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The Tiger and the Rising Sun


TheShammySocialist

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Following a particularly warm reception of well wishes from several nations, one of them being Japan, it was decided that the Empire would move to dispatch a letter to the Japanese nation. What the response would be, was unknown, but the invitation would be extended nonetheless.

 

[b]Esteemed Friends,[/b]

 

We were delighted to have a warm reception by your nation in particular when we declared our sovereignty, and for that we are most thankful. As two nations that certainly share similar interests, particularly in our spheres in this, Greater Asia, I would extend an invitation to your nation to dispatch an appropriate delegation to Pune to discuss opening formal diplomatic ties.

 

We look forward to hearing your response, and hope that is a positive one that eventually expand our relations from mere acquaintances to a more formal one.

 

HRH Santaji Bhonsle

King of the Marathas, Paramount Sovereign of the Subcontinent

 

A courier would hand deliver the message to the Japanese Foreign Ministry, after traveling from Pune to do so.

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The letter would arrive at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, however, its content would be passed on soon enough to the Prime Minister. As the invitation reached Akiyama Kagami, she first took barely notice as her secretary delivered the note, being on the phone, involved in a bit frustrating struggle with Minister Nakamichi, who himself most likely was just as frustrated on some policy issue. But once Akiyama in her frustration glanced over the delivered notes, checking them while Nakamichi on the other end of the call went on about some matter of minor interest to her, she noted the Indian invitation that stood out. While Minister Nakamichi still explained the importance of his issues and lamented on god knows what, Akiyama silently checked her calendar, wrote down a note with instructions and handed it to the secretary, to have preparations for a state visit start. Nakamichi on the phone pretty much got ignored, as more important issues had cropped up, though the minister would be informed of the Indian issue, once he stopped complaining, which she hoped was soon. After all, while his complaints from overseas were mostly stuff already expected, this matter right in front of her was quite a bit more important.

 

[hr]

 

A note would be sent off the next day, to be hand-delivered to Pune.

 

To the Noble and Great Chhatrapati of the Maratha, Paramount Sovereign of the Subcontinent,

 

We thank you for your invitation to your court in Pune and we shall gladly accept it. The Indian people have historically been our friends, and we are hopeful that good relations between us can continue. Indeed, there are issues we might share interest in and it might hopefully the case that cooperative relations between our states can be established.

 

We shall send a most worthwhile delegation to your country and I shall personally be in charge of it, to talk to you on these matters of importance. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will further contact you on the details of our visit.

 

With kind regards,

Akiyama Kagami, Prime Minister of Japan

 

[hr]

 

The visit itself would see quite a bit of planning, as the Prime Minister would not travel alone and without some kind of planning. Coming with her would be one fellow diplomat, Akechi Mitsuki. Partly, Akiyama looked very much forward to visiting India, a land of great and ancient culture and civilisation, seeing a people that were the origin of many things Japanese culture had embraced, maybe not tea, which had been imported from China, but Buddhism and curry... Well, to be fair, she looked forward to maybe tasting Indian curry for once, to know the original. However, there was this one fact that kind of cast a shadow on the whole affair, which was that it was a state visit. And state visits were a political matter, where policy was being made. And politics is like a sausage factory... if you want to fully appreciate the product, never bother to know how it came about. If Akiyama had any good words on Akechi, they most likely did not suffice to get the necessary syllables for a haiku. At some times, Akiyama had described Akechi as a diplomatic disaster, a catastrophe, a short-sighted moron... She had went as far as to dig out Nakamichi to replace Akechi. But no prime minister ever made policy on their own. It was through political alliances that countries were run, through party politics, political maneuvering, quid pro quo agreements... and it was once again such an agreement that required that Akechi get something to do. As Cygnus One was underway towards India, Akiyama silently just wished that this stubborn single-minded fool at least not embarrassed Japan overseas, while she was far away from Japanese politics at home.

 

Of course, all that, the Maratha authorities, the world at large and Akechi in particular did not need to know, for the better, most likely. The Maratha were instead contacted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to check the date and location of the meeting, and several Japanese agents responsible for the Prime Ministers security had been dispatched a few days prior, in order to coordinate with the Maratha's own security agencies, so as to make sure no major incidents occurred. The Japanese side was not terribly worried, but better safe than sorry. And with civil wars in Vietnam and Tianxia just finished, with and Korea in the hands of a Juche regime and Athens and Russia plagued by terrorists, one never knew when there'd be issues.

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Both Santaji and his High Council would be quite delighted by the positive reply that came to them from the Japanese Prime Minister, who was taking personal charge of the visitation to Pune. As such, it was the Chhatrapati who would lead the negotiations from the Indian standpoint, it would be Santajis' first foray into the international diplomacy following his ascendance to the throne. Prior to the visit, he would be given information regarding Japan, and its government, along with its various ministers, as well as a dossier on the visiting delegation, to familiarize himself with his visitors a little bit. Meanwhile, the Foreign Ministry would work as a liaison service for the arriving Japanese agents that had arrived to organize and observe security preparations for the arrival of their Prime Minister.

