บท 345: Chapter 345: The Prosperous Japanese
The elites on Wall Street were feeling down. The Japanese seemed particularly eager to lend money to William White.
What infuriated them the most was that the interest rates were absurdly low. That was equivalent to three billion US dollars in yen, and it was given outright.
Of course, the Japanese felt at ease. The stocks in their portfolios had basically doubled, making these loans practically risk-free. If you held onto those assets, we were just as willing to lend.
Surprisingly, White Plaza, which Wall Street collectively underestimated, found Japanese eager to put their money in.
Facing this situation, the major financial groups found themselves without grounds for complaint. William White had an impeccable reputation. In the wake of such a serious stock market crash, he was the first to invest in stock buybacks to stabilize prices, followed by large dividend payouts.
In just two months, his stocks had already rebounded ahead of the others. Even Legendary World remained a darling of the market.
According to annual reports, Legendary World's overseas performance was still impressive. Especially in the Japanese market, income was even on the rise.
Well, only the American market was crushed by the Department of Justice; other regions were unaffected.
As the new year began, major economies around the world shook off the risks of economic downturns, and the securities market started to regain its vigor.
The standout performer was, naturally, the Japanese; their stock market didn't see any substantial corrections, and last year's cumulative gains had already surpassed 100%.
With a sense of pride, the Japanese finally extended their reach. They knew all too well that their markets couldn't contain all that funding, so they needed to invest worldwide.
Before the uproar caused by Toshiba subsided, the Japanese set sail for greater horizons. They were keen on the White Plaza project, which was almost entirely concentrated in Asia, except for two based in America.
...
"When are you starting that 007 film, William?"
"Soon, Lucas. If the stock doesn't get off life support, I might just have to hold off on this project. You see? Japanese are lining up to throw money at me."
"Say, won't that stir public resentment? Isn't there a boycott going on?"
"That's crazy. Those protests are just political theater. What I need now is to incorporate Asian elements. I've sent people to Japan. As soon as I gather all the actors, I'm kicking this thing off."
"I get it. It is easy to understand. You've taken in so much cash; it's only logical to give a little back."
Today's Hollywood was hardly recognizable. Half of the investors here were from Japan; they not only wanted their brands showcased but also sought to blend in the elements of their market.
These expectations were easily realized in Hollywood. Even if the world boycotted the Japanese, Hollywood wouldn't follow suit. It wasn't just the second-largest box office globally but also packed with a crowd of cash-wielding fools; as long as you met their demands, US dollars weren't an issue.
In Hollywood's history, this marked a special period. For many years to come, these wealthy guys would not depart. It was from this era that Americans truly began to understand the Japanese.
...
Ever since acquiring Columbia, there hadn't been much profit. Faced with this situation, the head of Coca-Cola was incredibly frustrated.
If the movies weren't making money, it would be one thing, but wasn't William White just having a blast?
Having their own film company, they still needed to spend on feasibility studies around William White. Although he was a major shareholder of the company, it looked plenty constricting.
To avoid conflicts, William White didn't hold them in high regard. If Pepsi came in with the same kind of cash, he'd much rather partner with them. After all, related party transactions were just too bothersome.
Berkshire Hathaway's Buffett hadn't missed the signs either. He even proposed a buyout to the White Foundation.
What frustrated the old man even more was that William White intended to acquire Berkshire Hathaway, on the condition that Buffett would work for him for fifteen years, with a buyout price increased by 10%.
Facing William White's strong-arm tactics, the old man felt a bit disgruntled. He didn't think he was any worse off than William White, just a tad unlucky.
"For your own health, I'm preventing you from making that acquisition, old man. You better take care of yourself," William White privately scoffed. The old man had some real foresight.
However, his timing was pretty off. This global stock market crash had nearly halved Coca-Cola's share price. Did he think I was a fool for suggesting a buyout now?
This CEO was quite amusing. Didn't he know the company was in such disarray when he took over? That was why Coca-Cola's stocks were tanking. Now that the profits were decent, how could he start getting ahead of himself? He should focus on bolstering his own operations.
