Joseon Needs a Coup - Chapter 343



Only Noblemtl

#2-1. An Uncomfortable Cohabitation with a Set End (1)

“We absolutely must conclude this negotiation today. Do you know what I mean?”

“Of course, Prime Minister. No matter what happens, we will increase rice exports.”

In 1908, just before heading to the Japanese port of Shimonoseki, Minister of Agriculture and Commerce Oura Kanetake boarded a government ship bound for Busan, Korea, with a very important mission. Relations between the two countries were still cold, and although it could not be otherwise, this time they needed to improve relations.

This was because it was a matter directly related to the survival of the Japanese Empire after the de facto defeat. It was not possible to gain prestige while holding a hungry stomach, and even a warrior with a sword would climb over a wall after starving for three days. Although the grain ban was lifted after the end of the war in 1904, the Korean Empire still restricted the amount of rice exported to Japan under the leadership of the government.

“This is not only a matter of our empire’s prestige, but also a matter directly related to the survival of the system. Count Ito also has very high expectations for you.”

Japan, in the midst of postwar chaos, was barely able to stabilize domestic prices by importing Korean rice and barely extinguish the fires, but the situation was still not easy. At least, the price of rice, which had risen more than three times compared to the average year in 1904, was lowered to 1.5 times, but even this was now in a precarious situation.

As society became increasingly unstable and the government’s attempts at price control became meaningless, the self-proclaimed governors and the military’s delusions of persecution, believing that the war was lost because of weak civilian officials, became increasingly dark. Then, the Panic of 1907 in the United States struck, sending shockwaves that were temporary but quite large across the world, and Japan’s already unstable economy began to falter.

The loans borrowed from foreign countries were not a problem at all compared to this. Britain and the United States were at least somewhat lenient on the loan issue in order to give them some breathing room. However, the Panic of 1907 and the chronic rice shortage were issues that had to be resolved first, so they decided to increase rice exports as soon as possible.

“It looks like the military guys are going to blow something up if we don’t get something meaningful out of this meeting.”

Prime Minister Saionji whispered so softly that only the Minister of Agriculture, Commerce and Industry could hear. He also knew what it meant. Japan’s military and intellectuals, faced with defeat, did not fully accept it.

No, it would be more appropriate to say that this was taken in a really bad way, because the government was very nervous because of this remark by Lord Yamagata just a few weeks ago.

‘In the 1900s, our empire was on the brink of losing both its sovereignty and its interests to Roske, who was on the verge of completing the Siberian Railroad. The imperial army, feeling the gap in national power so keenly, had no choice but to go to war. However, together with fellow Korean patriots who had united for peace in the East, they worked for the true liberation of the Korean peninsula and Manchuria, but they were ultimately defeated by the powerful Korean army raised as Roske’s hunting dogs and the Roske army of the European powers. Nevertheless, through painstaking efforts, our military guided the offensive end of Roske’s Far East Army’s main force and was able to lead peace negotiations by preserving the power of the combined fleet. Our empire, which was on the verge of destruction, defended its sovereignty by mobilizing all its capabilities based on the military’s spirit of selfless devotion. But, unfortunately, the weak civilian cabinet and the treacherous socialists have stabbed us in the back, so shouldn’t our imperial army put everything back in its place now?’

On the bright side, it could have been a good excuse to justify their defeat and to the disgruntled people, to say that the empire had escaped the brink of destruction, but Saionji and the other officials had found a dagger hidden within it.

The military was fighting the enemy with bloodshed, and there was strong pressure that civilian officials should be held accountable in some way because they failed to do their job. Many people in the military had already felt responsible and cut themselves out. From Nogi, who commanded the 3rd Army, to Akiyama, who was captured as a prisoner of war and returned with a missing leg, many commanders of the army and navy took responsibility for the defeat in this way.

And their bloody blades were turned against those who had not yet taken responsibility, and against those they thought had stabbed them in the back. It was a blade mixed with hatred and anger toward the Korean Empire, but it was no different from turning it against the civilian officials who had not yet taken responsibility for the defeat.

Count Ito and Prime Minister Saionji were aware of this, so they were walking a very dangerous tightrope. They had to somehow control the military’s discontent while definitely ending the domestic chaos. Domestic politics were already in chaos, and the Restorationists were divided into those who accepted the current situation and those who did not, and were fighting.

In the midst of this chaos, the military was sharpening its swords, and the civilians, the most wicked socialists, were raging, saying that they would overthrow the bourgeoisie and the old imperial family and create a new Japan. And looking at this situation, Saionji once heard something like this from Ito. He laughed in vain, saying that even if Russia didn’t know, the Korean Empire didn’t throw more specifications at them than necessary.

“Anyway, we must definitely increase export volume.”

“I will do that.”

