Chapter 163: Shiraishi Nagi's Choice
Minamikawa Keiko had a delicate makeup on her face, her hair was combed up, revealing her full and smooth forehead.
Wearing pendant earrings and dressed like a professional woman, she obviously just came out of the studio.
Shiraishi Nagimitsu has been interviewed by her several times. Although they are not friends, they are familiar with each other.
He walked up to her and said, "Ms. Nanchuan Jingzi? Are you looking for me?"
"Mr. Shiraishi, it's great that you're here." Minamikawa Keiko saw that Shiraishi Nagi's frown finally relaxed: "I have something to ask Mr. Shiraishi, can I go in and talk?"
"Of course, please come in." Shiraishi Nagimitsu gestured to invite him in: "Come into my office and talk."
The two walked into the office. Keiko Minamikawa sat on the sofa and looked around the office of the beautiful congresswoman.
The layout is neat and tidy, everything is arranged in order, and there is a faint fragrance in the house.
Shiraishi Nagimitsu poured a cup of tea for Minamikawa Keiko and handed it to her.
"Thank you, Mr. Shiraishi." Minamikawa Keiko took it and glanced at the huge bulge under the shirt with envy.
"Ms. Minamikawa Keiko, is there anything you want to talk to me about?" Shiraishi Nagimitsu asked curiously.
She had also heard about the life of this beautiful host. Although, like herself, she was pursued by many wealthy men who sent her flowers every day, she had never been involved in any scandals.
It seems that she is also a woman with high vision.
But the higher your standards, the harder it is to find the man you like.
No wonder he is still alone even at his old age.
No one can be as lucky as me to meet him.
Shiraishi Nagimitsu's heart was filled with tenderness.
If it weren't for him, maybe I would be like Minamikawa Keiko.
"It's like this. I understand that Councillor Shiraishi pays great attention to people's livelihood and really helps people solve their problems." Minamikawa Keiko took a sip of tea and was obviously a little nervous coming here.
"Ms. Minamikawa Keiko, thank you for your compliment. I'm just doing my job." Shiraishi Nagimitsu smiled slightly and did not put on the compliment. It was obvious that the matter that Minamikawa Keiko came to him for this time was not that simple.
"I have also watched Congressman Shiraishi's many parliamentary questionings. I believe in my own judgment, so I will speak frankly." Minamikawa Keiko took out a manuscript from her bag and handed it to Shiraishi Nagimitsu:
"It's like this. I received a press release today, but the higher-ups received a call and the press release was temporarily removed."
"I didn't pay much attention to this news release at first, but after it was taken down, I realized it wasn't that simple."
Shiraishi Nagiko took it and examined it carefully. Minamikawa Keiko continued beside him, "This news article was submitted by a civilian in Osaka. It said that they couldn't buy rice in the supermarket near their home for two consecutive days."
"He thought it was strange and drove to the largest supermarket 10 kilometers away to buy it."
"Then he looked around and found that this situation had occurred in many nearby supermarkets."
"I didn't take it seriously at first, I just thought it was a temporary shortage, but when the higher-ups took down the manuscript, I felt it was not simple."
"If it were something else, I would not bother Mr. Shiraishi, but food is the most important thing in people's livelihood. Rice is the staple food in Japan. It is unbelievable that we are short of rice after so many years as a developed country."
"This incident also happened in Tokyo." Shiraishi Nagimitsu said after reading the press release: "My assistant just took photos of several supermarkets at home, and they were also short of rice."
"Right, that means there should be no problem with this news release provided by a civilian." Minamikawa Keiko nodded: "I came here to hope that Congressman Shiraishi can ask the Congress as soon as possible and open up the food reserve as soon as possible."
"Otherwise, if there is a real shortage of rice, it will definitely cause a food shortage in the market, leading to riots and looting, and food prices will skyrocket."
Shiraishi Nagiko shook her head and said, "Ms. Minamikawa Keiko, you don't understand the whole operation. If the food shortage is true, the cabinet must have relevant data, and they wouldn't wait for us to discover it."
