Arasaka Corporation
The Arasaka Corporation, アラサカ社, is a world-wide megacorporation dealing in corporate security, banking, and manufacturing. It is one of the most influential megacorporations in the world. The company is also the largest distributor of Japanese-made merchandise throughout the American, European, and Asian markets. Arasaka-branded weapons and military vehicles are among the most sought after by police and security firms. Over the years, it has developed a dark reputation as a corporation that is to be feared and one which covers its tracks using assassins, an army of lawyers, as well an alleged connection to the Yakuza.
The Arasaka Corporation maintains one of the largest and most powerful armed forces of any corporation in the world. Arasaka guards or troops are renowned worldwide and feared by many. Most firms will look to licensing from Arasaka corporate security guards, couriers, or mercenaries to protect their assets. However Arasaka assets will take priority if they are at risk, the troops themselves are loyal to death to the Japanese conglomerate.
Arasaka has made a habit of buying up other companies worldwide, and bleeding out the competition of other Japanese corporations. They also give a heavy amount support to Japanese communities all over the globe, despite their business practices and overall history being considered unethical.
On August 15th, 1945, the Emperor broadcast the edict of surrender and renounced his divinity. Saburo Arasaka, a former lieutenant in the Imperial Japanese Navy and son of Sasai, was thunderstruck. He was on the verge of seppuku in the compound's cherry tree grove of the hospital when he had a moment of epiphany and a vision. Right at that moment, Saburo saw the wisdom of his father's actions. As family scion, that fortune would soon be his to control, a fortune that, if wielded correctly, would permit a clever man to push Japan back towards a position of power from which it could dominate the world politically and economically. The children of Amaterasu would prevail, if not under the Emperor, then under another deity: commerce. Saburo drew the half inch of dagger that had penetrated his abdominal muscles before the vision had stayed his hand and returned to the household. That same night, he began the studies of politics, economics and history that continued until his fathers death.
Although Japan's economy and industry were in ruins, Saburo studied all matters of business, economics, and politics while attending Todai. This was to ensure we had the skills necessary to accomplish his goals. Sasai had capitalized on wartime industry, but against Saburo's impassioned urging, he had made sure that the bulk of the Arasaka fortune was covertly protected in concealed overseas assets and accounts.
In 1960 Sasai Arasaka died and the 41 year old Saburo stepped into his late fathers shoes as the head of the Arasaka Corporation. At the time Arasaka was still a relatively small company, just reestablishing itself in international commerce. Saburo's father had been slowly retrieving the capital and resources kept secret during the war. Saburo himself then proceed to continue that task. Saburo also began shaping the development of the Arasaka Corporation to his own ideals. He was not content with the power that came from purely financial and commercial strength. If his vision of Japan as the world military and economic superpower was to be realized he would have to exert unseen political control in Japan and across the world. Despite it being a long, arduous task, he believed he was the man to do it.
Saburo knew that the key to power in the modern world was information. What he needed was an organization that could obtain that information freely and easily, without arousing suspicion. With that in mind, in 1970 he created the Arasaka Security division of the Arasaka Corporation. The new division specialized in high quality personal and corporate manpower, electronic, and computer security and protection.[3] Slowly, over twenty-five years, Arasaka Security developed a sterling reputation as the most potent company of its type in the world. By the mid 1990s Arasaka guards were employed by thousands of powerful individuals and corporations around the world and Arasaka intrusion countermeasures and computer security experts were retained by many others. It wasn't long thereafter that the Security division was one of Arasaka's three most powerful holdings, equaled only by the Arasaka Bank and Arasaka Manufacturing.
Saburo's dedication to his study enabled him to foresee the world market collapse of 1994 and the US collapse of 1996. Forearmed against the disaster the aging, but still able, Saburo was able to take the appropriate steps, and through his shrewd manipulation and investments, make the Arasaka Corporation one of the few commercial institutions to profit from the crash. Arasaka was big before the crash, but in the period afterwards it assumed gigantic stature, becoming one of the largest Megacorporations in the world.
The post-collapse world of corporate control and deregulation was the answer to all of Saburo's dreams. He exploited the new world order with a vengeance. In 1997 Arasaka Security moved into paramilitary contracting and began training one of the world's first corporate armies at the corporations guard and agent schooling facility in the forbidding northern wastes of Hokkaido. An age of ruthlessness followed, with Arasaka destroying or absorbing as much of its competition as it could and buying out any non-competitive company that Saburo thought would make a good asset.
Arasaka's control over the government of Japan was becoming problematic in the late 1990s. Saburo was close to having complete control with 60% of the Diet being Arasaka bought politicians. This didn't last as many other large Japanese corporations weren't fond of Arasaka having control of the country. Due to the growing fear a group was formed by large and small Japanese corporations that united under FACS (Far Asain Co-prosperity Sphere) banner. This countered Saburo's control of the government and many politicians were arrested. FACS would continue to undermine Arasaka's plans in the coming decades.
During this time Saburo Arasaka soon came to irrationally consider Donald Lundee a real enemy, a deadly adversary representing the country, people, and even the military force that had stolen his glorious warrior's career from him. As for Lundee, Arasaka became a foe he could deal with in a primitive and decisive manner-with firepower. He came to regard the corporation as a vast, nebulous octopus with Saburo Arasaka at its center, a sparring partner that could be fought on the battlefield. In 2022, Kei Arasaka was responsible for a great deal of the daily operations during the IHAG fracas. He viewed the fight like any other business operation and would never take it personally. However, in the Arasaka tradition, Kei would stop at nothing to make sure his side was victorious, and he would never step down from a direct offense to Arasaka. Kei had full control over his father's corporation, during this time Saburo was in seclusion for security reasons for the duration of the conflict. Kei was in charge of important decisions as well as day to day operations. However he knew the war wasn't going to end well. It was also now that he was working directly with General Ubo Tanaka. He was ready to sacrifice major assets in order to win. The only thing left was his contingency plans that he hoped would save the zaibatsu if the worst occurred and Arasaka lost.
The end of the war saw the death of Kei Arasaka and the destruction of the Arasaka tower in Night City, as it was destroyed with a mini Nuke by a Militech operative team. President Kress blamed the Night City bombing on Arasaka, despite the fault lying with Militech. The president used this to demonize Arasaka for her own interests. Arasaka's charters to operate in the United States were immediately revoked, its members and board declared terrorists, and its assets either seized or driven off-shore. Arasaka's participation in the Fourth Corporate War almost led to Japanese government breakdown. By repudiating Arasaka, national face was saved. Arasaka was reduced to a Japan-only Corporation for the next decade.