 

Primary security for both the visiting Prime Minister and the monarch would be members of the Royal Ghorkha Regiment, a handpicked unit of soldiers who were well known for their loyalty and dedication to the protection of the monarchy. Furthermore, elements of the Special Protection Service and Pune Metropolitan Police would be detailed for vehicular transit and protection. There was very little to worry about in Pune; religious strife was not prevalent, neither here, nor throughout much of the country, particularly after recent meetings between the monarch and religious leaders from prominent religious groups in the nation.

 

In the interest of allaying fears and ensuring that the Japanese were well protected, security was ramped up noticeably for the visit, and precautions would be taken. Japanese agents would be made privy to secondary and tertiary evacuation routes and plans for responding to an unlikely attack. The Japanese airliner bearing the Prime Minister would also be afforded aerial protection as it overflew the county; a loose escort pattern flown by a duo of fighter aircraft would be covering the aircraft at all times.

 

Santaji and his staff would await the arrival of the Japanese Prime Minister and her delegation at Pune, arriving shortly before the arrival of their counterparts, which would be cleared for immediate landing at the international airport. One of the terminals had been set aside for the arrival of the Japanese; which had been decorated elaborately with Marathi and Japanese flags. An honor guard from the Royal Ghorkas was on hand, wearing their distinctive wide brimmed hat with one cocked brim pinned up. The red carpet had been rolled out, and the Marathi delegation would be waiting patiently, with some excitement, at the end of the skybridge, for their Japanese counterparts making their appearance following their landing.

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As the aircraft slowly descended upon the runway of the international airport, the last words were exchanged and the passengers were asked to return to their seats, due to the landing. The landing gear was lowered, and as the plane came into contact with the asphalt, a short notable but harmless impact could be felt, the engines started to reverse thrust and as Cygnus One rolled down the kilometres long runway, it slowed down significantly, until it was pretty much just taxiing towards the designated parking space. The pilots cooperated with the airport authorities to get the aircraft handled while Akiyama checked whether the rest, especially Akechi, were ready for what was to come. As she looked over to the diplomat, she noted the pretty angry glance of Akechi, which was widely known, given how easily irritable she was. Who in their right mind ever thought someone like that was suited for this task? "Smile Akechi-kun. We don't want to scare away our hosts." Immediatly Akechi started to smile, though it only lasted for about as long as Akiyama watched her. Once Akechi Mitsuki was sure Akiyama had turned her attention to other matters again, she frowned once again and just mumbled some curses. She knew the importance of this meeting and her task, but she just hated that the Prime Minister seemingly thought she was a little child that could hardly be entrusted with anything. All just because of those stupid Americans. She hated Americans. With a passion and fury that was as typical for her as it was impractical for her job. Now they had placed her in India, far away from Tokyo, somewhere where she hopefully did not stir trouble and was pretty much in retirement. But while Akiyama might believe that, Akechi had her own plans. This wasn't yet over...

As the hatch of the aircraft was opened by one of the flight attendants and it was made sure the skybridge connected, the two Japanese politicians stepped outside, smiling somewhat brightly as if the bestest of friends, so very excited about India and its people. To be fair, the last part was most likely the most honest emotion displayed. Akiyama immediatly stepped forward waving friendly from atop the skybridge, before slowly walking down to to the Marathi. Akechi respectfully trailed a few steps behind, given that this trip was led by Akiyama, her own role would mostly start afterwards. She silently just watched the Gorkhas, wondering about all the things she had heard of them. The Japanese Army was mainly Japanese, apart from maybe some Zainichi Koreans, and many saw it as a given that a homogenous nation had a homogenous army. This nevertheless did not lower her respect for the Gorkhas, who after all managed to be one of the fiercest combattants in the Jungles of Burma in the Second World War. Partly Akechi was saddened that there was no Japanese equivalent to the Gorkhas, but she quickly recalled that she should not be disrespectful of her own country's armed forces. Once the two stood firmly on the red carpet, the Prime Minister turned towards the Marathi, extenting a hand as a greeting. "Good Day, I'm Prime Minister Akiyama Kagami, pleased to meet you and your countrymen."

A good bit away from the meeting of high-level representatives meanwhile, two further Japanese watched on. While the Prime Minister and Akechi were clothed in business suits, befitting the occassion, the other two were less formal, given they weren't supposed to be in the spotlight anyway. A young man and woman in their mid-twenties maybe, they could pass for Japanese newlyweds on their honeymoon or a most awkward couple of office workers, if it was not for their rather serious expression and a strict working relation that was pretty visible in the lack of any physical contact. He was wearing one long-sleeved white shirt with a light blue tie, some light brown trousers, while the woman was wearing a long-sleeved white shirt with a black skirt and black stockings. The two would suspiciously keep in the shadow of the buildings and trees, as they exchanged some lines of Japanese with each other. "I'm a bit amazed we managed to get all data on escape routes, security personel, the time table... we even got shopping recommendations, but not a person told us it would have 28 degrees Celsius... in winter!", he lamented, but all he earned was a short "Well, we are the intelligence, not the meteorology department. You could've looked it up on your own." For a moment the man just looked at his partner in disbelief, before shaking his head. "Well, I'm pretty sure you had informed yourself, given I had to stow away your blue winter coat in the car. You can tell that someone else." After a short angry glance the two walked up to some of the present Indian security detail, where the man presented an ID and stated "Abe Keitarou and Tsukino Aoko, we have been assigned to the Prime Ministers protection during the stay itself. Pleased to work with you. May we see the one responsible for the security of the meeting?"

