Summoning Japan × The New Order: Last Days of Europe

Chapter 3

June 1, 1963, 18:00

Before the street television broadcast in Tokyo, a large crowd had gathered, including salarymen returning from work, students who had finished their lectures, and housewives. The reason for the gathering of the crowd was the announcement that came after the sudden cancellation of the 15:00 parliamentary broadcast, stating that emergency special broadcasts would be aired from 18:00 through wired broadcasting set up in municipalities nationwide at 16:00.

Normally, during this time slot, the Ministry of Home Affairs would broadcast Astro Boy, *1 a science animation produced by a production company funded by a prominent manga artist as part of the propaganda for the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere. Although the children watched with disappointment as the cartoon was canceled due to the special broadcast, the adults kept their eyes fixed on the TV, eagerly waiting for the clock to strike at 18:00.

18:00...

As the second hand moved, chimes simultaneously rang out from radios and televisions nationwide.

"...We bring you breaking news. We bring you breaking news. The Imperial Government and the Imperial Army and Navy have an important announcement. Citizens watching the radio and television are requested to listen to the broadcast as much as possible."

NHK's announcer, with a tense demeanor, solemnly read out the script.

Beside him sat the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Home Affairs and generals and admirals dispatched from the Army and Navy, displaying a resolute attitude. However, their expressions were darker than that of the announcer. The Vice Minister, in particular, seemed almost in a daze, as if gazing into the distance. Realizing the camera was on him, the Vice Minister quickly picked up the script at hand and began reading about the massive communication disruption occurring in Japan.

"The current situation concerns the extensive communication disruption with the overseas territories. The communication network with territories from the Chishima Islands to Okinawa, except for, has been severed."

Even within the Empire, the fact that communication with territories outside Japan had been cut off was already notified in NHK's morning and afternoon news bulletins.

But the real issue came after that.

"...Furthermore, reconnaissance aircraft from the Army and Navy have confirmed the disappearance of neighboring islands and continents such as Karafuto, the Korean Peninsula, Taiwan, and the Chinese mainland. This is not a work of science fiction or nonsense; it is a fact happening at this moment."

The Vice Minister publicly announced the disappearance of neighboring islands and continents, which were directly governed by Japan. Following his statement, a question mark seemed to hang over the heads of the crowd watching the street television. Eventually, as the Vice Minister slowly drank from a glass of water trembling in his hand on the table, murmurs arose from the crowd.

"Karafuto and Korea disappeared...? What on earth is he talking about?"

"This is unthinkable. Unless there's been some massive upheaval like a volcanic eruption..."

"What does this even mean?"

Amidst the murmurs from the studio audience, General Ushijima *2 from the Ministry of the Army and Admiral Kurita *3 from the Naval General Staff, dispatched respectively, held consecutive press conferences.

"The Imperial Army reports no response from units stationed outside the mainland. In addition to this, the Navy has also fallen into a state of communication breakdown with its various bases in the outer regions."

"Reconnaissance flights jointly conducted by the Army and Navy have confirmed the existence of islands near the location Keijō *4 and even a large continent south of Okinawa."

"Furthermore, during aerial reconnaissance conducted by the Fugaku, abnormal expansion of the horizon was observed, indicating a perplexing situation from a physical standpoint of the Earth."

"...As a result of comparing this information, the military believes that there is a strong possibility that Japan has been transported by some paranormal phenomenon to another planet that closely resembles the environment of Earth... it's highly likely, and currently, there is no way to deal with this paranormal phenomenon."

"It is as absurd to us military personnel as it is to express it here. The sudden transportation of the Japanese archipelago without any warning... coupled with the situation of an economic crisis originating from the Yasuda Zaibatsu... we will do our utmost to gather information and handle the situation accordingly."

"After that, please return to your homes by 9 o'clock. We will implement a curfew from 9 o'clock to 5 o'clock in the morning for the time being to avoid unnecessary chaos in the future."

"Anyone found violating the curfew or spreading rumors and false information will be subject to severe punishment by the Kenpeitai under wartime-related laws."

With these words from military officials, the broadcast ended, and the national anthem played, signaling the conclusion of the broadcast.

At that moment, the citizens who had been listening to the television and radio felt a shock akin to being struck with a blunt object.

The government officially announced the phenomenon of transference. It could only be described as the entire Japanese archipelago being transported to another world. For the many salarymen working in urban areas, already grappling with an economic downturn caused by the Yasuda Zaibatsu, the situation became even more bewildering as the territories from the Chishima Islands to the Ryukyu Islands, encompassing the mainland of Japan, were affected by supernatural phenomena.

As soon as the curfew was announced on radio and television, soldiers from Army and Navy bases nationwide began boarding trucks and small military vehicles, initiating traffic control in the streets. Listening to the broadcast, the soldiers, unsure if this was a dream or reality, silently followed military orders to maintain public order.

In front of Tokyo Station, armored trains and tanks from the army stood guard. In Yokosuka and Sasebo, units of the Naval Land Forces sealed off the perimeters of military facilities, preparing for emergencies. As citizens returned home amidst confusion and murmurs, by the time the curfew at 21:00. came into effect, only soldiers armed with live ammunition remained on the streets.

Occasionally, reconnaissance helicopters and aircraft under army jurisdiction continuously patrolled the skies over Tokyo and major metropolitan areas. In Kure, many naval patrol boats and destroyers under navy jurisdiction began their voyages. The neon-lit streets of Tokyo were suddenly darkened, with only streetlights and the lights held by vigilant troops illuminating the surroundings.

As stated in the broadcast, in major metropolitan areas such as Tokyo, Sapporo, Sendai, Osaka, Hiroshima, Fukuoka, and Sasebo, a curfew has not been imposed since the Great Kantō Earthquake and the February 26 Incident.

The city sank into darkness.

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Notes:

*1: Astro Boy in the TNO universe is broadcasted in all regions within the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere, and its influence is greater than in OTL.

*2: In OTL, he commanded the 32nd Army during the Battle of Okinawa. The day he committed suicide marked the end of organized resistance by the Japanese military and is now considered Okinawa Memorial Day.

*3: He was a fleet commander of the Imperial Japanese Navy. In the TNO universe, he is an admiral who survived the Pacific War and is still active on the front lines.

*4: The name of Seoul, Korea, during the Japanese occupation.