the house and sat on a nearby lounge chair. "Do you want to come up and have a drink?" he asked.
"Oh," the beauty responded as she emerged from the pool. "The house is beautiful!"
Joey picked up a towel and started drying herself off. She bent down to kiss Arthur, but he pulled her into his arms and kissed her passionately.
After the kiss, Joey leaned into Arthur and took a breath. "Isn't the past few days spent with me enough?" she asked.
Arthur caressed the woman's body. "When we get to Toronto, I'll buy you a house so you can rest for a while. Then, we can travel around and unwind."
Joey hugged Arthur's neck. "I've saved some money over the years; I could buy a house in Canada."
"Don't worry, it's all minor stuff." Arthur said, patting her back.
"Is Vivian Chow also your woman?"
"Yes, she wants to settle permanently in Vancouver. She said there are more Chinese people there," Arthur did not hide anything. "But she will continue her career."
"Alright, whatever you say," Zoey kissed Arthur on the cheek. "But I need to take a trip to Taipei first, then we can go on a vacation in Europe. Is that okay?"
"No problem. Decide where you want to go, and I'll wait for you in Tokyo," Arthur replied, standing up. "Get ready, we'll go to Jumbo Floating Restaurant for dinner tonight!"
"Alright, I'll take a shower first," Joey said, getting up from Arthur's embrace.
Arthur then took out his phone and called Emily Shear in Tokyo to inquire about Fast Retailing Co.
"Tadashi Yanai has valued Fast Retailing Co. at 8 billion yen. With 20% of the shares, it's 1.6 billion yen."
Arthur tapped his fingers. "Alright, since Sakura Bank is providing the $30 million, which converts to 3.2 billion yen."
"What's the situation with the Pachinko business?"
"There's a man named Kazuo Okada, who mainly runs Pachinko machines. I'm optimistic about him. I think we should collaborate with him," Emily continued over the phone.
"Fine, make the decision. I don't care about the process. Pachinko is a gray area in Japan tied to local gangs," Arthur chuckled. "Given our status, neither the Japanese government nor the gangs would dare to mess with us. That's our advantage. If you believe in Kazuo Okada, then support him thoroughly. Invest 1 billion yen to help him expand the Pachinko business!"
"Understood."
After hanging up the phone, Arthur smiled.
Japan prohibits gambling, but Pachinko parlors are a significant revenue source, so the government turns a blind eye.
In the parlors, patrons exchange money for ball bearings to play games. Though winnings can't be directly converted to cash at the parlors, they can be exchanged for specific sealed items like lipstick or ballpoint pens, which can then be sold for cash at nearby "welfare" shops.
Arthur then walked into the bathroom where Joey was showering. He pushed open the door. "Hey, honey, I'm coming in!"
"Mm," Joey Wong, standing under the showerhead, barely had time to react before Arthur embraced her and kissed her.
Tall and with flawless, fair skin, Joey leaned against the wall, passionately responding as Arthur caressed her soft body, shedding his swim trunks.
Moments later, she wrapped her long legs around Arthur's waist, holding him tightly. "Can't wait until tonight?" she asked breathlessly.
Arthur smiled and replied, "We still have things to do tonight."
Joey Wong closed her eyes, her fingers leaving marks on Arthur's shoulders...
...
The next day, Arthur saw Joey Wong off on a plane from Hong Kong to Taipei and then returned to Tokyo himself.
Blockbuster Speed grossed over a hundred million dollars in North America and over a hundred million overseas, as of now. It wasn't as explosive as Jurassic Park, but still impressive.
The success of Speed catapulted its stars Johnny Depp and Nicole Kidman into top-billing celebrities.
Another comedy by Galaxy Studios, Mrs. Doubtfire, grossed $70 million in just three weeks in North America.
Its momentum was even stronger than Speed's!
"Now we have Four Weddings and a Funeral coming up," Arthur said, satisfied as Anna Walker reported to him in a suite at the Tokyo Bay Sheraton Hotel.
"Also, The Firm, starring Tom Cruise, just premiered and performed very well, opening with $25 million," Anna Walker said, admiring Tom Cruise's prowess. Last year's A Few Good Men had also been impressive.
This year, Cruise's lawyer role in The Firm was similarly explosive.
"By the way, has Tadashi Yanai arrived?" Arthur asked.
"Yes, at the sushi restaurant in the hotel," Anna Walker responded, puzzled as Arthur rarely ate sushi in America.
Fast Retailing, originally a men's clothing store in Hiroshima named Ogori Shoji, was renamed under Yanai's leadership!
At the sushi restaurant, Arthur met Tadashi Yanai, who was 44, wore glasses, and had a typical Japanese appearance.
"Mr. Smith," Yanai bowed.
"Sit," Arthur waved his hand. "Let's eat and chat. It's been a long time since I've had sushi."
Yanai smiled. "The sushi here is top-notch in Tokyo!"
Arthur skillfully used his chopsticks to pick up a piece and put it in his mouth. "Hmm, not bad. How many Uniqlo stores do you have now?"
"Currently about 80, all concentrated in Japan!" Yanai quickly replied.
"We are adding around 30 stores annually."
"Hong Kong, Taipei, Seoul - these cities should be considered," Arthur suggested.
"And there's no need to list in Hiroshima. With funds available, accelerate the opening of chain stores and move production to China."
"Then, list directly on the Tokyo Stock Exchange!"
With Japan's economy declining, it's normal for people to shop at Uniqlo and other budget stores.
Since the year before last, luxury goods sales in Japan have dropped dramatically. In the 80s, Japanese consumers were the main force behind luxury goods consumption, even more so than the American market.
Arthur's meeting with Yanai was brief. With 1.6 billion yen from California Pacific, Fast Retailing didn't need to list on the Hiroshima Stock Exchange for funding.
Opening up overseas markets would test Yanai's capabilities, as competition in Hong Kong, Taipei, and Seoul was fierce.
Later, Anna Walker brought Yasuko Sawaguchi to the Sheraton Hotel to have coffee with Arthur.
"Ms. Sawaguchi, we meet again."
Yasuko Sawaguchi smiled. "Happy to see you again, Mr. Smith."
She had done the voice dubbing for Speed in Japan - they had collaborated in that sense.
"Is the dubbing for Speed finished?"
Speed hadn't premiered in Japan yet.
"Not yet, but it will be done before its Japanese release next month," Yasuko Sawaguchi explained.
Hollywood movies usually premiered three to six months later in Japan.
Arthur nodded. "This is my first time in Tokyo this year. Would you mind being my tour guide, Ms. Sawaguchi?"
Yasuko Sawaguchi was momentarily surprised but quickly agreed. "Of course, I'd be honored to show you around Tokyo."
"Let's go. There are a few places I want to see," said Arthur, standing up and offering his arm.
"Where would you like to go?" Yasuko Sawaguchi linked her arm with Arthur's and asked with a smile.
"Pachinko parlor!"
*****
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