 

Edit: Forgot to italicise some dialogue.

Edited by Evangeline Anovilis
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As the Japanese jetliner would taxi towards the skybridge, escort aircraft would buzz the airport, wagging their wings in a show of friendly airmanship as they passed by at low altitude. The moderately sized greeting party all stood behind Santaji as he waited for his Japanese counterparts to disembark, his hands clasped behind his back with a polite smile on his face. As the Japanese Prime Minister and her entourage began walking across the skybridge, the Ghorkas would bring their old drill rifles, buffed and shined so their wooden stocks shone in the bright lights of the terminal, to 'present arms'. Their famed knives glinted in the lights of the terminal as well, their ceremonial handles golden gilt.

 

"It's an honor to be receiving you Prime Minister Akiyama, I appreciate your acceptance of our invitation to you and your delegation," stated Santaji, his posture a little stiff, but still quite warm either way. He was quite aware that probably the Japanese Prime Minister knew this would be his first state visit, and his experience with such matters were limited. Despite this, he was willing to undertake the task quite willingly, and as he trusted he would have a long rule, he needed experiences like these to hone his capabilities at being a statesmen, not just at home, but abroad as well. "I trust your flight was smooth and without incident to Pune?" he asked, with a polite smile.

 

Meanwhile, the two Japanese security agents who presented themselves to the detail would have their credentials scrutinized by the special agent that they had presented them to. They would then be led into a room where well-dressed agents of the Special Protection Service were keeping tabs on the airport meeting that was already going on. One of the older men in the room would step forward to meet them.

 

"Senior Agent Tanji Singh, I am in charge of the security of his majesty for this particular event. I trust you got the dossier that we provided to your government's security representatives? I was unaware that your government would be assigning liaisons directly to my team beyond your own security cordon for your Prime Minister," he stated, with a polite smile on his face as he addressed the two Japanese agents stepped up before him.

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"Not a single one, your Royal Highness.", Akiyama responded with a kind smile. While she had maybe more experience than Santaji in meeting other leaers, the only leader she had met apart from him yet had been Emperor Yuan Shizi. And while she took relations with India quite seriously, to Akiyama personally, the visit to Pune had quite a bit different, a bit less tense of an atmosphere around it. "I'm hopeful that this is a good sign and our meeting will be as smooth and without incidents."

 

The two agents presented their passports and identifications as members of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department, Security Police Division, Section 1. As they were brought to Singh, Abe politely tried to explain the situation, while his colleague stayed right behind him, watching the surroundings. "Agents Abe and Tsukino of the Security Police and Akiyama-dono's personal protection. We have people with the Prime Minister, though we were sent, in order to ensure proper communication between our security and your security in case of issues. Also, we are here, to help out in case anything occurs that surpasses the standard scenarios the Security Police is trained to deal with." For a moment Abe paused, smiling, before he got a bit of a push from his colleague behind him. Turning around, he looked at her askingly and a bit angry, though not as angry as the returning reprimanting glare. "You forgot something, baka.", she whispered in Japanese, before he turned around again to Singh. "Well, ideally, you need not mind us and all's going to be well. We merely thought we'd check with you, just to be clear and for it to be less troublesome, should anything problematic happen. Overall, just don't mind us, here is my number, in case there's any issue you need our cooperation with.", he stated, as he took out a small black leather case and handed the Indian a small business card with his name and number in latin script.

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"I will take such smooth journeys as good omens," stated Santaji, "Shall we?"

 

The monarch would take a position aside the Japanese Prime Minister as they walked towards a nearby exit, beyond which a convoy of vehicles could be seen waiting, their engines idling, a detachment of guards pacing around them, their heads swiveling in a hawk-like manner. "I must say that I'm glad that the beautification process for the airport was complete before you arrived, there has been much work to do, cleaning up our image as a nation. Part of that was improving the atmosphere and image of our airports, much of this terminal has been remodeled in the past two months or so," noted Santaji to his compatriot. "Maratha has seen much change over the years, stability of central governance remained the same; there was essentially none. It is quite depressing, especially to watch, while I was being educated abroad."

 

Meanwhile, at one of the security checkpoints for the airport, Singh scrutinized Abe's personal card, after listening to his explanation of the situation, the look on his face cryptic and not easily read, his posture relaxed, despite the hype that the meeting had caused him and his fellow officers. "Given you are members of the Prime Ministers' security, I think it'd be appropriate if you're plugged into one of our details, I'm sure that you can provide adequate liaison duties with one of our response teams who will be overseeing perimeter and response duties for the meeting, at the venue itself?"