Arasaka may have been under the nominal control of Saburo Arasaka, but for many years there stood factions vying for dominance. As of 2045, there were three major factions struggling to come out on top. Each one hoping their family patriarch, Saburo, would eventually hand the reigns over to them. The Arasaka Factions of 2045 were as follows:
After decades of internal struggle, the conflict was eventually resolved and the corporation slowly restored to its former power. Arasaka's world influnece was still present as it remained at the top after the rebuild area. During the Unification War between the NUSA and the Free States, Arasaka supported Night City, regaining it's favor and eventually returning to the city in 2070 at the request of then-city councilman Lucius Rhyne. Arasaka arrived in Coronado Bay with their supercarrior as the NUSA troops were ready for the invasion of the city, the US troops were ordered to retreat in fear of the already unstable US collapsing due to another conflict. The Arasaka Corporation was once again welcomed into the Americas as they rebuilt their American headquarters in Night City.
The more well known and most obvious is the corporate security force - the ubiquitous armed black guards. A corporate security force means having quartered forces in place, capable of repelling assaults, extractions, and attempted industrial sabotage, with rapid response and combat capabilities. Not every corporation or organization has the power, money, or motivation necessary to form their own security division. The alternative to this is to hire these forces from a third party. Arasaka is not the only company that offers this service, but it is the largest and most reputable. Arasaka's security personnel are known to be the best trained and best equipped then any other service. They are not cheap, but the investment is generally considered profitable. Arasaka can provide groups of one to one thousand agents per contract. The service is twenty-four hours a day, and the guards can be accommodated, at the discretion of the contractors, privately, on site or in the local offices of Arasaka. All Arasaka guards are fully trained in security procedures, equipment handling, and urban combat, armed and unarmed, at close range. Depending on how much the contractor wants to pay for each guard, there are various levels of weaponry and specialization available, from unarmed counter guards to fully armed and armored rapid response combat gear.
There are a number of options available on any manpower contracting at varying expense. The client can order all-male or all-female guards, or a specific ratio of sexes, or as Arasaka contracts its services around the world, clients can order guards fluent in Japanese, German, Spanish, English, Italian, Chinese (Mandarin and Cantonese), Korean and French. All guards are required to be conversant, although not fluent, in English. Bilingual guards are also always available. Guards specializing in heavy weapons, unarmed combat, and specialized terrain are available for contracts that call for varied situations. Different levels of security force concealment can also be ordered, from completely discreet and invisible to ostentatiously threatening. If the security forces are visible, clients can choose to have them be unidentified or clearly identified as Arasaka Troops. Only in rare circumstances, such as when a little misdirection is called for, will Arasaka troops actually wear the uniform or logo of the contracting corporation, or a third party. Arasaka also contracts out its paramilitary forces for one shot operations, such as extractions. This type of contract can be extremely costly, due to the loss of expensive men and equipment "But if there's a tough operation that a corporation needs done, Arasaka can handle it for the right price." When Arasaka troops are contracted for this type of military action they always operate unmarked or in the markings of a third corporation or military that the client wishes to have blamed. Naturally, the board of directors in Tokyo have enacted policies ensuring that an Arasaka team never attacks an installation or corporation owned by Arasaka or protected by an Arasaka contract.
Another type of protection that Arasaka provides is personal security in the form of bodyguards, escort teams and household security. The service is expensive, but popular among celebrities, wealthy businessmen, and the politicians of several nations who no longer trust their respective Secret Service agencies. As with corporate guards, there are several options, including gender, number of guards, dress style, age, visibility, race, nationality, level of armament, training and services performed. It is considered very chic in some circles to have one good looking, full-time Arasaka bodyguard of the opposite gender on one's payroll. These single bodyguards usually work solo or manage other non-Arasaka personnel retained by their client.
In addition to supplying trained men and women to corporations, groups and individuals, Arasaka also leases and sells the security equipment that it manufactures. Typical items include cameras, perimeter detection and surveillance equipment, computerized security offices and networks, fire extinguishing systems, and computerized personnel access systems. Also available are more exotic items such as weapons and bomb detecting equipment, booby traps and other "lethal deterrence systems". Computer security is another product available from Arasaka. Proprietary Arasaka ICE systems, white and black, are also available for installation into client's computer systems. Arasaka will train non-Arasaka personnel in the operations of all of the security systems that it sells, but it's more typical for clients to buy a package that includes both the equipment and Arasaka-trained people to run it.
The last type of personnel that Arasaka contracts out are security consultants. If someone wants good security run by inhouse people, but lacks the expertise, an option to hire a team of Arasaka Security Consultants to inspect facilities, and do an analysis of the capabilities of potential enemies. The consultants will use that information to make a recommendation on the type and strength of the security forces someone should maintain, and the kinds of equipment and countermeasures needed to install. Consultants will operate on any scale, from personal bodyguarding to worldwide corporate protection.
Arasaka police, much like any corporate police, are required to work within the limits of civil and federal laws with regards to police procedures and ethics. Of course, as is always the case with corporate operations, they are more likely to circumvent these standards for convenience than public police departments. Countless towns, counties, arcologies, and cities around the world rely on private police forces. Among those serviced by Arasaka are San Diego, Cincinnati, Philadelphia, Honolulu, Bucharest (Romania), Belfast (Ireland), and Singapore; as well as several major Japanese cities including Fukuoka, Hiroshima, Nagoya, Yokohama, and Sapporo. Tokyo, interestingly enough, is still using a public police department despite Arasaka pressure.
It is worth noting that most corporations, including Arasaka, do not always demand payment for establishing and maintaining a police department. The corporation may take non-monetary compensation, including a hand in local policy making, land and real estate, or shipping and free port rights, or it may reap other advantages such as complete police and security control of an area near sensitive corporate facilities or an advantage over competitors who have offices in the same area. Examples of this can be seen in the Arasaka factories in Yokohama, which are protected by Arasaka Security and a municipal police force run by Arasaka.
The Arasaka Corporation has three massive factory complexes in the Greater Tokyo Area which produce weapons and equipment. As previously stated for the most part, Arasaka produces all of the infantry weapons used by its troops and by its clients. In 2022 they began producing heavy weapons and exotics. Most of Arasaka's weapons production runs to small arms, tasers, EMP guns, automated guns, smart guns, melee katanas/tantos, and anti-personnel mines. They also manufacture a line of body armor and an assortment of very popular vehicles. Although their weapon sales are nowhere near that of Militech, Arasaka's sales are brisk and their weapons are some of the most sought after from governments and corporations alike.
Arasaka Manufacturing advertises in a fashion similar to the security arm: in periodicals and information nets tailored to specific target clienteles. Weapons systems are promoted in police periodicals and military journals and security equipment is advertised in electronics magazines, corporate journals, and publications serving wealthy individuals. As with the security services, multi-media presentations and chips are available detailing the advantages of all Arasaka manufactured systems. No sensitive or proprietary information is included with the presentations or chips.