Minamikawa Keiko was stunned: "What does Councillor Shiraishi mean? The cabinet already had the relevant data, but has never released the grain reserves?"
"Of course." Shiraishi Nagi stood up and slowly walked to the window: "And this matter is not that simple."
"What does Councillor Shiraishi mean?" Minamikawa Keiko also stood up and walked to Shiraishi Nagimitsu in confusion.
"You don't understand what's going on here. Don't worry, I will bring it up at the congressional questioning session this afternoon." Shiraishi Nagimitsu smiled and did not answer Minamikawa Keiko's words.
"Okay, then I'll take my leave first." Minamikawa Keiko bowed slightly.
Although Shiraishi Nagimitsu did not explain it, she understood that she was an outsider and some things could not be said too clearly.
There is no need to ask questions when smart people talk to each other.
"Let me see you off." Shiraishi Nagimitsu made an inviting gesture: "Ms. Minamikawa Keiko, please come and sit with us when you have time."
"Of course, of course." Minamikawa Keiko said politely.
After Shiraishi Nagimitsu saw Minamikawa Keiko out the door, he put away his smile and walked back with a frown.
"Member Shiraishi, are you really asking questions?" An assistant came over and reminded, "The rice issue may be related to the Japan Agricultural Association."
"I know." Shiraishi Nagihiru sighed.
It's a bit difficult.
Farmers are Japan's largest voting base, and the Agricultural Cooperative Association manages farmers across Japan, with power to a certain extent greater than that of the cabinet.
A farmer must purchase all his farm tools, fertilizers and seeds from the farmers' association.
After the harvest, all crops are purchased by the farmers’ association and then sold at high prices.
If farmers want to bypass the farmers’ association, I’m sorry, they will be blacklisted by the entire agricultural industry chain.
In the end, not only can you not buy anything related to agriculture, but even the crops will rot in the fields and no one dares to buy them.
If he directly proposed a proposal to the cabinet to release grain, once it was accepted.
If the cabinet opens up the grain reserves, the price of grain sold by the agricultural cooperatives will inevitably fall.
Although ordinary consumers will be satisfied, it is tantamount to directly offending the farmers' association and may lose the votes of most farmers.
Although the cabinet is not opening up the grain reserves now, it is not known whether it is because of the farmers' association.
However, once this kind of food issue really involves the farmers' association, it will be very difficult to handle.
Therefore, legislators generally do not touch on such issues easily.
"So what does Councillor Shiraishi plan to do?" the assistant asked.
"Let me think about it." Shiraishi Nagimitsu frowned.
The National Diet Building in Tokyo, Japan.
Knock knock knock.
The presiding speaker banged the gavel: "Who else needs to ask questions?"
"I need it." Shiraishi Nagi raised her hand.
"Who does Councillor Shiraishi need to question?"
"I want to question the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Tetsuichi Sakamoto."
"Please invite Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Tetsuichi Sakamoto to come to the stage."
A middle-aged man with gray hair came up.
"Mr. Tetsuichi Sakamoto, I would like to ask you if the people are short of rice now?" asked Nagimitsu Shiraishi.
"Well, probably not. There may be some areas with it, but it's just a temporary local supply shortage," said Tetsuichi Sakamoto.
"I just carefully checked the data provided by your agriculture, forestry and fishery department. In the report you submitted, the price of rice increased by 17 percent this month. Do you have any explanation?"
"This should also be a short-term fluctuation, and the problem is not too big."
"Minister Tetsuichi Sakamoto, as the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, could you please tell me how much rice our entire national reserve has?"
“About 1.5 million tons.”
"I received a piece of information from an informant, but I don't know if it's correct. I would like to confirm it with you in Congress. According to the news, there is a serious shortage of 1.5 million tons of reserve rice. Is that true or not?" Shiraishi Nagimitsu asked, staring at Tetsuichi Sakamoto.
"I don't think this situation will happen, Councillor Shiraishi." Sakamoto Tetsu said with a smile, "Food reserves are of great importance, so this situation will not happen."