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The two Japanese closely followed the Marathi monarch, while listening to his explanation and looking at their surroundings, which he mentioned. And though Akiyama and Akechi did not look down on India much, given that it was still a nation a few times the size of Japan, even if it did not match Japan in its affluence, something few countries did, so was it still understandable to them that a certain image of chaotic and unclean conditions was linked to India. But people like Akechi weren't thinking that much better about some places in the Americas... As they reached the outside again and entered the prepared convoy, for a moment the conversation lapsed, though, Akiyama picked it up again, once inside. "Well, Japan for a long time was part of foreign Empires too. But even if states vanish, the nation does not. And neither does their cultural and productive potential. It is a bit of a tragic sight to behold, seeing the loss of governance and self-determination, but I guess the best we can do about it, is work towards independence and once we gained it, make sure we make the best of it and not to lose it again. As you seem quite ambitious, one would hope that your political elan will achieve things of greatness for the people of this subcontinent that will make up for the time since the fall of great Cochin."

 

While the official delegation conversed with Santaji on the progress of the Indian nation, the two agents Abe and Tsukino still were with Singh, considering his offer. Upon receiving it, Abe had politely asked for a moment of time, to talk to his companion and after they had a short, fast, lively and hard to understand conversation in Tōhoku Japanese, it seemed that an agreement had been reached. Abe turned around to Singh again, smiling brightly. "Your proposition would be most likely for the best. If such could be arranged, it would make our work much easier. We are very grateful."

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The monarch allowed for the two Japanese representatives to step into the vehicle first, before he joined them, the convoy was quite large enough to host all delegates and their staffers comfortably. As they prepared to depart the airport, the Marathi would listen to Akiyama as she spoke, nodding carefully, and smiling politely as she explained her own point of view. He smiled a little grimly at the mention of Cochin, and took a moment to carefully choose his next words.

 

"The Kingdom of Cochin has our respect for the time and effort spent building up the prestige and respectability of the subcontinent, unfortunately the game of geopolitics and the continuing back and forth chess game would be its downfall. Its unfortunate that Cochin fell, but like all Empires, there will always be a beginning and an end. All... [i]experiments[/i] have failed on the subcontinent since, and I am bound and determined to see that this one does not. This isn't an experiment in governance, for too long India has been without a voice on the global stage, its time to once again give it one," he stated, with a slightly grim, but determined look on his face. "I am glad that faith in my character seems to extend beyond my borders, I'll take it as a good omen for the future," he said, with a bit of a warm smile growing on his face.

 

After a few more moments, the convoy started moving away from the curb and merged onto an access road that would give them quick access to main arterial routes that would help them navigate across the city at fast speed, avoiding snarling traffic for too long. "Much has changed in Pune and other cities since independence has been declared, since sovereignty was invoked. The feelings of every day people seem to have changed, optimism flows, the realism is still there, but there is much more optimism, and I think you can have one and the other, in this case. There are so many young people here who have dreams, and those dreams should be able to be realized, and I sincerely hope that the governance I, and my court can provide, will give them all a chance to realize them."

 

At the security station, as the convoy began to move out, the atmosphere became much more excited, and Singh clapped his hands together at the Japanese agents' acquiescence to his offer. "Perfect. We're going to begin moving from here to the meeting site shortly, I can send you ahead with Agent Krishna if you'd like to be there before us? I'll be sending a signal to our team that is covering the secondary response to the meeting that you'll be joining them in a few minutes?"

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Akiyama noted the grim smile of the monarch as Cochin was mentioned and the seemingly distainful position he had on short-lived "experiments". "Well, we should take our history as it comes, for we cannot change the past. We can take pride in the glorious achievements and let them be an inspiration, and we can try to avoid the downfalls of our ancestors by learning from their mistakes. And finally, we can hope that future generations learn from us and that they may hold us in fond memory."

 

As the topic came towards the developments in Pune, a city where development was clearly visible when one looked outside the window to see the constant works and the incredible infrastructure that had been put into place, Akiyama could kind of understand the enthusiasm. "We all should try our best to encourage the dreams of coming generations. They are our nations' greatest growth potential. Thankfully, yong people tend to dream naturally, so the challenge becomes to allow for these dreams to be realised. But such is the challenge for many politicians. You are not alone. Japan too has to encourage its youth more and provide opportunities for them to pursue their ambitions. We are a nation that has grown through ambition, effort and education. And I would hope that with some push, these values will also help regain some growth for ourselves. So, I'm certainly sympathetic towards your plans to encourage your people. With over a billion of them, much potential is there to be developed."

 

Abe meanwhile just nodded politely. "This might be for the best. Thank you for your assistence, Senior Agent Singh."

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Santaji seemed to listen to Akiyama's words thoughtfully, before presenting a few lines, that were in general agreement with her.

 

"There were some glorious achievements made by our predecessors in Cochin, but there were some grave mistakes as well. As you say, I'm quite attuned to celebrating the good times, and learning from the bad, and I'm sure that such a mistake will not occur again. The experiments that came after Cochin were ill-fated, and we can take our own lessons from them. I can only hope that my administration and reign be deemed worthy enough to be held in fond memory when my successors come to the throne, or whoever may lead these lands after my time had come and gone," he stated, looking out the window with a wistful smile.