Arasaka doesn't usually interfere with the individual marketing tactics of its smaller subsidiary companies, but it does monitor promotions and advertising campaigns to make sure that they fall within the broad guidelines established by the corporation.
Arasaka General Manufacturing produces a host of consumer goods from spaceplanes, four different automobiles, pharmaceuticals, various lines of clothing, computer video games, prepackaged meals, and office equipment. Banking The last core section and pillar of the Arasaka Corporation is the Arasaka Bank. The Bank is not widely visible to the public because it tends to deal exclusively with corporate and business accounts. The Arasaka Bank was established by Saburo, with help from his government contacts, in order to exploit the Japanese economic growth boom that he was predicting for the 1960s, 70s and 80s. The bank used a portion of the sizable Arasaka fortune in order to establish a capital base. Then, starting small and working up, it began taking corporate accounts, and, under the genius of Saburo's guidance, making high quality loans and investments with corporations destined for growth and expansion.
Under Saburo's expert touch, the Bank has turned a steady profit since its inception. Saburo's choice of loans and investments allowed the bank to remain on an even footing, even during the early nineties when several Japanese financial institutions were on shaky ground. There was a tight period during and after the '94 crash when several supposedly choice loans and investments went bad, but a little foresight enabled the Arasaka Bank to survive with minimal financial damage while many other institutions went bankrupt. Adroit management in the post-crash market kept the Bank turning a profit through those tough years.
The Arasaka Bank continues to do good business. Saburo was one of the first people to invest heavily in the cybernetic and Net related industries, and the returns from those transactions have padded the Arasaka accounts quite well. The Bank continues to deal primarily with corporate accounts, loans and investments, but it does handle some personal accounts, including those of the Arasaka family and several wealthy businessmen, celebrities and politicians from around the world. So far, business shows no sign of slacking.
All white collar Arasaka employees receive an Arasaka company account Trauma Team card as part of their benefits. When off the job and away from company infirmaries they are required to keep this card on them at all times. Arasaka also manufactures its own portable computers and weapons, and it is considered poor taste to use non-Arasaka equipment when company-made products are available.
The remaining 31% of Arasaka's shares are traded openly in the market. Arasaka's shares are consistently strong and are considered a reliable investment. The value has fluctuated between 100 and 140 euros in the world stock market. Since 31% is an important part of capital, the corporation carefully monitors large acquisitions. If someone who does not like Arasaka seems to be trying to amass a portfolio of shares large enough to reach a position of power on the board, a black operations team is sent to "retire" the suspect. Sometimes a wealthy person or other corporation manages to amass enough actions to exercise considerable power in the voting of Arasaka shareholders and sometimes these people vote against the board. This is tolerated for reasons of image. However, when these shareholders become too noisy in the voting, and protest the exclusivity of the board and its goals, they are "convinced" by a black operations team to deviate from Arasaka's interests. As an alternative they can be destroyed or purchased. What comes out cheaper at that time.
The air transport capacity provided by the C-25s is complemented by the three Arasaka container ships. Naviera Comercial Sato, a subsidiary of Yokohama, owns other large ships, such as container ships, cisterns and submarine freighters. This gives Arasaka a considerable capacity for maritime displacement.
The military forces and the Arasaka guards possess a certain number of vehicles produced by the house. More than 2,000 Riot 8 and Combat 10 are in use worldwide, and countless thousands of Kumas and modified Lexus cars. Another 2,500 of each of the combat vehicles are distributed throughout the warehouses of Japan, Europe and America. These units await to be sent to customers but can be activated for combat in a short period of time.
In addition to all this usual material, Arasaka has a reserve of other equipment too diverse and numerous to catalog. Various heavy military weapons, light weapons and equipment, specialized airplanes and land vehicles, supercomputers, linear frames and others are included.
The banking division of Arasaka was another brainchild of Saburo Arasaka's, it was founded shortly after his takeover in the 1960's and he used his various government contacts to get if off the ground. He used a considerable sum of the family wealth as a capital base and started making loans and investments with other corporations. Saburo personally invested heavily in the Cybernetics and Net related industries, making a considerable return on investment and padding the bank accounts of Arasaka quite well.
A few of the hundreds of subsidiaries of the Arasaka Corporation include: Arasaka Security, Arasaka Bank, Arasaka Manufactures, Arasaka International, Arasaka America, Arasaka European Group, Arasaka Police Services, Arasaka Chemistry, Sato Commercial Ship, Kanshiro MicroElectric, Barrett Engineering-Arasaka, Nagoya Transportation, Japan Airlines (JAL), Korusu Commercial Aircraft, Kyoran-MediaStorm Entertainment, Lubcheck Structural Materials, Pan-Ground Communications, Glaser Model Agency, Pharmaceutical Ito, All-American Pictures, Krieger Beer, Scandia Aerospace, Matsura Food Products, Children's Kingdom Toy Stores, Tokyo/Miami/Los Angeles Adventure Land Amusement Parks, and Tender-Love Baby Care Products.
Typically, great pains will be taken to see that a black operation is not connected with Arasaka unless, as sometimes happens, the corporation wants to make an example of the target. There are, however, times when Arasaka goes out of its way to advertise its involvement in an operation. This is usually when it is retaliating against some person, group or other corporation that has publicly infringed against it. Arasaka also has a policy of visibly assassinating individuals and assaulting corporations that breach security at installations protected by Arasaka contracts. In these situations Arasaka is powerful and ruthless, maintaining its reputation as a persistent and deadly adversary.
Arasaka's black ops and political and financial influence had come of age in the world of 2020, giving the corporation far reaching influence across the world. Hundreds of influential politicians and agents at all levels of government and in every important country in the world are in Arasaka's pocket. Thousands of influential and wealthy private citizens, police departments and corporate executives are also under Arasaka's control, some willingly, some under duress. Saburo and the Board of Directors in Tokyo have been using these puppets to further the Arasaka master plan of Japanese economic and military dominance. In Japan, the constitutional clause prohibiting large scale armament was trashed in 1996 by Arasaka owned politicians. Saburo has been working on the reconstruction of national armed forces ever since. Other ultra conservative corporate leaders, many under Arasaka influence, are also taking up that cry. Arasaka already has more financial power in the industrialized world than any other single corporation. If it weren't for other corporate alliances arrayed against it, it might have been the single most powerful factor on Earth.
Within the corporation only Saburo, his sons, the hand picked board of directors and a few select analysts, executives, and operatives know the true extent of Arasaka's goals and influence. Among employees information is distributed on a strictly need-to-know basis. The highest priority for Arasaka employees is loyalty. This is especially true in the Security arm where most of the sensitive operations are handled. Arasaka Security agents will lay their lives on the line for the corporation first and the client second. Troops are required to demonstrate unquestioning obedience when they are dispatched on missions, although they must use initiative and intelligence on assignment or in action. Agents and executives who show signs of wavering loyalty, or fail badly in their assignments are dismissed. Those who betray the company, or cause it damage are eliminated.
