章 546: Chapter 546
[Chapter 634: A Sound Slap in the Face]
William White always had a big appetite. In fact, even Bill Gates admitted that bundling browsers and operating systems was an easy target for the Justice Department to strike against.
Microsoft was doing well, and with Commodore and Apple fading into the background, it was clear that Microsoft was becoming a monopoly. It was too obvious to expect the Justice Department to overlook it.
As for valuations, William White didn't seem too concerned. It was somewhat unexpected but made sense nonetheless. His intention to collaborate was crystal clear, yet he was unwilling to lose control.
Well, the ball was back in Bill's court -- he had plenty of time to think about it.
...
October 22, a perfectly ordinary Tuesday. Michio Watanabe, Japan's Finance Minister, made a bold announcement. They declared that the economic situation regarding Japan was looking very good and that all the rumors circulating were sheer nonsense. Those were just tricks orchestrated by scheming securities speculators.
Though the rhetoric was impassioned and compelling, something about it just didn't seem believable.
Within just three days, however, the stocks in Japan crashed again, and this time, both real estate and land prices seemed less resilient.
"Sir, this Black Friday isn't looking good for Japan," Filson laughed heartily; their investments, though small, still yielded decent returns.
"Filson, let's harvest our profits; it looks like Japan won't be able to recover this time. I wonder if Lee Kun-hee regrets it after hearing this news."
William White had every reason to be pleased. He had just secured a partnership deal with Samsung, and now there was chaos in Japan. If it had been just a month earlier, Lee Kun-hee would have definitely reevaluated.
Samsung didn't care much about American production capacity. Without Japan and Taiwan, what right did the White system have to engage in a price war?
...
Jason was apprehensive; his wife was also terrified. Luckily, they hadn't invested in anything in Japan -- what a nightmare that would have been.
"Boss, does this mean we're heading for a crash?"
William White found it amusing. Was Japan really that alluring?
"Jason, when it comes to securities assets, America is where it's at. The Soviets are done for; there won't be another world war. What could you possibly worry about?"
"That's true; steady investments are the way to go. My wife was complaining about it not long ago."
"I'm not saying you shouldn't have fun, but make sure you deliver as needed. Never underestimate a woman's sensitivity -- if there's not enough to go around, or if it's too scarce, she's bound to be upset."
William White had a smirk on his face. This guy wouldn't usually be so intimidated by his wife unless he was utterly exhausted.
"Ahem, boss, will your comics be affected by this?"
"Not at all. The people in Japan are living quite miserably; for the foreseeable future, they'd prefer to stay lost in the world of comics. Alas, things could take a turn for the worse over here in the U.S."
"Wait, what do you mean by that?"
"Staying home to read comics is actually very low cost. My think tank here is predicting that the economic situation will improve next year. Everyone's out at nightclubs -- who has the patience to read comics? As the biggest comic mogul, I'm bound to be in trouble."
...
In William White's mind, the future was being mapped out while Wall Street sharks were beginning to rejoice. Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Rockefeller -- this feast in Japan was nearing its last bite.
The free flow of capital can inject vitality into an economy but can also lead to disastrous consequences. When these funds collectively decide to exit, it is fundamentally irrational.
It's somewhat akin to stock trading. If you left 30% of your profits in the stock market and it crashed, you'd likely not care about the selling price at that moment. After all, it's profit with no costs involved.
As for those who bought at high prices, sorry, you're out of luck. Banks are bound to fail, and before that happens, they'll be reclaiming your properties.
"Falsifying documents? You're kidding, right?" Filson returned to break some news to William White.
"Yes, sir. Several banks are suspected of falsifying depositors' information. They really don't have that much money. The borrowed portions also have serious issues. Just a moment ago, multiple bank executives have chosen to end it all."
William White was exasperated; he really disliked such behavior. If you didn't respect your own life, how could you possibly respect the lives of others?
"These bastards are going to screw over so many folks in Japan. Instead of such brutal consequences, it would be better to slowly deflate this bubble."
Filson didn't quite agree with William White's perspective. He believed that a long pain was worse than a short pain. If they didn't pop this bubble now, there would be bigger problems later.
Filson was likely unaware that for a long time to come, America would persist in exporting inflation. Oil would approach $150 a barrel, gold nearing $2,000 an ounce.
With such a severe inflation pressure, Japan could afford to drag its feet; there was simply no need for extreme recklessness. After the final lap, Japan's real estate ended up being the most valuable investment.
This was both a disaster and a joke. For thirty long years, Japan had been going in circles.
"Filson, this time the troubles for the people of Japan are immense. I imagine their central bank must be utterly baffled right now."
"Interest rates had just been raised; now dropping them wouldn't change much. However, the Federal Reserve might lower rates this time. The Japanese people are facing a real estate crash while we here are starting to encourage real estate investment -- it seems rather absurd."
"Filson, even if it's a poison pill we must swallow, that cup of poison has to be drunk. Real estate is indeed a good thing; as soon as this sector rises, America's economy will improve."
Japan was indeed unfortunate; their economy was in shambles, but the lessons learned from this mess had been wholesale bought by America.
During the subprime mortgage crisis, even while borrowing from the world, America was unwilling to let the housing market collapse. As for the so-called "shock therapy," let the Soviets play with that. If Americans went into shock, most countries around the world would likely suffer too.
You see, the toys invented by American economists lacked their own interest, yet they enjoyed misleading other countries into playing along.
After Japan's bubble burst, they too embarked on a shock therapy course. As a result, they would remain in shock for nearly twenty years.
*****
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