 

"Some of it isn't a matter of encouragement, its just a matter of means for some, they have the fervor and desire to follow their dreams, its ensuring they get the resources they need to pursue their goals. As much as some people like to preach that if you have the will to move forward and pursue your dreams, sometimes its simply a lack of resources and assistance in their lives that is keeping them from moving forward. Getting a post secondary education is a major aspect of that, many of the lower classes can't afford it, or pay off their loans, so they simply don't move on to what could provide them with the knowledge and skills to get a higher paying job. That's where the government steps in, and there have been several High Council meetings regarding educational funding and curriculum," Santaji said, in response to Akiyama's discussion about pursuing ones' dreams.

 

"I have what I envision to be a long reign ahead of me, there will be much accomplished, and much learned during that time. And I will see this nation rise out of what it was, into something that it can be even more proud of," stated the Marathi, determination on his face. "How has Japan fared since its independent resurgence? I am quite sure that stability reigns, the Japanese martial spirit has always had a knack for organization and discipline. Two traits that I find to be of innumerable usefulness, as many of my High Councilors are a slave to such traits, for better or for worse."

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"Organisation and discipline are two traits that indeed we pride ourselves in. Thank you.", Akiyama responded kindly. "The devotion some have shown has even come to worrying levels." For a moment, the Prime Minister glanced at Akechi, who just ignored the gesture. "I'd say, it is in some ways more useful than chaos and corruption, though, unlike chaos and corruption, it is far harder to distinguish virtue from vice. I would say, what ought to come with discipline is self-discipline and critical reflection of one's beliefs. The path to progress requires effort and diligence, qualities of the devoted, yet it also requires innovation and critical thinking, qualities that are not found with the orthodox bureaucrat. I would not say they are conflicting objectives where one has to strike a balance, but it certainly is the case that far too easily one loses sight of one's objective. And regardless the effort, if misguided, it will not yield proper results."

 

Akiyama looked out of the window for a moment. "If my people are organiced and disciplined, these are our special strengths, which we take pride in and which are quite important to our social and economic well-being. However, I would think, the Indian people are a more interesting people. Japan is almost a monolith, but India has many cultures, with many traits. To make the best out of the strengths and to compensate for each other's weaknesses, a leader that can do that could mold this subcontinent into a most dynamic and flourishing nation, adaptive and resilient. There are most likely reasons why India has such a long history and Indian civilisation has withstood the test of time like hardly any other culture on Earth."

 

Suddenly, Akiyama seemed to remember something. "Ah, forgive me, you asked how my nation is faring and yet I drift off into mumblings without answering your Highness questions." Akechi nodded, whispering in Japanese a short "Took you long enough.", which the Prime Minister dillgently ignored. Instead, she replied to the question. "Japan is working hard, I'd say. The recent restoration of independence and the crisis in Tianxia has caused us to be confronted with lots of responsibility at once, but we are managing. The relations with our neighbours are mostly on a decent basis, except maybe for the Koreans, but we cannot help that. The Koreans may be our brothers and sisters, and we are quite worried to see a resurgence of misguided Juche ideology, but this is something the Korean people sooner or later will have to realise themselves. Unless the regime on the Korean peninsula poses a more tangible threat to us, Japan has no intention of engaging in any military action and unnecessary slaughter. It is just to be hoped that the humanitarian situation will not deteriorate too far." Akiyama sighed, both because Korea was worrying, but also because she talked about others again.

 

"Honestly, the most pressing matters internally is to make Japan sustainable in the long term and to prevent utter stagnation. Japan is a highly-developed country, with outstanding standards of living and a high-technology and capital-intensive economy. We already have reached this position. What is the challenge is to retain this standard for future generations. In this regard, I do really think that what ought to be done is to provide the means, incentives and inspiration for our people to keep Japan a burgeoning and affluent country. While we are a nation of over a hundred million, I would think that over time, it is impossible for us to compete in absolute numbers with nations like Tianxia and your own, but we must do what we can. And while we are 'small', I do see Japan as an affluent and stable country to have a certain responsibility in the region to promote development and cooperation. Tianxia's civil war has shown us that peace is fragile and regional order is not guaranteed, so I do want Japan to be able to take on greater responsibilities in the future."

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Santaji listened to the words of the Japanese Prime Minister attentively, keeping eye contact for most of the time, and nodding every so often to affirm his agreement with some of her more harder-hitting points.

 

"Fortunately I have a few orthodox and unorthodox bureaucrats who work with me, they strike a fairly good balance. All are hard working and devoted to their positions, but they all have their own way about doing their business. Unfortunately, one person cannot run a country alone, not a country of this size anyway, maybe Lichtenstein, but not the subcontinent. I have to delegate and rely on those beneath me, like any good leader does, we set a standard to work by, and I let them take their own steps to get there, if they find something that might make the result better than expected, than the delegation was worth it."