Among the corporations Arasaka has dealt with in the past are InfoComp, which had studied Arasaka's history and holdings multiple times for its database, Network News 54, which has lost several reporters investigating scandals related to Arasaka, and finally Militech (The most infamous of rivalries, which competes with Arasaka in the world of security equipment and weapons). InfoComp is tiny compared to Arasaka, and receives little attention. Arasaka avoids direct confrontations with NN54 or other news services to minimize negative publicity. Militech and Arasaka, however, have been in conflict on several occasions, and continue to face each other on a regular basis. Law enforcement agencies are contained not only by eliminating their agents, but by the skill with which Arasaka conceals its conflicts of interest and illegal operations. In addition to keeping your dirty business and transactions extremely undercover.
A perpetual thorn in Saburo's side is Tycho's mass accelerator on the Moon. Few people have forgotten the rock that fell in Colorado Springs during the 2008 orbital wars. Saburo knows that if Arasaka is to guide Japan to her destiny to conquer Earth and space she will have to subdue or destroy the throttle sooner or later. He doubts that the Tycho colony would shoot a rock straight at Arasaka headquarters in Tokyo if its leaders thought that the corporation, or the country under their guidance, constituted a danger to space.
Despite enormous difficulties and his many adversaries, the elderly Saburo continued to work to realize what he sees as his company's final destiny: to promote the rise of a new Japanese Imperial Dynasty under the 'Shogunate' Arasaka. Arasaka's towers, like those of many corporations, are impressive structures projecting a large part of the corporation's public face. The larger part of the corporation, the more their offices and towers become a beacon of wealth and image. In keeping with Arasaka's monumental size and reputation, their towers are not only widespread, appearing in major cities across the globe, but standardized so they are instantly recognizable. The special facilities, such as training camps and factories, don't follow the strict image guidelines applied to the towers as they are less visible to the public.
The security in the R&D complex even higher then the headquarters. The surrounding land is mined and monitored and patrolled by crack teams of soldiers accompanied by attack dogs. Military air defenses monitor the skies for unauthorized traffic. Veteran quick response teams led by experienced solos are on call 24 hours a day. A total of 150 soldiers are billeted on site and available at all times. In the event of an emergency, more troops can be parachuted in from the Hokkaido training facility within 45 minutes. More than one curious youngster from the nearby fishing village has disappeared without a trace after going on an exploration of the hills surrounding the R&D facility.
The Hokkaido camp's personnel facilities include an administration building, an officer's and trainers billet, and barracks for trainees. Aircraft land and take off from a full sized runway capable of handling heavy transports. Other buildings include two gymnasiums, a mess hall, four classroom buildings, and mock towns and tower sections for simulation training. Athletic fields, firing ranges, a hospital, hangars and storage buildings round out the camp.
The Hokkaido camp is not fenced, and there is little security other than a standing watch over the buildings, vehicles and automated air defenses. Any unauthorized intruders who disobey warnings to desist are shot or captured and interrogated. Counter infiltration is handled at the candidate recruitment stage back on Honshu. Any military attack will face the single largest concentration of Arasaka troops and hardware anywhere on earth. The only sensitive information on site are some equipment performance parameters and the identities of undercover Arasaka agents and solos. The inhospitable terrain surrounding the camp is a barrier to ground attack and the mountainous area limits air approaches to two directions.
The facility is located in the middle of nowhere, and as such has minimal security around the facility, any intruders are either shot or interrogated and if any larger forces foolishly decided to attack, they will find themselves up against the largest contingent of Arasaka soldiers anywhere on earth and all backed up by the latest equipment. Dozens of light to heavy vehicles are situated at the camp for any number of training exercises as well as several Ospreys, AVs and even two C-25 Cargo planes.
The facility has, in the past, been attacked by it's competitor Militech, and as such started featuring heavy security. The land was purchased by Arasaka and is policed by both the Corporate Security and Arasaka Police forces and has up to one thousand troops at any one time, not to mention the 500 or so Maritime recruits and the odd Solo. Since little sensitive data is stored at the factories there are fewer elite solos on site than at the R&D complex. Solos can be delivered within minutes, however, as it is only a short hop by air to the Tokyo tower.
In case of any emergency, an Osprey is ready and waiting at all times to extract the family at a moments notice as well an escape tunnel and panic room able to supply up to ten people for a week. That of course is all unnecessary, as a detachment of Solo's are only a moment notice away at the Tokyo HQ.
The Arasaka Waterfront is a large area found in the Watson District of Night City. The Arasaka facility called Konpeki Plaza is located here. Konpeki Plaza is a facility where Arasaka employees can stay if they are visiting Night City or have no place to live in the city.
Guards and soldiers are quartered and trained at specialized facilities around the world and throughout Arasaka served countries. Sizable contingents are always billeted and maintained at major towers for purposes of on-site security, quick response and firefighting. An Arasaka tower should have between one and two hundred guards and fifty and one hundred soldiers billeted on site at any given time, although not all of those will be on duty or available. Larger contingents of guards and troops intended for client rotation are maintained in barracks located outside of major cities. Most of the soldiers and guards available will be typical contract types, but some will be elite solos.
The Arasaka Corporation maintains one of the largest and most powerful armed forces of any corporation in the world. Arasaka guards or troops are renowned worldwide and feared by many. Most firms will look to licensing from Arasaka corporate security guards, couriers, or mercenaries to protect their assets. However Arasaka assets will take priority if they are at risk, the troops themselves are loyal to death to the Japanese conglomerate.
Arasaka has made a habit of buying up other companies worldwide, and bleeding out the competition of other Japanese corporations. They also give a heavy amount support to Japanese communities all over the globe, despite their business practices and overall history being considered unethical.
History
1900s - 1997
The Arasaka Corporation was founded in early 1915 by Sasai Arasaka in Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Japan. The company originally was focused on manufacturing and took full advantage of World War II to forward their wealth and power by supplying the Imperial Army. However Sasai foresaw the defeat of Japan and worked to ensure his company and fortune would survive the war by spreading his wealth across the globe, out of the reach of the post-war leadership. Soon enough the Japanese surrendered and the country was in ruin with most cities destroyed by the constant bombings (with the exception of Kyoto).On August 15th, 1945, the Emperor broadcast the edict of surrender and renounced his divinity. Saburo Arasaka, a former lieutenant in the Imperial Japanese Navy and son of Sasai, was thunderstruck. He was on the verge of seppuku in the compound's cherry tree grove of the hospital when he had a moment of epiphany and a vision. Right at that moment, Saburo saw the wisdom of his father's actions. As family scion, that fortune would soon be his to control, a fortune that, if wielded correctly, would permit a clever man to push Japan back towards a position of power from which it could dominate the world politically and economically. The children of Amaterasu would prevail, if not under the Emperor, then under another deity: commerce. Saburo drew the half inch of dagger that had penetrated his abdominal muscles before the vision had stayed his hand and returned to the household. That same night, he began the studies of politics, economics and history that continued until his fathers death.