The Minister of Agriculture, Commerce and Industry bowed and boarded the ship. He continued to look at the pessimistic data on board. The increase in rice consumption, the increase in the urban population, and the resulting increase in rice imports were enough to make the Japanese government recognize this as a new social problem.

Before the Sino-Japanese War, the annual population growth rate was reported to be around 300,000, but after the end of the Russo-Japanese War in 1904, a rapid increase of 600,000 was observed, doubling the population. The population of 41 million in 1893 had already increased by 6 million to approximately 47 million, and as a result, rice consumption was skyrocketing to an uncontrollable level.

Even the Ministry of Finance warned that if things continued this way, Korea would have no choice but to depend on neighboring countries, such as the Korean Empire, for 12% of its total rice consumption, and the Ministry of the Interior also warned that with the urban population increasing by more than threefold in ten years, it would be necessary to continuously import an average of 5 million seok of rice to safely handle the current growth rate.

“… Will the Korean Empire really sell that much?”

Oura sighed and said. Immediately after the war, the Korean Empire’s rice exports to Japan also showed a slight increase. The Korean Empire also limited its exports to around 300,000 seok in 1904 and 1905 due to the chaos of the war, but when production recovered to some extent, it increased the amount to 500,000 seok and 1 million seok.

But this alone was not enough to cope with the rapidly increasing population of the Japanese Empire. This was because it was only a maximum of 20% of the total amount requested by the Ministry of Home Affairs. However, Oura had to increase the amount of rice. For the Japanese Empire, which had already become a chronic food importer, the cabinet was demanding that it receive at least twice the current export amount.

Of course, seriously, neither the Minister of Agriculture, Commerce and Industry nor the cabinet officials expected this to be accepted. Still, Oura steeled herself and thought about how she would exchange diplomatic swords with the Minister of Agriculture, Commerce and Industry of the Korean Empire.

***

“Is your country’s request to increase the current export volume?”

“Yes, Minister of Agriculture, Commerce and Industry. On behalf of the Cabinet of the Empire of Japan, I, the Minister of Agriculture, Commerce and Industry, would like to express my gratitude for your efforts to increase the volume of rice exports from your country every year… … .”

The Minister of Agriculture, Commerce and Industry of the Korean Empire, who had been sitting there indifferently, glanced at the document Oura had handed him and then waved his hand.

“That’s impossible. We decided on that amount last year, and deciding on it again this year violates the Japan-Korea Trade Treaty.”

“Oh, no, isn’t there an exception clause here? If there is an agreement between the two countries, they can discuss changes in export volume. So our proposal is also… … .”

“I’m sorry, but this year’s rice production is not the same as usual. We also have more mouths to feed, but production is slow, so what can we do?”

Oura stared blankly at the person sitting in front of her. The new Minister of Agriculture, Commerce and Industry, Kim Ga-jin, I think. He had originally shown some pro-Japanese tendencies, but it seemed that he had become the most staunch anti-Japanese after experiencing the Sino-Japanese War and the Far East War.

“Please, let me ask you this. Without your rice, we cannot even dream of stability for our Japanese Empire.”

“That is your country’s situation, not our country’s. We already expanded exports to 1 million seok per year through working-level negotiations between the two countries early last year, but if you suddenly ask us to double that now… That is simply too much.”

“But I heard that your country had a bumper crop this year. So, wouldn’t it be possible for you to show some willingness to increase exports even a little?”

“Well, let’s see. I don’t know where you heard about the abundant harvest, but the number of workers in the city has increased significantly, so the amount of rice has not increased. In fact, it has decreased. The urban population has more than doubled, so the amount of rice that needs to be released domestically has to increase. Your Majesty, you know what this means.”

Kim Ga-jin said with a smile. Oura could guess what he was thinking. She already had information about how the price fluctuations in Gunsan and Masan were going.

‘Those cunning Joseon guys.’

He suddenly remembered what Oishi had said when he was appointed as the Japanese ambassador to Joseon about ten years ago. Joseon people were so cunning that they were very good at playing tricks with rice and beans. That seemed to fit the bill. Recently, as rice prices in the Osaka area began to soar, the employees of the Ministry of Agriculture, Commerce and Industry and the continental surveyors unanimously pointed out that the rice merchants of the Korean Empire, including the Ministry of Agriculture, Commerce and Industry, and even the Woosoo Company, were clearly trying to play tricks to sell at the highest price.

If they had done so, they could have made at least twice as much profit. The Korean Empire had already been playing around with grains such as rice and beans, gold bullion, and cowhide exports, thinking of them as nothing more than money copiers. This was also extremely fatal to the Japanese Empire.

“Aren’t you trying to profit from the fluctuations in our rice prices?”

“Well, you can think of it that way. But we are not touching the export of gold bullion or cowhide.”

