“Due to our sea and air capabilities, it is unlikely that we’ll be in a position to have to fight an invading army,” General Zenzo Kudo said. “Our preparations are primarily for disaster relief in the areas hit by Chinese weapons and for keeping civil order. On both counts, I’m confident that we will be extremely effective.”

Sanetomi leaned back in his chair and stared blankly ahead for a few moments. “What if the Chinese decide to use their nuclear arsenal?”

“In that extremely unlikely event, our missile defense will defeat the majority of their attack,” Takahashi said. “And even I agree that if we see a nuclear escalation, the Americans will intervene with whatever force is necessary.”

“I wonder if it wouldn’t be wise to announce to the world that we’ve created an electromagnetic pulse–based missile defense system. If we launch our shield, it could be misconstrued as a nuclear attack and prompt retaliation from the Chinese.”

“It would be a serious breach of international treaties,” Takahashi said. “And it could serve to escalate the situation further. I would recommend that we wait. If the situation escalates to the point where we might be forced to deploy our shield, we’ll announce then.”

Sanetomi nodded reluctantly but didn’t immediately speak further.

Of course they had discussed only Japan’s defensive systems, continuing the policy of keeping Sanetomi in the dark about their offensive capability. Ito’s people had succeeded in shrinking a twenty-kiloton nuclear bomb—almost exactly the same power as the weapon used against Hiroshima and Nagasaki—into a container that could easily be carried by a single man. Thirty-three had been buried across China as well as in strategic points throughout America, Europe, and Asia.

In all likelihood, though, none of the weapons in Japan’s nuclear arsenal—including its missile defense system—would ever be deployed. In the face of Ito’s nanoscale weapon, atomic bombs were all but obsolete.

“What role would we need the Americans to take in all this?” Sanetomi asked.

“Limited,” Takahashi said. “They’re unlikely to take offensive action against the Chinese mainland in a conventional war, and their naval power is unnecessary in light of our torpedoes. Their fighter aircraft could potentially be useful in engaging Chinese sorties, but if our missile shield has been deployed they won’t be able to approach our airspace.”

“So the best-case scenario is a stalemate where a million of our people die. And the worst-case scenario is that this could descend into nuclear war in which millions on both sides die. All for no reason at all.”

Takahashi remained expressionless, but inside he felt as though an electrical current were running through every nerve in his body. It wouldn’t be millions. It would be tens of millions. And it wouldn’t be for no reason. China would be completely decimated—left scraping at the dirt like animals just to find enough food to survive.