Although Japan's economy and industry were in ruins, Saburo studied all matters of business, economics, and politics while attending Todai. This was to ensure we had the skills necessary to accomplish his goals. Sasai had capitalized on wartime industry, but against Saburo's impassioned urging, he had made sure that the bulk of the Arasaka fortune was covertly protected in concealed overseas assets and accounts.
In 1960 Sasai Arasaka died and the 41 year old Saburo stepped into his late fathers shoes as the head of the Arasaka Corporation. At the time Arasaka was still a relatively small company, just reestablishing itself in international commerce. Saburo's father had been slowly retrieving the capital and resources kept secret during the war. Saburo himself then proceed to continue that task. Saburo also began shaping the development of the Arasaka Corporation to his own ideals. He was not content with the power that came from purely financial and commercial strength. If his vision of Japan as the world military and economic superpower was to be realized he would have to exert unseen political control in Japan and across the world. Despite it being a long, arduous task, he believed he was the man to do it.
Saburo knew that the key to power in the modern world was information. What he needed was an organization that could obtain that information freely and easily, without arousing suspicion. With that in mind, in 1970 he created the Arasaka Security division of the Arasaka Corporation. The new division specialized in high quality personal and corporate manpower, electronic, and computer security and protection.[3] Slowly, over twenty-five years, Arasaka Security developed a sterling reputation as the most potent company of its type in the world. By the mid 1990s Arasaka guards were employed by thousands of powerful individuals and corporations around the world and Arasaka intrusion countermeasures and computer security experts were retained by many others. It wasn't long thereafter that the Security division was one of Arasaka's three most powerful holdings, equaled only by the Arasaka Bank and Arasaka Manufacturing.
Saburo's dedication to his study enabled him to foresee the world market collapse of 1994 and the US collapse of 1996. Forearmed against the disaster the aging, but still able, Saburo was able to take the appropriate steps, and through his shrewd manipulation and investments, make the Arasaka Corporation one of the few commercial institutions to profit from the crash. Arasaka was big before the crash, but in the period afterwards it assumed gigantic stature, becoming one of the largest Megacorporations in the world.
The post-collapse world of corporate control and deregulation was the answer to all of Saburo's dreams. He exploited the new world order with a vengeance. In 1997 Arasaka Security moved into paramilitary contracting and began training one of the world's first corporate armies at the corporations guard and agent schooling facility in the forbidding northern wastes of Hokkaido. An age of ruthlessness followed, with Arasaka destroying or absorbing as much of its competition as it could and buying out any non-competitive company that Saburo thought would make a good asset.
Arasaka's control over the government of Japan was becoming problematic in the late 1990s. Saburo was close to having complete control with 60% of the Diet being Arasaka bought politicians. This didn't last as many other large Japanese corporations weren't fond of Arasaka having control of the country. Due to the growing fear a group was formed by large and small Japanese corporations that united under FACS (Far Asain Co-prosperity Sphere) banner. This countered Saburo's control of the government and many politicians were arrested. FACS would continue to undermine Arasaka's plans in the coming decades.
1997 - 2020
The years from 1997 to 2020, however, had seen the Arasaka Corporation continue to diversify and strengthen. Its major functional arms were still the Arasaka Bank, Manufacturing and Security groups. Although the corporation was astoundingly wealthy and powerful, and Saburo one of the wealthiest men in the world, he had not forgotten his original goal. During this time Saburo stepped down as CEO and in his place was his son Kei Arasaka who became the nominal head of the Arasaka Corporation. However all major decisions and policies would still subject to Saburos discretion. Saburo groomed his son for eventual complete control, and the realization of his private goals.Fourth Corporate War (2022-2023)
In 2021 and oceanic corporation known as Internationale Handelsmarine Aktiengesellschaft, IHAG, announced bankruptcy. Both CINO and OTEC were looking to acquire the stock in the corporation, but each company was too closely matched in buying power for either to get an edge. So they decided to whittle down their opponent's resources and sabotage their attempts at stock acquisition.[5] They couldn't continue effectively so the Aquacorp of CINO hired on Arasaka, while OTEC hired Militech. Being the two largest paramilitary Corporations in the world, both Arasaka and Militech had been rivaling for many years on different contractors. Arasaka saw this as an opportunity to then whittle Militech's resources.During this time Saburo Arasaka soon came to irrationally consider Donald Lundee a real enemy, a deadly adversary representing the country, people, and even the military force that had stolen his glorious warrior's career from him. As for Lundee, Arasaka became a foe he could deal with in a primitive and decisive manner-with firepower. He came to regard the corporation as a vast, nebulous octopus with Saburo Arasaka at its center, a sparring partner that could be fought on the battlefield. In 2022, Kei Arasaka was responsible for a great deal of the daily operations during the IHAG fracas. He viewed the fight like any other business operation and would never take it personally. However, in the Arasaka tradition, Kei would stop at nothing to make sure his side was victorious, and he would never step down from a direct offense to Arasaka. Kei had full control over his father's corporation, during this time Saburo was in seclusion for security reasons for the duration of the conflict. Kei was in charge of important decisions as well as day to day operations. However he knew the war wasn't going to end well. It was also now that he was working directly with General Ubo Tanaka. He was ready to sacrifice major assets in order to win. The only thing left was his contingency plans that he hoped would save the zaibatsu if the worst occurred and Arasaka lost.
The end of the war saw the death of Kei Arasaka and the destruction of the Arasaka tower in Night City, as it was destroyed with a mini Nuke by a Militech operative team. President Kress blamed the Night City bombing on Arasaka, despite the fault lying with Militech. The president used this to demonize Arasaka for her own interests. Arasaka's charters to operate in the United States were immediately revoked, its members and board declared terrorists, and its assets either seized or driven off-shore. Arasaka's participation in the Fourth Corporate War almost led to Japanese government breakdown. By repudiating Arasaka, national face was saved. Arasaka was reduced to a Japan-only Corporation for the next decade.