 

"I've found that few people can remain zealously devoted to their job without going insane. And I encourage those that are quite zealous on my council to find something they enjoy, other than writing numerous papers and studies, and barking out orders to their subordinates. One must always find time to decompress when handling the affairs of state. Like any job, and like you said, one must strike a balance, both in their professional lives, and their personal ones."

 

"Personally I think such time allows for anyone to refresh their minds and restores those key attributes of critical thinking and keeping ones' mind clear so they can pursue a clear objective. Its why I encourage my fellow statesmen to take the time to develop something they enjoy that lets them reflect, but also refresh their minds," he continued.

 

"We have a rich history and culture, and it is one that is still being recorded as we speak, and I thank you for your compliments. Every nation leaves a footprint on this Earth, it has a culture, a history, a backstory, all the little facets that make the country unique. India is proud of its history, we remember where we came from, and it helps guide us where we are going. The face of the world has changed from many countries holding power, to only a few, but time continues to chug onward, conflict will always arise, power always finds a place to rest its mighty head. Japanese culture has endured, it has had its high points, and its lows, just like our nation has, but you do well to make sure your nation continues to make its footprint on history and that her citizens are proud of their nation, and can live in stability and prosperity, is that not what we serve our nations for?"

 

"With diligence and devotion, mixed with a little critical thinking and innovation, I'm sure that your administration, and those that follow it, will ensure Japan's continued stability. You talk of balance, and I agree that its a fine tight rope that we all must walk, managing balance in the affairs of state. There will always be bad years, mistakes will be made, but righting them is what truly defines a leader. I pray that your neighbors, particularly the Koreans, who actually provided us with some spiteful commentary upon our invocation of sovereignty, continue on a peaceful path despite their searing attitude. I daresay I hope Tianxia is able to return itself to relative stability, apparently it has, and hopefully that continues, our dealings with them have had flickers of positive light, and I hope that continues."

 

"I can only hope that my nation continues to see a balanced continuance of global affairs, it would be most welcome. Particularly whilst we are in a critical stage of national economic and social redevelopment," he stated, smiling a little as they rounded a corner and began their approach to one of the gates of the Shaniwar Wada.

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"Tianxia has long been a guarantor of stability to us. We would hope good relations between them and us will continue in the future. Now that there is a new Khagan, many wonder though how relations will develop.", Akiyama Kagami stated thoughtfully. "The Koreans we expect sooner or later to destroy themselves. Juche has never been a proper system of governance. As long as they do not obtain weapons of mass destruction, their actions are not of too great an importance. We concern ourselves these days far more with the other Asian states which are rising, such as Kazakhstan, or your own. And we do hope yours will not be the last one." Akiyama mused for a few moments. They were still on their way. It would most likely be better to leave important points for later.

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"I'm personally interested to see what the new Khagan offers Tianxia for a leadership style, it is a positive that the Tianxian Civil War has come to an end. I personally hope to establish sound relations with all nations of Asia and the Indian Rim, and hopefully beyond. We all have much to offer one another, and with Maratha now a rising tide, stability is much welcome," he stated, as the column of vehicles crept up to a curb. A staffer quickly grabbed the door and yanked it open, allowing all to disembark, and once that was done, Santaji turned to the massive gate before them, of which an inset door was open for the guests to step through one by one. The large door had its original spiked exterior, meant to brain whatever unlucky war elephant was sent by any attacking army against the large fortress that doubled as his ceremonial home.

 

"The Shaniwar Wada burned a long time ago, much of it was lost, but through much research and restoration, my family has been restoring the palace to its former glory over the past few years, it will serve us well as a place to hold our talks," stated the monarch, with a proud smile on his face. The imposing walls were similar to those seen in forts around the world, and while the Shaniwar Wada was far from impregnable, both then and now, it was a symbol of strength and an example of one of the many forts constructed by his ancestors over the years. One of their keys to holding their land had been massive fortification works, which numbered in the hundreds, in the region.

 

Of course most of the time, the monarch came and went from the complex via a well secured underground parking garage that connected with the palace beneath the city streets, but for ceremonial visits such as these, the gate entrance would be utilized. Two national standards hung beside the gate; the Maratha on one side, the Japanese on the other side, in a symbol of respect to their visitors.

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"A truely remarkable example of historic Indian architecture and fortification technique. Certainly different from the fortresses I'm used to see.", Akiyama remarked and even Akechi was looking quite amazed at the massive walls of the old Marathi fort. Japanese fortifications followed partly different design principles and were obviously built in a different architecture style. "It is good to see your nation values its historic landmarks like this. I do hope I might get a better look later, after the meeting? It would surely be interesting to see Indian culture and experience it a bit closer."

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"Every culture had, or has their own ways of holding territory, it is quite interesting to see how they are as much alike, as they are different," stated Santaji, as he stepped through the inner door of the large spiked gate, leading the entourage. Inside the fortress, much of the complex had been restored, it wasn't a huge palace-like structure, but much of the buildings were quite beautifully restored, even the smell of fresh paint could be smelt on the air, as well as fresh timber.

