Chapter 555: Humiliation
"Gentlemen, now that we've gathered you all here, you may return to Japan!"
On a beach in the Southern Ryukyu Islands, over 130 Japanese expatriates identified by East Africa were gathered by the East African Army, which declared their removal with arrogant flair—an unmistakable display of Western condescension.
"Officer! We're civilians!" one shouted.
"I don't care whether you're civilians or not. This is a decision by the East African government. If you disagree, you're welcome to feed the fish," the East African soldier snapped.
The Japanese citizens' faces turned purple with anger.
"Baka yarō! This is outrageous!" yelled one man dressed like a samurai, reaching for the sword at his waist.
Bang!
A gunshot rang out, silencing the crowd.
"Hmph. I'd love to see whose head is hard enough to test whether our bullets are fast enough."
Masamasa Kohara, the intelligence chief stationed in the Southern Ryukyus, cursed the man internally—"Idiot"—before stepping forward with a forced smile that looked more like a grimace.
"May I ask your name, sir?"
"Christen."
"Mr. Christen, we've lived here for a long time. You can't expel us just because we're Japanese. That's unfair! There are also Qing citizens here—why aren't you deporting them? Isn't this selective treatment?" Kohara argued.
"And who are you?" Christen asked.
"I'm a businessman from the Empire of Japan—Masamasa Kohara."
"You speak Chinese too?"
"As a merchant, it's normal to speak multiple languages. Most traffic in the Sakishima Islands comes from Chinese merchants, so it makes sense."
"You even speak Minnan dialect, huh? Seems like you're quite the businessman—must've made a fortune, right?"
Despite the banter, Christen had already labeled Kohara in his mind as someone likely involved in fencing goods for pirates—a serious crime in East Africa, though still subject to clarification in Ryukyu.
"Haha, no, no. There's not much business here. Just enough to get by."
But as soon as Kohara said "Sakishima Islands," Christen's tone turned sharp.
"Hm? What did you say—Sakishima Islands? It's Southern Ryukyu Islands. You'd better remember that. That's the official name under East African authority."
Kohara clenched his teeth in silent fury, thinking, If only I could get my hands on this Christen guy...
But he forced a smile. "Yes, Southern Ryukyu Islands it is."
Sometimes, submission is survival.
"You asked why we're treating Japanese citizens differently," Christen continued. "That's easy—this territory originally belonged to the Far Eastern Empire. So of course, we don't deport local residents."
The words hit Kohara like a slap. It was a direct denial of Japan's claim over the Southern Ryukyus. Combined with earlier insults and dismissive treatment, Kohara felt deeply humiliated.
"Sir, the Southern Ryukyus were once the territory of the Ryukyu Kingdom. How can you say they belong to the Far Eastern Empire? That's a different matter altogether."
"Then where are the Ryukyu people? From what I hear, your government wiped them out. And wasn't the Ryukyu Kingdom a vassal of the Far Eastern Empire? That makes it their territory."
"Even if we assume the Sakishima Islands belong to the Far Eastern Empire, what does that have to do with your country?" Kohara asked, trying to stay calm.
"It has everything to do with us. The Far Eastern Empire handed over administrative rights to East Africa. So we're in charge now."
That was the last straw. Kohara saw it clearly: this wasn't a transfer of power—it was East Africa muscling in and forcing the Far Eastern Empire to cede control.
A brilliant move—letting someone else bear the brunt. Kohara was furious. Last year, Japan had proposed a division of the Ryukyu Islands, but the Far Eastern Empire refused. Clearly, Japan hadn't yet secured the central and northern islands. The proposal was just a stalling tactic. Now, with East Africa taking over the south, Japan's hopes were crushed.
East Africa wasn't a European country, but it was German-founded—run by Westerners Kohara knew all too well.
To have the prize snatched away by a stronger country—it stung. The Far Eastern Empire was strong too, but Japan didn't fear them due to familiarity.
East Africa was different—new, with a powerful navy, closely allied with Germany and Austria-Hungary. Not an easy target. While East Africa was vulnerable abroad, Africa was another story.
Even though Africa was weak, East Africa was not—and Africa's limitations were East Africa's limits by extension.
"Very well, Mr. Christen. I suspect we'll be seeing each other again soon," Kohara said.
He was sure the Empire wouldn't give up on the Southern Ryukyus. With East Africa so far away, Japan still had room to maneuver. He believed he'd be back.
"Oh? I hope you make it back to Japan safely first," Christen replied coldly.
"Heh. I'll take that as a blessing."
...
But Kohara didn't return to Japan. Instead, he headed to the Northern Ryukyus and reported the situation to the Okinawa Prefecture government, exaggerating East Africa's "humiliation" of the "great" Japanese Empire.
The news quickly reached Tokyo, enraging the government. The Emperor was furious. The military wanted to retaliate with force.
Others objected, saying Japan couldn't afford to offend Western powers right now. They advised patience, waiting for a better opportunity.
The debate continued. In the end, Japan took its usual approach: a diplomatic protest, coupled with a naval blockade of the Southern Ryukyus—hoping to pressure East Africa into withdrawing, without causing casualties.
War was off the table. Japan lacked the strength. They couldn't even gather enough steel to build proper warships, let alone challenge East Africa's top-ten-ranked navy.
Beating a superior opponent was a fantasy. Japan's navy had only just begun to take shape—they couldn't risk it.
Still, a weak navy didn't mean no options. Japan's thriving civilian shipbuilding industry meant they had plenty of small vessels. Swarming tactics—like ants overwhelming an elephant—could at least raise East Africa's costs, even if real military confrontation was off the table.
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