2040 - 2076
Even after the defeat in the Fourth Corporate War, Arasaka maintained one of the largest armed forces of any other corporation. The corporation had most of it's operations limited to Japan and heavily reduced. Despite the the situation Arasaka still managed to hold onto a majority of their assets.[4] By 2040, the Arasaka Corporation rebuilt itself and was slowly gaining back much of it's prior strength. The corporation was also attempting to amend it's relations with America and being welcomed back to continue it's operations. Arasaka still had small operations in select parts of America, however nothing official. Arasaka still covertly licensed their troops to other firms worldwide, however they would have to use the uniforms of their new "employers." The Arasaka Corporation's goal had not changed, the plan to return to political and economic height it held in the 2020s.Arasaka may have been under the nominal control of Saburo Arasaka, but for many years there stood factions vying for dominance. As of 2045, there were three major factions struggling to come out on top. Each one hoping their family patriarch, Saburo, would eventually hand the reigns over to them. The Arasaka Factions of 2045 were as follows:
- The Kiji 雉 (Green Pheasant) Faction: As led by Hanako, this faction was essentially a continuation of the mainline. But as Hanako was something of a recluse, she was more interested in her Netrunning experiments than in gathering power, the Kiji faction was mostly trying to maintain the Corporation according to Saburo Arasaka's sweeping vision.
- The Taka 鷹 (Hawk) Faction: As led by Yorinobu, Saburo's second son. Yorinobu was still a renegade who opposed the other factions to his own ends. Thought to have been Soulkilled by his elder brother Kei, it turned out that the person who ended up under the probes was a body double; Yorinobu made sure that during the War he was impossible to find. As long as his father was in control, Yorinobu will still be out there trying to bring about its downfall.
- Hato 鳩 (Dove) Faction: Centered on Michiko Arasaka, Kei's only daughter and Saburo's granddaughter. This faction had allied itself behind the American-born Arasaka, although in truth the youngest member of the Arasaka family wanted nothing to do with her family's Megacorp. But as a figurehead, the Hato Faction considered her a valuable asset that would provide them legitimacy should they take command after Saburo's death.
After decades of internal struggle, the conflict was eventually resolved and the corporation slowly restored to its former power. Arasaka's world influnece was still present as it remained at the top after the rebuild area. During the Unification War between the NUSA and the Free States, Arasaka supported Night City, regaining it's favor and eventually returning to the city in 2070 at the request of then-city councilman Lucius Rhyne. Arasaka arrived in Coronado Bay with their supercarrior as the NUSA troops were ready for the invasion of the city, the US troops were ordered to retreat in fear of the already unstable US collapsing due to another conflict. The Arasaka Corporation was once again welcomed into the Americas as they rebuilt their American headquarters in Night City.
2077
In 2077, Arasaka is stronger than ever and has fully reclaimed its position in Night City after intervening in the Unification War. The company introduced a revolutionary new line of premium biochip called the Relic, which was advertised as a means for buyers to preserve a copy of their personalities for future generations to interact with. Saburo continued serving as Arasaka's CEO up until his death, when he was murdered by Yorinobu. The Arasaka patriarch's death was covered up and attributed to natural causes, and Yorinobu consolidated the company's support and became the new CEO. Some within the company viewed Yorinobu's sudden ascension with suspicion, and considered backing Hanako.Controversies
Like most megacorporations, Arasaka is frequently accused of unethical practice such as blackmail, bribery, extortion, and hiring mercenaries for covert, illegal operations. These mercenary operations could include suppressing legal demonstrations, assassinations, and abductions of high-level corporate experts and officials. The Arasaka Corporation was officially found guilty by the verdict of General Lundee's commission of the detonation of a thermonuclear device in the Night City Corporate Plaza in 2023. The result of the investigation have been openly and repeatably questioned.Main Intent & Services
Security Division
The Arasaka Corporation is highly diversified corporation, however only one of its branches is much more ubiquitously visible than the others, especially in Europe and the United States: the Arasaka Security division. Arasaka is famous for their black clad guards that are employed many of the powerful people and corporations in the world. Even if the guards are not present, the Arasaka logo appears prominently on many weapons, computers, and other security equipment routinely used by the security teams of many organizations and companies. Arasaka is the world's most obvious force for private and corporate security contracting. It is common knowledge that the Arasaka Security is the best way to protect a person's assets or themselves, Arasaka contracts and rents its security services in various ways.The more well known and most obvious is the corporate security force - the ubiquitous armed black guards. A corporate security force means having quartered forces in place, capable of repelling assaults, extractions, and attempted industrial sabotage, with rapid response and combat capabilities. Not every corporation or organization has the power, money, or motivation necessary to form their own security division. The alternative to this is to hire these forces from a third party. Arasaka is not the only company that offers this service, but it is the largest and most reputable. Arasaka's security personnel are known to be the best trained and best equipped then any other service. They are not cheap, but the investment is generally considered profitable. Arasaka can provide groups of one to one thousand agents per contract. The service is twenty-four hours a day, and the guards can be accommodated, at the discretion of the contractors, privately, on site or in the local offices of Arasaka. All Arasaka guards are fully trained in security procedures, equipment handling, and urban combat, armed and unarmed, at close range. Depending on how much the contractor wants to pay for each guard, there are various levels of weaponry and specialization available, from unarmed counter guards to fully armed and armored rapid response combat gear.
There are a number of options available on any manpower contracting at varying expense. The client can order all-male or all-female guards, or a specific ratio of sexes, or as Arasaka contracts its services around the world, clients can order guards fluent in Japanese, German, Spanish, English, Italian, Chinese (Mandarin and Cantonese), Korean and French. All guards are required to be conversant, although not fluent, in English. Bilingual guards are also always available. Guards specializing in heavy weapons, unarmed combat, and specialized terrain are available for contracts that call for varied situations. Different levels of security force concealment can also be ordered, from completely discreet and invisible to ostentatiously threatening. If the security forces are visible, clients can choose to have them be unidentified or clearly identified as Arasaka Troops. Only in rare circumstances, such as when a little misdirection is called for, will Arasaka troops actually wear the uniform or logo of the contracting corporation, or a third party. Arasaka also contracts out its paramilitary forces for one shot operations, such as extractions. This type of contract can be extremely costly, due to the loss of expensive men and equipment "But if there's a tough operation that a corporation needs done, Arasaka can handle it for the right price." When Arasaka troops are contracted for this type of military action they always operate unmarked or in the markings of a third corporation or military that the client wishes to have blamed. Naturally, the board of directors in Tokyo have enacted policies ensuring that an Arasaka team never attacks an installation or corporation owned by Arasaka or protected by an Arasaka contract.
Another type of protection that Arasaka provides is personal security in the form of bodyguards, escort teams and household security. The service is expensive, but popular among celebrities, wealthy businessmen, and the politicians of several nations who no longer trust their respective Secret Service agencies. As with corporate guards, there are several options, including gender, number of guards, dress style, age, visibility, race, nationality, level of armament, training and services performed. It is considered very chic in some circles to have one good looking, full-time Arasaka bodyguard of the opposite gender on one's payroll. These single bodyguards usually work solo or manage other non-Arasaka personnel retained by their client.