 

The large [url=https://www.behance.net/gallery/3564275/Revitalizing-Environs-of-Shaniwarwada-Pune-%28COPY%29]main building[/url] had been completed only about a month previous, and now hosted several High Council meetings a week.

 

"I'd be glad to give you a chance to look over the complex with one of my associates, Prime Minister," noted Santaji, leading the group into the main building, and then into a room off one of the main halls. "Although we restored this building completely, we had to make a few modern amenities available to the people who utilize this structure, particularly for meetings," he continued, as they entered a conference room.

 

The furniture had a rustic look to it however, that would match the period of the Shaniwar Wada, a large teak table exquisitely carved, along with comfortable chairs surrounding it. Audio visual equipment was available in one corner of the room, as was a table that was available, that had refreshments strewn out on it in a tasteful pattern. Santaji took the opportunity to collect a cup of fruit as he walked by the table, and offered a seat at the table. "Please, have a seat, or enjoy some refreshment."

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"Well, hopefully, one day I may be able to show you one of our fortresses, though I still need to think carefully which one to pit against such formidable opposition.", Akiyama stated in a somewhat easygoing tone. "I would quite love to have a residence in such a historic place, though, I'm sure, compared to the average citizen, I'm in no position to complain."

 

Although the Prime Minister was by far no expert on architecture or interior design, the Shaniwar Wada did not fail to impress in its newfound magnificience and glory and Akiyama also understood what the Marathi monarch was referring to, especially once they arrived at the meeting room. "You restored yourself a government building, not a museum. Accommodating improvements is surely not a great problem and more than anything will represent that your Highness hopefully knows fully well how important it is to find a balance between tradition and innovation. and some things, like an AC will most likely be rather noted when absent, not when present, in this time and age."

 

The two took a seat at the table, though Akiyama restrained herself from helping herself to the refreshments in front of her, though there was one thing she was interested in. "If it'd be possible, some masala chai would be nice. It would be a waste to not taste a tea your country is famous for and which is quite different from the tea at home. It is interesting how it is the same plant, yet our people enjoy it in such vastly different ways. I guess it goes to show how great differences between our people can be, though I do not see such as problematic, your Highness. Rather, it should be seen as proof of cultural variety and human innovative spirit. Our people share certain issues, but their are notable differences in our thinking too. I do think, this is one reason why it would be valuable for Japan to cooperate with a country such as yours." Akechi meanwhile stayed quiet, as Akiyama needed her not anyway, so she rather glanced over the food that had been prepared, wondering what could be taken without drawing attention.

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"I'm quite aware of your nations' past martial history, when I was younger, much of what I imagined Japan to be, at least in its feudal days, was a land of castles, warriors, and feuding factions. I'd be quite honored to take time to examine the historical fortifications of your nation when the time is appropriate," responded Santaji, with a polite smile. His mind wandering to images of the heyday of the Samuri, dressed in his laminate armor, and the great feuding wars that seemed to never fragment the old island nation.

 

"There are many portions of the complex that are open to public viewing on a daily basis, of course, there are other portions that are logically off limits. Without some modern conveniences, it would be quite unbearable to live in some of this complex. I daresay I pity my ancestors and their courts having to live in such heat without being able to remedy it," he continued, with a smirk. The wall-mounted television display had digital renditions of both nations' flags hanging beside one another, simply as a screen saver, powered up and ready should they require assessing data.

 

As the Japanese Prime Minister expressed a wish for masala chai, the Indian monarch swiftly snapped his fingers at one of his attending aides, nodding in a benevolent way. He opted to pour himself a glass of water, as he slid the cup of fruit in front of himself, grabbing a fresh piece of cantaloupe that was speared with a toothpick. And sampling it as the Japanese Prime Minister spoke, nodding his head as his eyes stayed on hers.

 

"Every nation has its own cultures and customs, its what makes us unique next to one another, if we didn't, I supposed there'd be one big monotonous world government, and I'd imagine we would be like animals. Giving someone a national identity, a subgroup within a species, and a citizen of every nation deserves to be proud of the government that leads them. While we have our differences, we share similar goals, our own security, the continuation of prosperity for our respective people. That is what human society is based on, a very basic principle of gathering against a perceived threat, security in both food, prosperity, and the basic freedom to live without an overwhelming sense of fear," he responded, as his aide returned with a cup of masala chai for her to sample.

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"In a sense, it is also what states try to achieve for themselves.", Akiyama stated, as she took the cup of masala chai from the aide. "Thanks. I'm really looking forward to it." Letting it rest for a moment, to have it cool off some, the Prime Minister turned her attention to Santaji again. "Secure their basic needs and an existence without constant fear of getting subjugated and destroyed. States are the expression of a collective will after all, not too different from the individuals that make up these states. In this regard, your Highness, I must say, I do think we are quite fortunate to be living in quite well-established nations, when many other nations lack their respective state structures. Which brings me to one matter, which I wanted to address... I originally thought it might be better to leave it for later, but might as well discuss it now, if your Highness doesn't mind."