When he saw the opponent who was openly calling him a swindler, his anger surged, but he had to hold it in. If he provoked them for no reason, he might end up adding more spurts while trying to remove them. At least he was able to pay off his overseas debts little by little, thanks to the fact that he had not touched the gold exports.

And there were pads brought in for this time. The goal was to improve relations while also creating a foothold for the Japanese Empire’s ultimate goal of advancing into the continent without their knowledge.

“Minister of Agriculture, Commerce and Industry, if that’s the case, please look at this proposal as well.”

“What is this?”

“Our cabinet is currently hoping to establish a joint venture with your country called the Oriental Development Company.”

“Oriental Development Company? Could you explain what it is like?”

As soon as we said that we would set up a company together, the expression on the Minister of Agriculture, Commerce and Industry changed a little. Up until a moment ago, he had been indifferent, but this time, he seemed interested.

“Of course. The governments and entrepreneurs of both Korea and Japan are jointly investing in projects to develop undeveloped lands and turn them into farmland.”

“That’s the point. The wasteland reclamation project. But this is already an ongoing project within our empire.”

“But I understand that your country’s tax revenue is insufficient. Although the war has greatly damaged the friendship between the two countries, shouldn’t we all join forces to move forward on the path of goodwill?”

“… Please stop talking about Asianism and Heung-Ah theory in front of the main building. The traitors who talked about such things were hanged or shot one after another.”

At the suggestion that the two countries join forces, Kim Ga-jin’s expression turned cold for a moment. Of course, that was understandable. Asiatists were treated almost as traitors within the Korean Empire.

Oura cleared her throat for a moment before continuing.

“Ahem, I will be careful. In any case, the goal is for both countries to use the development company to reclaim our country’s undeveloped lands including Hokkaido, your country’s various wastelands, and the entire South Manchuria region, and increase overall food production. If that happens, it will ultimately solve one of the problems that the two countries have been struggling with for a long time.”

“… … .”

Kim Ga-jin did not respond to Oura’s suggestion for a long time. Rather, his response was so surprising that Oura, who had made the suggestion, was taken aback. The atmosphere of neither denying nor confirming continued until Kim Ga-jin finally opened his mouth.

“… It doesn’t seem like a bad suggestion to us. In any case, our country also has a lot of wasteland that has accumulated over the past several decades, and we need to first investigate and develop the territories we have acquired this time, so it will take a lot of money and time. However… … .”

“but?”

“I’m not sure if everyone in your country really wants that. From a practical standpoint, cooperation with your country is not a bad thing, but it’s uncertain whether the military and intellectual class, who feel humiliated in the last war, will accept it.”

“… … .”

“Think carefully, Minister of Agriculture and Commerce. I too have ears and eyes, and I have heard and seen things. Isn’t it true that the defensive logic combined with nationalism poses a great threat to the current cabinet?”

Oura couldn’t help but feel suffocated by Kim Ga-jin’s words. Now, he seemed to have realized why he was here. It wasn’t simply a place to ask for an increase in rice exports, but for the survival of the Japanese system.

“I cannot deny it. Minister of Agriculture, Commerce and Industry, so please listen to our request. If your country does not increase the amount of rice exported to our country now, or if you do not secure uncultivated land through the establishment of the Oriental Development Company and increase overall production, the situation in the entire Far East will be shaken. This will surely bring about something worse than the aftermath of the last Far East War.”

If it were before, it would have been the exact opposite situation, so it was kind of ironic.

“Besides, this is definitely not a place to fight over a few grains of rice. I am telling you that this is a place that is connected to the political situation of the two countries and even the whole of Asia. The situation in Europe is already bad. Shouldn’t we at least escape the storm of war for a while?”

“… I think your concerns are exaggerated, but there is some truth to the point you are making.”

Kim Ga-jin nodded after looking through the materials Oura had provided regarding the Oriental Development Company. He then exchanged a few conversations with the others behind him before turning away again.

“However, it is impossible to increase the rice export volume this year as requested by your country. However, I think there is room to increase exports by about 200,000 seoks under my authority. Also, I think there is room for positive discussion regarding the Oriental Development Company. Although the cabinet will have to hold meetings on this matter, I will first send working-level officials to your country to discuss it.”

It was a half success. 200,000 seok was an unreasonable harvest, but it was because it was able to garner a positive response to the establishment of the Oriental Development Company. In fact, this was also a gamble that Count Ito had made against the Korean Empire.

‘If they accept the Oriental Development Company’s proposal, not only will the newly established Korean companies be no match for the great imperial corporations, they will also be able to send out immigrants to settle in the wastelands of South Manchuria and the Korean Empire. Either way, we can use it.’

If that were to happen, it would be killing two birds with one stone, not only repaying the defeat of the last war in another way, but also liberating the empire from its inherent ills. It remains to be seen whether the Korean Empire knows this or not, but the expression on Kim Ga-jin’s face sitting in front of me was completely indecipherable.