"Irreversible consequences? Haha, Mr. Aiermaide, how can you say we are being obstinate? Our Japanese laws were established this way." Kanda Ichiro spoke confidently in front of the two men, completely unfazed.
This time, Japan's provocation against Russia wasn't just about the Northern Territories dispute. Another crucial factor was that, since the end of World War II, the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) had been continuously strengthening its naval power.
Compared to Russia, whose economy was declining and struggling to fund annual military expenditures, the Pacific Fleet's aging ships had no modern warships entering service. Japan believed that its navy was the strongest in all of Asia.
Not only did it possess a formidable combat capability, but it also had a large number of surface vessels, particularly a significant fleet of main destroyers and frigates. All of this development was supported by Japan's robust economy—unlike Russia, whose economy was merely one-sixth the size of Japan's.
As a result, the JMSDF had no fear of the Russian Pacific Fleet, believing it could engage Russia head-on without being at a disadvantage.
Many Japanese military experts even made bold claims, saying, "We can crush the Russian Navy in a single day."
"If Russia wants Japan to withdraw the lawsuit and release those 18 detainees, it's not entirely impossible. You simply need to agree to a few conditions. First, the Northern Territories must be returned to the Great Japanese Empire."
"Second, the oil and natural gas reserves you discovered in the Caucasus region must be supplied to Japan at a rate of 10 million tons per year. Otherwise, our Japanese government will never withdraw the lawsuit." Kanda Ichiro spoke with a faint smile as he addressed Aiermaide and Mavi.
It was clear that this plan had been carefully calculated—forcing the Russian government into a dilemma. Would they choose to protect their citizens or safeguard national interests?
If they abandoned their citizens for economic gain, the government's reputation would suffer tremendously. But if they prioritized their people over resources, they would fall right into Japan's trap. Either way, Russia would be forced to compromise.
Seeing Kanda Ichiro's shameless demands, Mavi, who had remained silent until now, suddenly spoke up in front of the Japanese Prime Minister.
"If you want to talk about the law, then no problem. You are charging them with espionage, right? Well, Russia can also arrest Japanese nationals engaged in espionage within our borders."
"And I can guarantee that the number of people we arrest won't be less than 18," Mavi added bluntly, completely disregarding diplomatic formalities. Against unreasonable demands, one must be even more unreasonable.
As soon as he finished speaking, Kanda Ichiro's expression changed. His smile vanished as he turned to glare at Mavi, clearly displeased with his response.
"Do you realize that saying such things in this setting will only escalate the situation?" Kanda Ichiro asked in a stern tone. He truly hadn't expected the Russian delegation to come up with such a swift and effective countermeasure.
If Russia actually carried out mass arrests, Japan would lose all leverage in negotiations and walk away with nothing.
"I don't think this is 'escalating the situation.' Your government is simply driven by greed, while Russia is ensuring its citizens receive fair treatment," Mavi replied firmly.
After experiencing the Turkish aircraft carrier detainment incident, he had gained a solid understanding of diplomacy—it all boiled down to a mix of pressure and negotiation. When faced with aggression, one must respond with equal force. Otherwise, the opponent will keep testing the limits to extract more concessions.
"Fine, very well! Remember your words today. If the Russian government dares to falsely accuse our Japanese citizens and violate their safety, we will not take it lightly!" Kanda Ichiro declared, his expression completely devoid of the previous smugness.
He had initially believed that Japan held all the advantages in this negotiation. Even if they couldn't reclaim the Northern Territories, at the very least, squeezing Russia for 10 million tons of cheap oil seemed achievable.
However, Mavi's counterattack had completely disrupted his plans.
After the failed negotiations, Mavi and Russian diplomat Aiermaide immediately left Japan that same day.
Meanwhile, a furious Kanda Ichiro held a press conference, announcing that the 18 Russian detainees captured in Japanese waters had been officially charged with espionage and would face trial in court.
As the situation escalated, the Japanese public grew increasingly restless. Some nationalists even organized groups to land on the Northern Territories, attempting to assert Japanese sovereignty through direct action.
The next day, back in Russia, Mavi and Aiermaide immediately reported the details of their negotiations to the Russian Prime Minister, Dmitry.
"Prime Minister, Japan has made it clear that they will not release our citizens unless we return the Northern Territories and provide them with 10 million tons of crude oil annually," Aiermaide stated truthfully.
Upon hearing this, Dmitry was furious. He slammed his hand on the table and shouted, "What? Japan dares to demand not only our territory but also our oil?! Notify the Ministry of Internal Affairs immediately—detain every suspicious Japanese national in Russia for questioning! Charge them with espionage, theft, bribery—whatever crimes we can find!"
Dmitry agreed with Mavi's strategy and even expanded upon it. Regardless of the charges, if there was any excuse to arrest Japanese nationals, Russia would take full advantage of it. Even minor infractions, such as jaywalking or traffic violations, would lead to strict interrogations.
The large-scale confrontation between the two nations was on the verge of erupting.
As the Russian government launched a wave of arrests against Japanese citizens, pressure mounted on the Japanese government, which began urgently demanding their immediate release.
(End of Chapter)