[War] Japan: "Opening Shot"

[Ian Martell]

"Opening Shot"
Japan
July 7 2014
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The bridge of Japan's largest missile frigate was in complete silence as they waited for the final order to come in. Her captain Shinjiro Terada stood quietly in the center of the silent bridge hands clasped behind his back and eyes closed waiting. Then it came, the sound of Ensign Hiroto speaking a confirmation in English into his headset, then he turned to the XO and reported.

 

"Order to fire, one minute sir."

 

"One minute," replied the XO and turned to the Captain. 

 

Terada opened his eyes and nodded to his XO. "Proceed."

 

The bridge was suddenly alive and eager as the order was passed to weapons control to prepare to fire and the time to launch marked on the bridge clock, everyone knew that they were about to make history.

 

The word came up from weapons control: target acquired awaiting orders. The bridge fell quiet again as the final seconds ticked away. Then as it hit zero, Terada barked. "Fire."

 

The XO passed the word and in the next second the deck of the Natsukaze was bathed in smoke lit in the bright yellow glow of the Japanese missile leaving their pods and streaking off into the night sky towards the distant lights of the shore, beside them other ships in their battle group from half a dozen countries opened fire adding new streaks to the ones made by the Japanese missiles. Then suddenly, there were twin flashes from the shore amidst the tracer rounds and exploding flak shells fired by the Iranian defenders.

 

Everything fell silent again. Then the XO spoke quietly into his mic before turning to the Captain. "Captain, hit confirmed."

 

The bridge crew smiled broadly and clapped each other on the shoulder and Captain Terada smiled. "XO inform the crew, and prepare for our next shot," he said and made his way to the phone at the communications station. Tokyo would want to hear of their success.

 

*          *          *

 

"Sir," Mura said as he entered Sato's office, it was early morning and the Prime Minister hadn't slept, but still he paced nervously in his office.

 

"We have a report from the Natsukaze," Mura continued as the Prime Minister stopped to look at him. "Her first volley was successful."

 

Sato stood there for a moment not sure if he should cheer, smile, or perhaps cry, all would be appropriate depending who you asked. In the end he chose to smile. "Excellent," he said. "I assume Inukai is pleased."

 

"The Defense Minister is very happy, yes sir."

 

Sato nodded. "See that the press release is out for the morning news, and we'll meet with Inukai first thing to discuss how the rest of this went."

 

"Yes sir," Mura said and departed leaving Sato to ponder the fact that at least his name would be in the history books after tonight and that Japan had just taken its first shot in anger in sixty-nine years.

 

*          *          *

 

It was a half-hour later when a spokesperson for the Ministry of Defense addressed a drowsy group of reporters from the defense ministry press pool, who at the sight of the spokesperson perked up at once.

 

"Good morning," Shinji Nakai said bowing slightly to the group.

 

"At 00:00 local time the Natsukaze fired two Japanese Tengu long range surface-to-surface missiles as part of the initial stages of Operation Caspian Sword, both missiles hit their target, an Iranian naval fuel depot near the Straight of Hormuz, resulting in the depot's destruction."

 

The defense department aides who had come in with him began circulating a print outs from the latest satellite pass over the area showing the depot in flames.

 

"The government applauds the efforts of the crew of the Natsukaze and the entire Japanese contribution to the international force and asks the people of Japan join with us in wishing them good fortune in the days to come."

 

Actions:

 

1>        Detail the first Japanese shot in Caspian Sword.

2>        Offer details to the press, and begin the debate on Article 9 (pun intended) with a bang.
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