In addition to supplying trained men and women to corporations, groups and individuals, Arasaka also leases and sells the security equipment that it manufactures. Typical items include cameras, perimeter detection and surveillance equipment, computerized security offices and networks, fire extinguishing systems, and computerized personnel access systems. Also available are more exotic items such as weapons and bomb detecting equipment, booby traps and other "lethal deterrence systems". Computer security is another product available from Arasaka. Proprietary Arasaka ICE systems, white and black, are also available for installation into client's computer systems. Arasaka will train non-Arasaka personnel in the operations of all of the security systems that it sells, but it's more typical for clients to buy a package that includes both the equipment and Arasaka-trained people to run it.
The last type of personnel that Arasaka contracts out are security consultants. If someone wants good security run by inhouse people, but lacks the expertise, an option to hire a team of Arasaka Security Consultants to inspect facilities, and do an analysis of the capabilities of potential enemies. The consultants will use that information to make a recommendation on the type and strength of the security forces someone should maintain, and the kinds of equipment and countermeasures needed to install. Consultants will operate on any scale, from personal bodyguarding to worldwide corporate protection.
Police Services
A sub-division of its Security Division, Arasaka runs an extensive police contracting service. Police services are similar in many respects to security services, but the personnel receive slightly different training and equipment. The clients are cities and counties rather than corporations. As they are required to work with the public, Arasaka police officers are much more prone to have good interpersonal skills than their dour counterparts who work in private security. Most weapons and equipment are the same, but Arasaka managed police departments will have police-fitted cars and vans at their disposal and, for most situations, will be more inclined to use these than the heavy riot vehicles favored by the security departments.Arasaka police, much like any corporate police, are required to work within the limits of civil and federal laws with regards to police procedures and ethics. Of course, as is always the case with corporate operations, they are more likely to circumvent these standards for convenience than public police departments. Countless towns, counties, arcologies, and cities around the world rely on private police forces. Among those serviced by Arasaka are San Diego, Cincinnati, Philadelphia, Honolulu, Bucharest (Romania), Belfast (Ireland), and Singapore; as well as several major Japanese cities including Fukuoka, Hiroshima, Nagoya, Yokohama, and Sapporo. Tokyo, interestingly enough, is still using a public police department despite Arasaka pressure.
It is worth noting that most corporations, including Arasaka, do not always demand payment for establishing and maintaining a police department. The corporation may take non-monetary compensation, including a hand in local policy making, land and real estate, or shipping and free port rights, or it may reap other advantages such as complete police and security control of an area near sensitive corporate facilities or an advantage over competitors who have offices in the same area. Examples of this can be seen in the Arasaka factories in Yokohama, which are protected by Arasaka Security and a municipal police force run by Arasaka.
Weapons Manufacturing Division
The weapons manufacturing division of Arasaka was the original intent of the company when it was founded by Sasai Arasaka in 1915. During the 1930s and 1940s the company took full advantage of the war and was heavily involved in the heavy industry side of things, manufacturing ships and planes for the Imperial Japanese Navy. After the defeat of Japan in 1945, the post war industrial sector was in shambles and it was only till Saburo took over in the 1960s the industrial manufacturing division picked back up. The company moved away from the Heavy Industry sector and moved mostly into manufacturing equipment for its own forces which fit into categories; light arms, computers, armor and small vehicles.The Arasaka Corporation has three massive factory complexes in the Greater Tokyo Area which produce weapons and equipment. As previously stated for the most part, Arasaka produces all of the infantry weapons used by its troops and by its clients. In 2022 they began producing heavy weapons and exotics. Most of Arasaka's weapons production runs to small arms, tasers, EMP guns, automated guns, smart guns, melee katanas/tantos, and anti-personnel mines. They also manufacture a line of body armor and an assortment of very popular vehicles. Although their weapon sales are nowhere near that of Militech, Arasaka's sales are brisk and their weapons are some of the most sought after from governments and corporations alike.
Arasaka Manufacturing advertises in a fashion similar to the security arm: in periodicals and information nets tailored to specific target clienteles. Weapons systems are promoted in police periodicals and military journals and security equipment is advertised in electronics magazines, corporate journals, and publications serving wealthy individuals. As with the security services, multi-media presentations and chips are available detailing the advantages of all Arasaka manufactured systems. No sensitive or proprietary information is included with the presentations or chips.
Arasaka doesn't usually interfere with the individual marketing tactics of its smaller subsidiary companies, but it does monitor promotions and advertising campaigns to make sure that they fall within the broad guidelines established by the corporation.
General Manufacturing Division
After the 1994 collapse, Arasaka set its sights on general manufacturing, buying out many smaller companies and their excess raw materials at a fraction of the cost. These failing business were turned around and became incredibly profitable for Arasaka, producing items from Airliners, to medical equipment and even children's toys. While part of Arasaka itself, they retained their original names and brands to not be associated with the more corporate and militaristic image of Arasaka.Arasaka General Manufacturing produces a host of consumer goods from spaceplanes, four different automobiles, pharmaceuticals, various lines of clothing, computer video games, prepackaged meals, and office equipment. Banking The last core section and pillar of the Arasaka Corporation is the Arasaka Bank. The Bank is not widely visible to the public because it tends to deal exclusively with corporate and business accounts. The Arasaka Bank was established by Saburo, with help from his government contacts, in order to exploit the Japanese economic growth boom that he was predicting for the 1960s, 70s and 80s. The bank used a portion of the sizable Arasaka fortune in order to establish a capital base. Then, starting small and working up, it began taking corporate accounts, and, under the genius of Saburo's guidance, making high quality loans and investments with corporations destined for growth and expansion.
Under Saburo's expert touch, the Bank has turned a steady profit since its inception. Saburo's choice of loans and investments allowed the bank to remain on an even footing, even during the early nineties when several Japanese financial institutions were on shaky ground. There was a tight period during and after the '94 crash when several supposedly choice loans and investments went bad, but a little foresight enabled the Arasaka Bank to survive with minimal financial damage while many other institutions went bankrupt. Adroit management in the post-crash market kept the Bank turning a profit through those tough years.
The Arasaka Bank continues to do good business. Saburo was one of the first people to invest heavily in the cybernetic and Net related industries, and the returns from those transactions have padded the Arasaka accounts quite well. The Bank continues to deal primarily with corporate accounts, loans and investments, but it does handle some personal accounts, including those of the Arasaka family and several wealthy businessmen, celebrities and politicians from around the world. So far, business shows no sign of slacking.
