ASAHI NO NISHISEI - Rising Sun Goes West (2)

Simultaneous Elections for the Popular Vote, Opening

I bought Nihonkoku Shoukan safe and sound!

- Bokutotsu Zen'u

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July 16

Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo

A total of 331 dignitaries, including 221 members of the delegation from around the world and 110 Japanese attendees, including members of the Imperial Family, gathered in a large banquet hall overlooking a Japanese garden in a separate wing of the Hotel New Tanimoto Tokyo, one of Tokyo's representative hotels located in Chiyoda Ward. Originally, the Akasaka State Guest House was to be used, but due to an increase in the number of countries wishing to use it for the observation, the banquet room was changed to a private hotel due to capacity problems.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to this dinner. My name is Megumi Matsushima, and I am the hostess of this evening's dinner. Although I am still a young woman, I have the confidence of the people of Japan, and I am serving as a member of the House of Councillors."

The participants' eyes were drawn to Matsushima as she stood on the stage and began her opening remarks. The beautiful woman's voice, amplified by the microphone, echoed through the banquet hall.

"In Japan, the simultaneous elections for the House of Councillors and the House of Representatives will begin tomorrow with the announcement of the election for the House of Representatives, and I am pleased that many countries around the world have expressed an interest in observing these elections. I would like to make my opening remarks in the hope that our country's political system will be of benefit to your countries."

Matsushima finished and then bowed before stepping down from the podium where the microphone was set up. After that, a band dispatched from the Imperial Household Agency's Music Department began to play background music. The attendees seated at the circular table picked up their forks and knives one after another and began to chat with each other as they pleased.

The Japanese attendees included the Foreign Minister, Kosuke Minegishi, and other senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as ministers and executives from various ministries, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Speaker of the House of Councillors, leading figures in the business world, and the Emperor's nephew, the Prince. The Prince, with his fine eyebrows and intelligent features, was surrounded by numerous guests who came to greet him.

Most of the representatives of the delegations visiting Japan this time were cabinet-level officials such as the Minister of Foreign Affairs, but some of the delegations were headed by heads of state or members of the royalty, so their treatment was determined based on their rank as "working guests," a category of the official visit that is an invitation by the Japanese government but has a strong practical element and is reserved for people of their status.

"Mister Goro... is the woman who just spoke a few minutes ago a member of the national government?"

Foreign Secretary Edinger Westphalus, a representative of the Shorteria-San Empire, blurted out to Goro Hayakawa, the Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs, who was sitting in the chair next to him.

"You mean Matsushima-sensei? Yes, that's right."

"I see... is it not unusual in this country for women to be members of the national legislature?"

In most cases, women's suffrage was only recognized in the 20th century, and even in this world, it is still unthinkable that women who are not members of the royalty in the immediate family would be involved in national politics. Therefore, Edinger found the presence of Matsushima, who claimed to be a member of the national political party, very refreshing. Asked the question again, Hayakawa paused before answering.