Zaibol

The Kobayashi Corporate Group, better known as **Zaibol**, **Zai/Bol** or **Z/B**, is a megacorporation based in Tokyo. Formed after the hostile takeover of the Hanjin-Kim Corporate Group by the Kobayashi, the megacorporation engages in trade with Liberation states worldwide.

The Corporate Group is the parent company to over 200 smaller businesses, including Brigg's Antique Arms, Market Convenience, and the Flux banking service.

## History

The Kobayashi Syndicate were originally a Zaibatsu within Japan prior to the seven hour war. Blurring the line between corporate and criminal, the clan were in a unique position come the arrival of the combine due to their extensive control of the illegal xenian wildlife trade. The Kobayashi rose to prominence on the contienental stage when, during the occupation era, they led the hostile takeover of the Hanjin-Kim Group, a major player on the Korean peninsula. This conflict, characterised by low-level violence between paramilitaries and thugs payed by the rival groups, led to the subsequent fall of the 'Chaebol' within Korea, with many Korean buisnesses now answering to Tokyo.

While Japanese supremacy was a key feature in this new occupation, former enforcers and businesses of the Hanjin-Kim group found themselves forced to co-operate with the Kobayashi. With this merger, many westerners and outsiders began referring to this new corporate entity as the 'Zaibol', an term combining 'Zaibatsu' and 'Chaebol'.

Come L-Day, the megacorporation were in prime position within Asia. Utilising their monopoly on logistics and the economy, the Zaibol were able to either bend local administrations to their will or incite uprising across Southern China, Japan and Korea. Often coming into conflict with the advancing Eurasian Liberation Army's Chinese forces, much of the Chinese interior was split between the two factions.

While many of these newly liberated regions were able to excercise self-determination and govern for themselves, much of the Pacific coast answers to the Kobayashi Clans envoys. While this relationship allows for trade to flourish in the formerly distitute region, it is very clearly an Imperial relationship, with many reliant trading cities little more than protectorates for the Japanese.

## Culture

During the conflict with the Hanjin-Kim Corporate Group, various long-thought elements of Japanese Imperialism were brought to the centre. Paramilitaries owing allegiance to the Kobayashis would often mark themselves with the Rising Sun. Many of the more well equipped groups, such as the Kurogomi, carried Katanas and other traditional weaponry. While laregly down to the lack of firearms and other such equipment in the city, this close-quarters fighting saw many nationalist leaders entering the ranks of the Kobayashi, at the expense of the local Korean population.

After the conflict had been decided, Takashiro Kobayashi was proclaimed 'Shogun' suppoesdly by the Emperor of Japan. Due to this, many suspect that the actions of the Kobayashi Clan in Korea and by extension the expansion of the 'Zaibol' into areas of interest to the Japanese are being directed by the former head of state, awaiting the correct moment to reveal themselves to the world.