Espresso Love (A Dystopian Japan Novel) #Wattys2014

Transcript

- Transcript -

Wednesday, March 11th, 2015. 1532 JST.

The following is a classified transcription of a recorded audio interview with an unnamed foreign inspector working with the Japanese government (M.D., Ph.D Psychology, JPAS) who had agreed to privately make a statement and disclose further information regarding the "Makkuro Chiba Incident".

The media has been describing the incident as one of the worst atrocities committed against university students, while others chronicle hopelessness in the new generations of unthinking, primal youth. Without a statement from any official sources, emotions run rampant through the country. Certainly, it would clear the situation up if there were credible reports on the situation. Why have there been no statements until this date?

Yes, it appears the case. This is because so much of it is unknown and based on mere rumours and hypotheses. As to date, much is still being uncovered. Within the parties involved in the investigations, there are many disagreements and the certitude of facts remains in question. But I can relay what information I am cleared to give.

What are the overall impressions of the armed forces behind the attack and what are the defensive capabilities of the facility?

The Cause has always been a rather unknown agent, one that responds and acts sporadically it seems, due to a lack of proper leadership or clear cut objectives. In fact most of its official activity is difficult to confirm, as there are never sure indications. There are those who act the part as hobbyists, those who are creating parodies through mockery, criminals taking up guises, and a various range of participants. But this time is the first case where we have seen a fully organized extremist effort - and a brutally effective one at that. From the full knowledge of the facility's layout and electrical systems to their separate and dedicated operative teams, it isn't plotted by kids, that's for sure. There are fingerprints of professionals all over.

The facility is defended by a team of around fifty personnel - trained officers with standard issue sidearms. Furthermore, several major gates and doors are at least a foot thick reinforced steel securely, locked both physically by bolts and electronically. State of the art CCTV covers every corner of the location, but it is noted all the CCTV recordings have been wiped clean, including the backup servers, possibly manually by an insider.

It appears that the bodies simply ceased to exist. It is of public opinion that the government had simply refused to release the bodies to their loved ones and have taken in survivors for questioning. What is the professional opinion on this phenomenon?

As far as I know, there had been no bodies on site. It is no doubt something strange has happened. Police, military intelligence, forensic experts, scientists, psychologists, foreign specialists and various exceptional teams have tried to decode the mystery but to no avail. Reports range from eyewitnesses describing disappearances into thin air to transforming into faceless men. The most widely accepted speculative opinion, and I stress, speculative, is so far related to the suits the armed assailants wore. As they were similar to the security detail of the facility - which is why the incident has also been described as Black on Black - it is believed that there was confusion in the actual deaths occurring in the first place during the conflict, and they had simply intended to infiltrate the facility as undercover staff. Of course they would need proper identification. As such, the entire facility had been searched and evacuated and each individual is undergoing thorough interrogation procedures. Still, there is no sign of the Cause.

What are the alleged and potential motivations leading up to the incident according to the investigations conducted by your agency?

As far as the investigations have shown, they had been chanting and blogging about their right to take over as a new regiment of law enforcement for the Ministry of Public Security and Intellectual Affairs - that the government is too lax. Of course, they had never formally submitted any kind of proposal or volunteered their members for potential employment, nor had prior mention about their intentions to take up arms. It is in the belief of many that they had other motives, unclear at this point.

How had they managed to acquire such copious amounts of ammunition and weaponry?

As you know, our borders and import laws are severely strict - for the good of our population - so there would be no way, I personally believe, for foreign weapons to be in the hands of ordinary citizens. They were armed with American-made M16 and M4 rifles maybe from the base in Okinawa, but also Russian Kalashnikovs and dozens of German Heckler & Koch handguns. In private confession, I believe there is an organization behind the Cause, which acts as its front. Such an organization must have far reaches and much motivation or ambition that is potentially detrimental to our entire government, system and national security. Initially, the Cause seemed to be commendable young advocates of the government and dedicated to the education of our next generation, but it appears they are either unaware and misled to believe they are aiding the nation, or are actually seeking adverse effects, shown through the past months. We are uncovering hidden wings and branches of initiatives that frighteningly target different aspects of the national system like the economy and mass media communications. It is very disturbing that underground operations could have gone on for so long without detection. I would have to question what our ministers and government staff are doing to be so slow on the uptake. However, we are working hard and there is progress. Because of the nature of the Cause, without any clear ways of communication or organization, it is hard to identify its members. Once again, my belief is that we are unearthing a larger network, and this network has supplied the firepower the Cause activists used for the assault.

Why had they chosen this particular location? What is the purpose or function of the government facility in Chitose?

I'm afraid that isn't something I can answer, as I don't know myself. When it comes to the matters of Public Security and Intellectual Affairs, there is a policy to ensure the safety of the public population, through secrecy. Of course this makes sense, because it is dealing with highly private and confidential data of the citizens themselves. It would be self-defeating, like if a bank were to release the account information of all its patrons. In that sense, the data this government ministry deals with is much more protected and valuable than even bank accounts. The activities within facility itself are under such protection, such that I myself will not be informed.

What is the current situation in its aftermath? What had resulted from this for both the Cause and the government or the nation? What steps are taken in response to repair damages caused or prevent future incidents from taking place?

The facility is still intact, though much of its equipment and computer systems had been hacked and destroyed. The government has lost billions of yen in damages and the facility will take two or three years to return to its full function. What is most perturbing is the fact that highly sensitive material has been missing, along with several important people. Necessary search efforts have been conducted no doubt. As for the side of the Cause, most of its armed forces have been dispatched, unfortunately, most shot and believed to be killed in the gunfight, but of course, there had been no bodies. There are a remaining few taken into custody by the Ministry of Public Security. However, this incident doesn't seem to have deterred the activists. In fact, there seem to be more members than ever. The Self-Defense Force and Public Security teams have been deployed at various locations to maintain order and arrest extremists. Anyone proclaiming to be a part of the Cause and don the remarkably unassuming black and white attire is subject to be taken in for questioning. This generally presents an issue for all employees who are required formal attire. However, it seems we are arriving at a pivotal point in Japanese history, and the population will understand the government is not an enemy, but protectors who will aid its citizens against the threat of extremist actions and disorganized purposeless rebel groups like the Cause. The Prime Minister and his cabinet are working on passing federal bills that will change the way the identification records are being kept and grant wireless access to GPS technology, camera and other features of smartphones and personal devices for a more effective monitoring system. The perpetrators and the entire activist organization will be dealt with, one step at a time, in a severe and merciless way.