REIWA JIGOKUHEN - Chaotic Disturbance of Reiwa Era

Chapter 13 - Announcement

Prime Minister's Office: Prime Minister's Press Conference

First of all, at the outset, on behalf of all people of Japan, I would like to express my heartfelt condolences to those who lost their lives suddenly and in a completely unreasonable manner as a result of the air raid last night. To all the victims who have lost their families and neighbors, who have been injured and deprived of a peaceful life, I express my deepest sympathy. I would also like to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt gratitude to the Self-Defense Forces, police, fire department, and all others who have been struggling to protect the lives of the people in the midst of an unprecedented air raid, and who continue to do their utmost to do so.

I have one piece of good news to share with you. The Air Self-Defense Force, with the support of the United States Forces Japan, has tracked down the remainder of the large unknown bomber force that conducted last night's raid, and conducted counterattack operations against the Marianas Islands, where the raid was based. According to the information we have just received, although the details are still being analyzed, the air bases in the Marianas were destroyed by the counterattack of the Self-Defense Forces, and the damage was such that operational activities will be impossible for at least a month or more. The Air Self-Defense Force and United States Forces Japan will continue to monitor the islands with vigilance and will do everything in their power to prevent any rebuilding or reinforcement of the air bases... We will not allow such a barbaric act to be repeated again, dear citizens.

But why the Marianas? The Mariana Islands are first of all an overseas territory of the United States of America, and are also known as tourist destinations such as Guam and Saipan, which are truly a paradise in the Southern Seas. The number of tourists to the Mariana Islands is close to one million per year, and many of you may have visited the Marianas or were just about to leave for the islands. Suddenly, these islands were transformed into a major base for large bombers. Looking back to the end of the last war, we have the history of numerous bombers launching from airfields in these islands and hitting many places in Japan... Incredibly, the Mariana Islands look exactly the same today as they did in that era.

The unbelievable phenomenon does not stop there. The massive communications outage that began shortly before the raid continues, and the government has ordered an investigation by the Self-Defense Forces to determine the cause and restore communications. The results of the investigation showed that all areas of Asia and the United States, as far as could be ascertained, looked very similar to the end of the last war, as did the Marianas. The shortwave communications that we intercepted and deciphered were also made using the methods and content of the time. Type Zero fighters also flew in from the Korean Peninsula. From an astronomical point of view, it was reported that the arrangements of the planets in the solar system were in perfect alignment with past observations.

Let me conclude. Our country is currently at the point of March 10, 1945. Although the exact extent of the impact is still under investigation, Japan alone has been thrown back to the world as it was in March 1945 due to a specific space-time cataclysm. In view of the extraordinary and extreme nature of this disaster, a state of emergency is now being declared for the entire country of Japan.

I am well aware that there is no one who is not shocked by these facts, which are so out of the ordinary that they can only be described as unscientific. The government is openly giving false answers and agitating the public. I also believe that the government is making public statements that could be interpreted as such. However, if the answer I have just given is completely false, and I am to resign on that account, I would be more than happy to do so. That is my current, sincere feeling.

Therefore, the government will do its utmost to investigate this unprecedented and never-seen-before space-time cataclysm, to determine its causes, and to resolve the situation. This situation is so out of ordinary. However, I am convinced that if the people of Japan work together as one, and gather knowledge that is not bound by existing frameworks, we will be able to find a way forward.

Furthermore, as of March 10, 1945, we are in the midst of the Greater East Asia War, and it is highly likely that each country is aware that it is at war with Japan. In fact, last night's air raid was very similar to those conducted by the United States military in the past war in terms of form and time. Therefore, we will establish communication channels with other countries as soon as possible, and aim for a quick ceasefire and an end to the state of war. In the meantime, we will maintain the status of the Self-Defense Forces on defense, as there is no guarantee that some kind of military operation will not be carried out. We would appreciate your understanding on this point as well.

Even if last night's air raid was not exactly intended as an attack on our country, it was an outrageous criminal act that trampled on all international laws, human ethics, and humanity, for which there is absolutely no excuse. We are determined to demand that the United States, which led such a barbaric act, hand over those responsible, compensate for the damage, and implement measures to prevent a recurrence, in addition to negotiating a ceasefire.

Finally, I have an important announcement concerning the lives of our citizens. As you know, Japan relies on imports for almost all of its fossil fuel resources. The same is true for the various mineral resources and rare metal resources necessary for the industry. The self-sufficiency rate of food is around 40% when calculated on a calorie basis. International trade, which is indispensable for the livelihood of the people, has also been disrupted by the space-time cataclysm. Of course, we have stockpiled reserves, but for example, we only have enough crude oil for six months and natural gas for five months, which means that the supply and demand situation is extremely tight.

Therefore, the government will work to resume trade with other countries as soon as possible and to secure the various resources necessary to sustain the economy. However... until the trade is resumed, or even if the trade is resumed, the people of Japan will be suffering a great deal of inconvenience for some time to come. We sincerely ask that everyone help and encourage each other to endure this unprecedented hardship.

I have heard that there are already some people who are buying up or selling out. If we miss out now, we may never know when the next one will come, and it may be unavoidable that we end up buying more than we need out of such anxiety. However, this will result in food and daily commodities not being available to those who truly need them. The government will do its utmost to provide a fair supply of food and daily commodities under any circumstances, and I urge all citizens to act calmly.

Ladies and gentlemen, the environment surrounding our country has suddenly become extremely harsh and unreasonable. However, it is in such times that the strength of each and every one of our people will be tested. Let us not give in to any amount of hardship and suffering, and with our responsibilities as Japanese citizens in mind, let us pave the way forward. Let us reclaim the world as it should be.

Thank you very much for your kind attention.

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Chapter 13 is the announcement of the event by the Prime Minister. This arc will end with this chapter, and Chapter 14 will be updated the day after tomorrow. In addition, some notations and errors will be corrected accordingly.

There is still a lot of content to be covered, including the reaction of the people who witnessed the Prime Minister's press conference, communication with the world, and contact with the remaining Imperial Army and Navy units, so please stay tuned for Chapter 14 and beyond.

- Kujaku Aoi