When the news broke that Coca-Cola was looking to sell Columbia, the capital markets responded favorably. By the start of the new year, the share price began to turn upward.
The only trouble was Columbia wasn't MGM; that company didn't come cheap. Regardless of how much the acquisition might cost, first, he had to address the billions in loans.
Same old story: those in the city wanted out, while those outside wanted in. The moment the news about Coca-Cola spread, Sony immediately expressed their intent to buy. The way they presented themselves, it was as if they were destined to make a deal.
A film company wasn't a television station; purchasing one wasn't impossible. However, the current timing was rather tight.
Toshiba, with a head full of worry, was still quite generous this time. Washington's lobbying firms had been working hard for them, hoping to secure a favorable settlement.
When the news broke about the Japanese trying to acquire Columbia, the outcry was deafening. All sorts of conspiracy theories were concocted; the more absurd, the better.
...
"William, you were right, the Japanese are making their Hollywood move."
"Haha, Lucas, it's not as dramatic as you think. If they want a smooth acquisition, they might face a lot of trouble. They didn't pick the best time."
"Hey, the story of Toshiba sounds intriguing. What do you think about turning it into a movie?"
"Are you kidding? Haha, what's with that? Lucas, producers here are learning Japanese; you really think this is the right story to pursue? If you're aiming to trick the audience, I suggest you go for Pearl Harbor. Trust me, the Japanese consortium won't invest in that."
Lucas was quite disheartened. He wasn't joking before, but after hearing William White, he quickly decided to back off.
Whether American audiences would be on board was unclear, especially with the most likely investors already out of the picture and the second biggest box office gone. This movie hadn't even started shooting and already had half a chance at failure.
"Ah, forget it - this isn't a game you can play. With all the competition, summer release might be too much to ask."
"How could it not work? This is a beautiful film, destined to set the standard for Westerns from now on."
White Films using a Western for the summer release definitely raised eyebrows. Ever since Heaven's Gate, Westerns had become a no-go zone; smaller productions might be okay, but big-budget films were risky.
Exhibitors felt conflicted, but they weren't keen on upsetting this big player. White Films' current standing was almost unassailable.
Besides, if they set obstacles now, things could get messy when planning for future releases like 007. White Films operated globally, and if they gave you fewer copies, your losses would explode.
What? You think this isn't a William White production?
Come on, White Films was a major player now; the boss only directed one film a year at most. Whether it was Police Academy or Beverly Hills Cop, none of the sequels were made by William White.
In fact, just mentioning that the screenplay was by William White would draw significant box office appeal. This film Dancing with Wolves was aimed at the Oscars; it was White Films' first shot at the Oscars in years, and the quality was bound to be top-notch.
"Lucas, once I'm back from Asia, 007 will go into production."
"What do you mean... I see, another pretty face is going to fall into trouble?"
"Watch it, I've got some business to discuss in Japan."
"Ha, okay. They might just get scared off by your grand plans."
"Cough, cough, true enough. Speaking of which, when were you planning to get married? My hotel in Lanai Island would be nice; make sure not to cheap out on it."
Lucas looked pretty miserable; he wasn't William White. Being under thirty, he could afford to still play around a bit.
William White did indeed have business in Japan; in fact, a lot of people were looking to smooth things over. With the recent events surrounding Toshiba, the Japanese had taken quite a beating. White's approach was more civilized; others weren't quite so friendly.
After spending big on advertising, there was finally some restraint from those folks.
NBC was different. Ever since William White acquired it, the station had taken a unique stance, always reporting without bias.
Sure, some criticized his moral compass.
William White just wanted to say that everyone has their own way of thinking, and that's what makes us human. Forcing your beliefs on others was wrong. You were just a media outlet, not an educational institution.
They say the Russians can be real tough, and this time after the Chernobyl disaster, there were heroes. Without their effort, the disaster's scale would be unimaginable.
Whether they acted willingly or not, those living in this world still owed them a debt of gratitude.
As NBC presented this fact, they clearly overlooked the nationality and ideology of those involved, which in today's world of black and white, was quite an alternative view.
*****
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