For Binta, the trouble was conscription. In Japan, when a man turns twenty, he must undergo a conscription examination. Even if you return to Japan from abroad and are over twenty years old, unless you are considerably older, you cannot escape the conscription examination. And if you pass it, you will be required to serve two years in the military. Binta was well aware of his above-average physical strength. He was confident he would pass the first-class examination. However, wasting precious time of his life on military service was a foolish idea to him. So, Binta came up with a plan. He would use money to avoid military service. Japan had both an army and a navy. Binta decided to approach the Navy, which he had a favorable impression of.
"Would you make me a Navy member, even without a specific assignment, in exchange for my donation of a hundred training planes to the naval aviation?"
The naval attaché who received Binta's proposal let out an exclamation. The Imperial Navy had one of the world's largest fleets, but its essence was that of a poor organization. Binta's offer was like a godsend, a blessing in disguise. However, what Binta was proposing was illegal, and it would undoubtedly be considered a criminal act, no matter how generously they looked at it. But if he was willing to provide a hundred training planes free of charge, it was worth considering.
"I understand that I'm asking for a lot. So, if this proposal is not acceptable, I will return home and undergo the conscription examination as required by law. However, I believe that I can be more useful to the country in terms of the economy than carrying a rifle and crawling on the ground. I am well aware of the great efforts I made during the economic turmoil."
The attaché was also aware of Binta's grand achievements during the worldwide economic crisis. He also knew that Binta had amassed a fortune during that time. And although Binta had come to him to evade conscription, if this proposal fell through, he would undoubtedly take the same offer to the Army. Depending on the situation, he might offer a considerable number of vehicles, such as tanks, trucks, and not just airplanes. Binta already understood this. He knew that a fool could not outsmart an economic warfare winner. Perhaps, Binta was assessing the Navy, whether it was an organization that would act based on rigid thinking or one that could seize practical opportunities.
"I understand your proposal, Satsutaba-san. But this is a matter involving personnel, and I cannot make the decision on my own. I will need some time to consult with higher-ups."
As expected, Binta felt relieved by the response. The feeling was not just good but excellent. Binta had researched the personality of the naval attaché in advance. It was a kind of profiling, similar to what was done in the United States. Through this research, he had discovered that the attaché was an aviation enthusiast. That's why Binta had offered to donate training planes. On the other hand, if the attaché's inclination had been in gunnery or torpedo, he would have prepared something other than training planes. For a gunner, it might have been the cost of refitting poorly performing battleships like the Fusō and Yamashiro, and for a torpedo guy, it could have been a large number of torpedoes. In any case, Binta had piqued the interest of the cash-strapped navy.
'The Imperial Navy will definitely accept my proposal.'
Binta was mostly correct. However, the response from the Imperial Navy would prove to be somewhat different from Binta's expectations.