Prelude to the Second Weltkrieg - Part 6: Japan

Part 7

The meeting proper was a whirlwind for Kazuhiro. While the Nakajima trio had a set agenda, the military and Americans regularly interrupted with their own questions and points of contention. The Americans in particular had a very different way of asking questions – far more direct than Kazuhiro was used to hearing, even filtered through the Japanese translator. Mr. Shizuka though, was obviously far more used to the American way, and he handled their style with amazing tact. Kazuhiro watched in awe as his father-in-law moved the meeting skillfully along, bypassing or setting aside questions until later, assuring everyone the careful notes he was taking along the way would ensure all points would be addressed. He also paused regularly and carefully watched the Americans body language to determine if they wished to speak through the interpreter.

They covered almost every topic Kazuhiro had imagined, and many he hadn't, from the licensing costs per plane to the translation of the schematics and manuals into Japanese. Mr. Murphy spoke at length about the inspections the American military would require to ensure the planes were not being turned into attack vessels – apparently America had instituted strict rules around exporting weapons – while the Japanese naval officers asked question after question about adapting the plane to fit existing Japanese catapults. The meeting, which started promptly at 9:30, reached 11:30 without so much as a pause. The American representatives – Mr. Murphy excluded – began to show a bit of exhaustion at the same time as Kazuhiro felt it – he imagined having to follow the conversation a few seconds after it had happened, through a translator, was fatiguing. For his part though, Kazuhiro could afford to miss a few details, especially when it came to the business side of the situation. He did try to pay strict attention when details of the plane itself were discussed, though most of what he learned didn't seem to affect him as a pilot. He didn't envy his father-in-law one bit, and was glad that his purpose for being in the meeting was relatively minimal.

As the meeting approached noon, Mr. Shizuka performed another dexterous transition into the one part of the conversation that did interest Kazuhiro.

"Finally, let's discuss the assessment of the plane. Having purchased a license from American companies before, I believe this should be a seamless process. We have prepared three military pilots, and two civilian ones to conduct all test flights. We've also identified seven key mechanics and engineers to gain experience with the upkeep of the planes. We will of course cover the travel and living costs of any Vought company staff who travel to Japan for the duration of the evaluation. The review board will be led by myself, alongside Admiral Tokuyawa and Mr. Fujimoto."

"How long will the review take?" One of the Americans – Kazuhiro had forgotten their names – asked through the translator.

"Approximately seven weeks. As you will no doubt recall, we have committed to purchasing the licenses for ten planes for the duration of the evaluation. If the in-flight and on-ground evaluations assess the plane as being fit for service, we will then proceed to the second stage evaluation and prepare for the manufacturing process of those ten planes. Agreed?"

After the translator finished conveying the message, the Americans nodded.

"Good. Now before we move on, Mr. Watanabe – do you have any questions about the plane itself that would help you in the plane's evaluation?"

Kazuhiro couldn't tell if this was just a brief respite to spare his father-in-law from carrying the meeting, but Kazuhiro didn't care. It was precisely the question he'd hoped to get, and he was committed to making a good first impression in this new and foreign situation.

"Thank you Mr. Shizuka. I have just one question. Does the Vought company have any pilot notes from the initial test flights that we could review beforehand? It might help us with avoiding unnecessary problems during our testing."