 

For a moment, Akiyama paused, seemingly ordering her thoughts, before adressing the Marathi monarch. "While India is surely more focused on the Indian Ocean and Japan more on the Pacific Rim, I do think, there is one area, where our interests strongly converge. Which would be South East Asia and Oceania. I have for a while now looked towards South and Southeast Asia in the hope that this currently structurally weak region might see some development. Healthy development in Asia, but especially in this region would benefit not solely the people living there, but also our respective economies, if aspiring states can be integrated into a greater Asian economy. Not to mention that the integration of any such states would hopefully prevent future conflict. In this respect, I was hoping the Maratha Empire would be willing to discuss establishing a cooperative dialogue with us on providing development aid and cooperations to any state that might arise in the region."

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Santaji let the Japanese Prime Minister speak unimpeded throughout her next response to their exchange, rather than inserting himself in when she took the opportunity to take a pause. He patiently and attentively listened throughout the time she spoke, passing the time by also taking bites from the fruit cup he had procured himself, and sipping from his cup of water slowly. He considered her words as she spoke, nodding understandingly as she took the time to address him with her proposal.

 

"Well, Southeast Asia is a region of strategic importance to us, as is Oceania, I'm sure that you, like myself, would want to see the rise of friendly governance in the region. It would be quite nice to see the development of structurally sound nations in these regions, although it hasn't happened for very much time, unfortunately. These areas have been quiet for very long periods of time, and any development now would be particularly nice, if I might be frank with you. I think that my nation would be quite cooperative on development aid to any structurally-sound shape, what kind of aid would you be interested in cooperating over? General economic growth? I assume?"

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"My vision is to see the region strengthened and secure. For this objective, I do mostly advocate providing economic cooperation initiatives, which assist new states, while at the same time providing stabilising economic connections between countries. Japan, but also India, are large economies, which are kind of prospering and a great market, it is thus in our power, but in my opinion, also a responsibility, to provide new nations with a helping hand. Mostly, I'd advocate the creation of a new Asian Development Bank and maybe other organisations, to assist Asian nations economically. So, yes, mostly economic growth, though, I am not yet ruling out cooperation in security matters. I do think that such cooperation is too possible, but such would need to be discussed in greater detail with nations which arise and would depend on circumstances, such as the will of nations to cooperate with us in this matter.", Akiyama explained her plans. "After all, we want to help people, not force them into a military framework."

 

"The main avenues of economic development, in my opinion, are by providing capital for industry and modernisation, scientific cooperation on research, promoting trade and peace, providing cooperative initiatives and assisting with education and health care. All these initiatives, in my view, promote internal and external stability, as well as add to the net wealth of the region. Which profits everyone in Asia."

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"There is much potential for our two nations to make much of a difference in Southeast Asia and Oceania. The region has been quiet for much time, countries have come and gone, but stability has been gone for much time now. The fall of Selenarctos and other nations in the region have left much of it leaderless, especially after the Tianxian Civil War. Although the Civil War has in fact concluded, there is much confidence that must be restored, and the presence of our nations would make a difference in helping keep the region stable, especially through work in development. Our nation is engaged in rebuilding our network of healthcare, as well as setting out framework for helping to provide for additional security throughout the region."

 

"I would be glad to join a Development Initiative that would benefit Asia and Oceania, the regions are important to us both. Between the nations of Asia, we're quite capable of providing external stability to any rising nation. On the other hand internal stability is built on the availability of jobs, and access to basic needs, and I'm sure that we could provide assistance with such important facets."

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Nodding somewhat happily over her suggestion being received this positively, Akiyama responded in a rather amicable tone. "Well, I am glad you agree with me on the matter. Indeed, by building a framework for growth and prosperity, I'd hope that new nations will find security and stability. And such to be done in ways that do not infringe upon the internal sovereignity of new nations, but still does offer help for those who request it. Of course, it is not pure altruism and idealism, however, the rise of independent states in South East Asia and Oceania would be of considerable significance, given the economic possibilities and market which is located just along the main route between India and Japan."

 

"Which brings me to another issue. Maybe one that I should have adressed first, but well. I of course did not make this trip without consideration for possible future bilateral ties between our nations, your Highness. I would hope that not only can our countries cooperate on issues related to the region inbetween our countries, but mabe also cooperation between our countries themselves could be established? As it is, I think there is much potential between our two states, which could be harnessed through cooperation, economically, culturally and maybe even in the realm of security. Following Tianxia, our two economies are after all the largest in the region, with notable possibilities to trade where we are lacking, but also cooperate where we can share expertise. And I would think, that a cooperation in regards to security between India and Japan would be quite benefitial to the overall security in Asia and would provide us with possibilities we alone would not have. The whole is more than the sum of its parts, so to say. This can be used both for cooperation on potential threats to regional security, as well as in military-industrial matters."

 

While Akiyama conversed with the Marathi monarch, Akechi finally decided to go for something she considered safe, an olive on a toothpick. She knew olives. They weren't growing in Japan, but they were widely available. Maybe once she had an olive, she could muster the courage to taste something less known to her mind and stomach.

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