Masanori steps onto a hastily constructed stage in the center of Kyoto. He was not at all surprised by the victory of the NLP in the election or the reappointment of General Yamagata as Prime Minister of Japan. Democracy in Japan is dead. "Perhaps," Masanori thought to himself, "I may soon join it." Despite this, Masanori could not stand back and simply do nothing. And so, he prepares to give his speech, maybe his last, to a crowd of several thousand that had gathered. But at least he was doing something.
Greetings my countrymen,
As you all probably already know, the NLP has once again won. I hope this comes as no surprise to any of you. The NLP had already bought itself 60 seats for Yamagata's military goons and another 65 were to be awarded to it once its inevitable victory was confirmed. There was no chance for the LDP to win, there was no chance for the voice of the Japanese people to be truly heard. General Yamagata has corrupted our country, corrupted our democracy and for what? So that the military can continue to conquer lands and claim it is making Japan stronger? So that the military can continue to pass meaningless reforms in an attempt to placate you, the Japanese people, and maintain its grip on power? Freedom has been traded for order, progress for complacency. And our Emperor, who for so long has attempted to stay above politics, can do nothing to stop this. I am certain that should His Majesty attempt to do anything to rectify this situation he will be "persuaded" to do what is "right" for Japan, that is, allow Yamagata to continue to subjugate the people of Japan as he subjugates the people of Asia and beyond. It sickens me to think that this is how bad it has gotten, that even our Emperor could do little to help us, his people, for fear of his own safety. And so it falls upon us, the Japanese people, to do something.
What should this something be? Violence? Surely not. Violence will only vindicate General Yamagata and the military government, make them stronger and more easily able to enforce their will. No, what we need to do is protest Yamagata, protest the death of democracy, and protest the subjugation of the Japanese people by their own government! But we must do so through peace and honor. We must take to the streets and call for the repeal of all these measures that have destroyed our democracy! We must demand that we be freed from the bondage of an unjust regime! We must show to our fellow countrymen and to the world that we have hope, that no matter how dark it becomes, no matter how far our country has slipped out of our hands, we will not give up! It will be hard. The government will try to stop us at every turn. It will try to force us off the streets, force us into fear and submission. But we must continue to come back, continue to stand for what we believe in. Our government does not respect us, it only sees us as a means to stay in power and further its own agenda. Yet we must show that we have more respect than the government, that we believe in a better Japan, a Japan whose future is decided by its people, just as it was all those years ago when my grandfather, Ōshiro Kazuki, was Prime Minister of Japan.
When my grandfather held the position now held by Yamagata, Japan and her people were free. While he conquered lands, just as the military does now, it was through a true mandate of the people. When reforms were passed, it was because they were for the betterment of all. Looking to today, one can see how this has been distorted beyond recognition. Today the military does not represent the people, it only represents its own narrow interests. It is trying to shut out the people because it knows that we are dangerous. Nothing is more dangerous to this government, to Yamagata and his cronies, than a legitimate and strong opposition. Nothing is more dangerous than hope. Nothing is more dangerous than the voice of the people. That is why we must fight, that is why we must do what is right, that is why we must come out in droves. To prove to ourselves and to others that the government can be stopped, that freedom and democracy can be restored, and that the Japanese people can have justice once again.
Thank you all for listening to me.
Long live Japan and His Majesty, the Emperor Meiji!
Masanori stepped off the stage to roaring applause. He knew that he was now a target of Yamagata and the government. His every move would have to be taken with caution. But now he had taken action, perhaps it would amount to something. Or perhaps he had simply doomed himself to certain death. Masanori did not know, but even if he died standing up for what he believed in, it would be better than quietly watching Japan languish under the tyranny of Yamagata. His carriage whisked him away from the scene and toward an uncertain future.