"Okay, in that case, as a member of Congress, I request a food census to find out exactly where the 1.5 million tons of rice are stored," Shiraishi Nagimitsu said. "At the same time, I request that the supervisory and review agencies intervene and inform the public of the situation of this food reserve."
"That's fine." Tetsu Sakamoto nodded.
"Please ask the Speaker to record my request and have Congress vote to approve it," said Shiraishi Nagimitsu.
"Allowed, please record this proposal and it will be voted on in the next Congress." The presiding Speaker knocked the gavel.
The meeting is over.
Shiraishi Nagimitsu walked out of the Diet holding documents.
"Congressman Shiraishi has a good idea." Abe Nosuke walked over from the side, wearing red high heels.
"Does Congressman Abe have any advice for me?" Shiraishi Nagimitsu said while holding the documents.
Abe Noja looked at the huge arc of Shiraishi Nagiko that was slightly flattened by his arms and documents, and curled his lips: "You are not the only one who knows about this rice incident. Several of us have received the news. We are just afraid of offending the Agricultural Association and losing votes."
"This time your clues are not pointing to the release of reserve grain, but to the deficit. This is indeed a good idea."
"Soon rice will become increasingly scarce, and the people will remember your proposal to investigate the shortage of reserve grain, and will naturally focus their attention on the reserve grain and your proposal."
"The grain census will not be completed in a short time, and you have passed the problem back to the cabinet. If the cabinet releases grain, it will offend the farmers' association, and if it does not release grain, the public will suspect that it is a deficit."
"You can pick it clean no matter what, and win the attention of ordinary consumers."
"But have you ever thought about this? If the cabinet really releases the reserve grain, you will still indirectly offend the farmers' association, even though there is no direct conflict."
"It is inevitable to lose some votes from farmers in this way, but it is just to minimize the losses. It is hard to say whether it is a profit or a loss."
"Congressman Abe." Shiraishi Nagimitsu smiled and said, "Not all proposals are made for votes."
"I know what you're thinking." Abe Nojaku said, "So, do you think this kind of agricultural association is really necessary?"
"Even when distributing reserve food to the people, we have to balance the forces of many parties. How can this be efficient? If we want to make a radical change, the only way is to highly centralize power."
Shiraishi Nagimitsu didn't comment, just shrugged his shoulders, waved his little hands, and left without saying a word.
Abe Nojaku looked at Shiraishi Nagiko who was walking away with a frown on his face.
"What's wrong? Is there any other meaning behind Shiraishi Nagimitsu's proposal?" asked Asai Kinnosuke.
"No, her things seem to be more elastic and her skin is brighter." Abe Noque looked up and asked, "Did you notice? Is this just my illusion?"
Asai Kinnosuke: Prime Minister's Residence, Tokyo.
"What? Congressman Shiraishi asked for an inventory of food reserves?" The Prime Minister frowned as he looked at today's parliamentary report.
"Yes," said Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Tetsuichi Sakamoto. "We are still waiting for the approval of the Diet. Congressman Shiraishi should have noticed the extreme shortage of rice."
"If Congress approves it, then let's investigate." The Prime Minister rubbed his brows and said, "In short, no matter how short the rice is, we can't open up the grain reserves now. Once we do, it won't be a big deal to offend the Agricultural Association, but it will be a little troublesome to offend them."
"Yes, the new grain will be harvested in mid-September and the pressure will be much less," said Tetsuichi Sakamoto.
"The public pressure is not so bad." The Prime Minister sighed: "Saeiko came again yesterday."
"Are they issuing an ultimatum to force us again?" Sakamoto Tetsuichi was a little angry: "After all, we have the power to decide this matter ourselves, and we can't allow them to come."
Sakamoto Tetsu hadn't finished his words yet.
Someone knocked on the door.
"Come in," said the Prime Minister.
The secretary walked in: "Prime Minister, Miss Saeko is here."
The Prime Minister and Tetsuichi Sakamoto looked at each other.
Sighed.
"Let her in." The Prime Minister said helplessly.
(End of this chapter)
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