The Tyrant Billionaire

Offending Hardy?

With a single thought, he could cause Japan's economy to collapse.

And as for MacArthur…

He held authority over government appointments in Japan, even power over life and death.

Shigeru Yoshida felt that he was in an impossible position.

Upon returning to the Prime Minister's residence, Yoshida immediately convened a cabinet meeting. Regarding reopening the brothel business, none of the ministers present saw it as a major issue, as it wasn't truly a significant matter.

The main problem was that this involved a power struggle between Hardy and MacArthur, which worried everyone greatly.

Finally, the Minister of Health tentatively suggested, "Why don't we secretly send a telegram to General MacArthur to inform him of the situation? If General MacArthur opposes it, he'll naturally take it up with Envoy Hardy."

"These two are both powerful figures. Let them resolve it on their own."

"Envoy Hardy said a decision must be made within three days at the latest," Yoshida said.

"If General MacArthur has any objections, I imagine he'll react within three days," said the Minister of Health.

Although this proposal wasn't particularly brilliant, there were no better options. Yoshida then ordered a secret telegram to be sent to MacArthur.

MacArthur was at the Osaka base when he received the telegram, and to be honest, he felt uncomfortable after reading it. The ban on prostitution was his order, and Hardy now wanted to change it, which was an obvious slap in the face.

In the past, MacArthur would certainly have stopped Hardy.

But now, with the unresolved issue concerning his cousin Judson, MacArthur feared it might implicate him, so he was trying to stay low-key and avoid conflict with Hardy.

He crumpled the telegram and threw it into the wastebasket.

He'd pretend he knew nothing about this.

Three days passed, and with no response from MacArthur, the members of the Japanese cabinet understood his stance. Many were surprised because it showed that MacArthur didn't want to offend Envoy Hardy either.

Hardy's standing in their minds rose once again.

A few days later…

The Japanese government issued a decree lifting the previous ban on the brothel business, with a stipulation that operations must remain within designated areas, making any business beyond those limits illegal.

Operating rights were authorized by the government.

Restricting operations to specific areas offered many benefits, such as facilitating the formation of regulated zones and making management easier. This decree immediately attracted widespread attention across Japanese society.

Many were thrilled.

Especially the men.

After all, it was a thousand-year-old tradition, and it would have been a pity to lose it. Now, with legal establishments, they no longer needed to be so discreet.

In fact, the Japanese government was pleased with the outcome. With the previous ban, all legitimate businesses went underground, preventing the government from collecting taxes. Now, with legalization, the government could once again collect tax revenue.

And this tax revenue wasn't insignificant. Japan's government was very poor at the moment, so this source of income was no small boon.

Yomiuri Shimbun

"Restoring brothel legality has many benefits. Workers will undergo regular health checks, making it safer, the government can collect taxes, and legal protection makes the profession more stable, creating a more vibrant society." Find more to read at My Virtual Library Empire

Asahi Shimbun

"Japanese society should embrace its unique traits, and entertainment districts are one of Japan's iconic features. This may attract more people to Japan in the future. Japan should be more open; this is a positive step. We should shout, 'Open Japan welcomes the world!'"

Many businesspeople quickly recognized the profit potential. However, when they approached the government seeking operational rights, they found they couldn't obtain them; all regional operating rights had already been allocated.

Hardy, in requesting this business be opened up, naturally intended to control it. He had previously had Duncan unify the gangs precisely to dominate the entertainment district business.

Hardy's convoy arrived in Shinjuku, and Duncan opened the door for Hardy, with the security team quickly following behind.

Tokyo, after the devastating bombings, had few remaining high-rise buildings. Though many areas had been cleared, they had turned into vacant lots.

Most buildings on this street were wooden houses.

"Has the property here been bought?" Hardy asked.

"Yes, it's all been acquired. We spent over a million dollars; it covers more than 800 acres with four streets, and it's only 300 meters from the subway exit—a prime location."

"The ownership of this property is registered under a company in the Cayman Islands," Duncan explained.

Hardy thought to himself,

The famous Kabukicho district of Shinjuku wouldn't appear in the future as he knew it. This place would completely replace it, covering a larger area, with better planning and a more open environment than it would ever be.

In the future, Japan's entertainment industry would be under the management of Hardy Entertainment Company, a newly established department registered in the Cayman Islands, with Japan as its primary market.

Every city in Japan would soon have one or more red-light districts, which would undoubtedly become cash cows in the future.

Nightclubs, bars, adult entertainment shops, love hotels, bathhouses, massage parlors, themed body-wash salons, gourmet restaurants, izakayas—you name it.

Once you arrive here,

Everything from food and drinks to entertainment and fun is available in one place.

Hardy even planned to set up pachinko and slot machine rooms, which were hugely popular in later years, in these areas.

For now, there might not be much money to make, but it would allow him to capture the market early.

The convoy continued its drive around Tokyo.

As Japan's largest city, Tokyo's economic prosperity couldn't be satisfied with just one Kabukicho. Hardy planned to establish multiple red-light districts.

The convoy reached Chiyoda District.

Chiyoda is the core of Japan, housing the Imperial Palace, the Prime Minister's residence, and many government offices. Originally, Japan's financial district was also here, making it a prestigious and prosperous area.

The convoy stopped along a road.

The streets were relatively quiet, and this location once housed a military university, covering an extensive area. After Japan's surrender in World War II, MacArthur shut down the university, disbanded the students and faculty, and ordered that Japan was never again allowed to have military universities.