Japan in Alagaësia

State of Emergency

State of Emergency

By eleven, most cabinet offices had set up their own task forces to assess the consequences in the eventuality that Japan would not be able to resume communication and trade with the rest of the world, and also to draw up policy recommendations for dealing with such an extraordinary possibility. Minato, meanwhile, was slowly lumbering to the first press conference of the day.

What ensued was a glorified shouting match. Journalists from the major newspapers of the Asahi Shimbun, the Yomiuri Shimbun, the NHK, all seemed to believe the principle of getting their questions answered by way of shouting louder than everyone else. It seemed that with the growing crisis, everyone was eschewing proper conduct.

A sense of panic was starting to grip the nation.

Minato cleared his throat as he tried to answer as vaguely as possible the questions thrown at him. "We have not yet determined the causes behind the loss of electronic communication with the rest of the world," Minato answered a journalist from the Asahi Shimbun.

"There have been accusations that your cabinet is engaging in a massive cover-up, how do you respond to this criticism?!" a journalist asked, followed by other similar censorious questions.

"We are still trying to make sense of all the available information ourselves, and will continue to release more information after doing more verification," was the only thing Minato could say, a bit surprised by the brusque question. Indeed, for the information that his cabinet had gathered so far was so devastating, and the consequences of releasing it so far-reaching, that only after things had been fully ascertained could it be released to the public. Once this information was released, there would be no turning back.

In the end, Minato announced that he would address the nation in a speech this evening, when the situation would have become more clear to the government. Until then, all press conferences would be put on hold. He then refused to answer any more questions and staggered out of the room. He knew the importance of engaging with the press, but right now he was just so tired.

"Why?" he muttered to himself as he strolled through the Kantei.

"Takahashi-shushou!" Minato turned around to find himself facing a cabinet staffer, along with a middle-aged woman he didn't recognize.

Before Minato could respond with a "yes?", the woman went straight to the matter: "I am Sachiko Hirano from Reizeike Shiguretei Bunko. Have you heard about us?"

"... Yes. I seem to recall..." Minato raised an eyebrow. "You examined a recently discovered work of Murasaki Shibiku, correct? A lost chapter from The Tale of Genji, I think." Why are we even having this discussion? With everything that is going on there is hardly enough time to care about some minutiae archeological finding!

He received a nod. "Yes, during fall last year a written copy of the lost chapter was uncovered in a chest that was hidden in an old storeroom." Hirano looked around, seemingly to ensure that no one else was close by, before continuing in a low voice: "What no one knows was that there was a second manuscript, one we believe was actually handwritten by Murasaki herself. And it says... 'On the first day of a new month, and the first year of Reiwa already passed, shall Japan bear the last transference.'"

The words rang through his mind several times as he tried to make sense of them. "Are you saying that... that Murasaki predicted this event?" Minato said quietly, still unable to comprehend the full implications of what had been said.

"The date coincides perfectly with yesterday, at least."

"Is there anything more from that manuscript?" asked Minato.

"No, that's all that was written."

"In that case, we would like to procure it from your foundation."

About half an hour later Minato and several staffers were in a teleconference with JAXA.

"We are still processing our recent satellite images to ensure that the malfunctionings in the satellite system did not ruin the images. But it does seem like what used to be the Korean Peninsula, as well as the parts of Russia and China that our images would cover, is currently nothing but ocean. Moreover, some of our satellites and spacecraft have detected a significant change in the constellations of outer space, and the disappearance of bodies in our solar system... and the appearance of new bodies."

"?!" The discombobulation in the room was literally audible as several people shouted out loud.

Minato tried to navigate through the sea of clamors and asked the scientists at JAXA: "Are you unable to map out a larger area of our surroundings? I remember some other JAXA scientist telling me earlier today that the Quasi-Zenith Satellite System was temporarily out of commission."

"The Quasi-Zenith Satellite System is supposed to operate in combination with the GPS, as it is a satellite-based augmentation system. The loss of the GPS has, for a lack of better word, 'bugged out' the system, and the same applies to many other geostationary satellites operated by us and other Japanese organizations that were in some way integrated with non-Japanese systems that have now disappeared. We are working around the clock to resolve the issues as speedily as possible. Until then, we can only provide fairly limited satellite imaging on areas close to the Japanese archipelago."

Minato only nodded, as he was not sure the scientists on the other side would have been able to hear him above the other voices.

Around noon, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare released its daily report on the state of COVID-19 in Japan. Despite the fact that the number of confirmed cases had just passed the eight-thousand mark, hardly anyone paid attention, which said a lot about the present concerns of the government and the media. One cabinet staffer did note that, because a majority of the world's countries had imposed travel bans on people arriving from Japan since the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of Japanese people that had been overseas and hence gone after the "transference" was far lower than it would have been otherwise. Likewise, the number of tourists presently trapped in Japan was lower than it would have been without the pandemic. And then Minato and several other government officials had spent some time discussing what to do about those "trapped" tourists and other foreigners.

The afternoon passed quickly with the prime minister being briefed on this and that, and with the requests from his cabinet to take action as quickly as possible to forestall the impending disaster piling up, and his call with Naruhito in which he explained the entire situation to the Emperor. And then it was evening and time for Minato's speech to the nation, which would take place in the Diet with several media networks sending live.

And so he stood at the podium, being watched and heard by tens of millions of people, and after the customary greeting, began: "Based on evidence from JAXA, the JSDF, and many other agencies, the government has been forced to conclude that our country was suddenly transferred to a different planet. Even now the authorities are working overtime to find out more details about this unprecedented situation..." he continued speaking, urging calm and solidarity and to prepare for difficult times.

"Because of this extraordinary situation, we have concluded that we cannot safeguard the well-being and security of our citizens, whom we have pledged to serve, within our current mandate. Therefore, the government has decided to declare a state of emergency."