Uniforms & Personal
The Arasaka Corporation has definitive rules and policies guiding corporate dress, uniforms and equipment. There is little freedom for variation except in the uppermost echelons of the corporation, and amongst bodyguards and undercover operatives. Employees of subsidiaries owned by Arasaka but not bearing the Arasaka name are not required to conform to the same standards as employees of Arasaka itself. Except for the family compound, where all the security are male, Arasaka guards, soldiers, and agents can be any race, nationality, or gender.Executives
For corporate executives and staff the watchword is conservative. Expensive is permissible, but ostentatious is frowned upon. Arasaka defers to the styles of the times, but only within the borders of what the home office considers tasteful. Men and women may wear suits and ties, preferably with dark colors. Women may wear skirts and dresses, but sexually provocative attire is tolerated only in the lowest echelons of the corporation, and then only to a certain extent. There are exceptions for special circumstances. Corporate officers, both male and female, are expected to dress in a manner befitting their position. Although it is not required, most executives wear a silver Arasaka logo pin on the left lapel, and those executives who used to be soldiers wear a silver chrysanthemum pin with the Arasaka logo superimposed. Most visible cyberware is considered acceptable unless it covers the face.All white collar Arasaka employees receive an Arasaka company account Trauma Team card as part of their benefits. When off the job and away from company infirmaries they are required to keep this card on them at all times. Arasaka also manufactures its own portable computers and weapons, and it is considered poor taste to use non-Arasaka equipment when company-made products are available.
Corporate Security Guards
Guards are the most visible manifestation of the Arasaka Corporation. Consequently, Arasaka usually makes sure that their guards are immediately recognizable. Guard uniforms and equipment vary depending on the assignment, but the typical non-undercover Arasaka guard wears the black uniform considered so ubiquitous in the corporate world. This consists of black boots and gloves, a black jumpsuit, a black armor vest and a black cap with the Arasaka logo in silver. The guard's rank appears on the left arm and right collar wing, and the Arasaka logo on the right arm and left collar wing.Corporate Soldiers
The basic uniform for the Arasaka soldier is similar to the guard outfit, but soldiers wear their names on their uniform breasts and have a chrysanthemum logo above their rank markings. In combat, soldiers also wear more extensive body armor than the standard guards, including visor helmets, armor on the torso and arms, and special trousers. All Arasaka soldiers are promoted from the guards. This is the reverse of some other corporations, such as IEC, whose soldiers consider guard duty a promotion.Bodyguards
Arasaka bodyguards dress however the client requires it and carry whatever equipment the client is willing to provide or lease from Arasaka. This leads to tremendous variation as Arasaka provides bodyguard services for all sorts, from heads of state to rock stars. Almost all Arasaka bodyguards, male and female, are distinguished ex-soldiers.Special Agents
Arasaka special agents can requisition whatever uniforms, resources and equipment they deem necessary to accomplish their mission. This equipment is usually not traceable to Arasaka. Arasaka maintains a large stock of weapons and equipment manufactured by other companies and purchased by dummy organizations for use by special agents and strike teams in black operations. As with bodyguards, most special agents are former soldiers who have distinguished themselves and been promoted and retrained.Service Employees
Arasaka service employees use a uniform consisting of a baggy white jumpsuit and cap with white accessories. This is the same for all types of service employees. The only way one can tell the difference between maintenance, custodial, messenger and other service level employees is by the color and shape of the logos on their shoulders and caps, their I.D. badges, and the equipment they carry. In Japanese office buildings service employees show deference by bowing in the presence of executives. Failure to comply with this protocol can result in dismissal. This rule is not applied in Arasaka offices outside of Japan.Market Strategy
Arasaka may have ultimately been no more than a tool for Saburo's grand scheme, but in the meantime it has to function, at least partially, as a legitimate and profitable corporation. In order to do this it has to consistently sell its services to the professional community. All of Arasaka's advertising is designed and managed in-house by special departments, tailored to individual nations and regions, and run from offices in the towers. The Tokyo office handles international advertising and public relations. There are discreet tactics for marketing the three core branches of the corporation.Arasaka Security
Arasaka's most profitable and widespread division is its Security arm. The Security arm is also Saburo Arasaka's most functional tool. Consequently, most marketing effort is concentrated upon the sale of security services and contracts. The key factor in the Marketing of those security services is Arasaka's continuing reputation for excellence.Arasaka Bank
Arasaka Bank is advertised only within corporate publications. Their services are exclusive enough to not require extensive publicity. Information on financial services can only be obtained by appointment with the corporation and no information open to the public. Generally, the Arasaka Bank directly contacts the people and organizations with which it wants to do business.Arasaka Manufactures
Arasaka Manufactures is advertised in a manner similar to the security branch: in publications and information networks suitable for the specific customers desired. Weapons systems are advertised in police publications and in the military press and the security team is advertised in electronic journals, corporate journals, and publications aimed at wealthy people. Like security services, multimedia presentations and chips are available detailing the advantages of equipment manufactured by Arasaka. No sensitive or restricted information is included in them.Resources & Captital
Arasaka is one of the largest and richest corporations in the world. Its various holdings and properties span the globe. The board of directors has access to funds and resources that make those in many small countries pale. Matched with these resources is power in its most impressive form. Arasaka, like all corporations, is one of the few organizations capable of imposing its will on the world, filling the void left by the collapsed national governments.Corporate Value
The total value of Arasaka's properties in 2020 was roughly ¥9.5 Trillion, €$475 Billion. Together with two or three other large corporations, Arasaka is approaching the barrier of half a billion Eb. Of those €$475 billion, €$175 billion is from Arasaka Bank. Most of the bank's assets consist of corporate and government debt for loans. €$200 billion represent the value, accounts and liquid and solid assets of the security and manufacturing branches. The remaining €$100 billion represent the value of Arasaka-owned subsidiary corporations, secret fund reserves and the personal fortune of 10,000 million euros from Saburo Arasaka and the family. By 2077, the corporation doubled it's value to €$890 Billion Eurodollars across all it's total properties.Action Taken
Arasaka is a public corporation and has 560 million shares of common capital on the World Stock Exchange. Actually, the Arasaka family controls 54% of the company's titles. Another 15% is held by the board of directors. The board is made up of Saburo's nineteen most trusted allies (Kei holds the twentieth seat). Saburo, as the main shareholder, is the chairman of the board. Hanako, although nominally a principal shareholder, does not participate in the meeting.The remaining 31% of Arasaka's shares are traded openly in the market. Arasaka's shares are consistently strong and are considered a reliable investment. The value has fluctuated between 100 and 140 euros in the world stock market. Since 31% is an important part of capital, the corporation carefully monitors large acquisitions. If someone who does not like Arasaka seems to be trying to amass a portfolio of shares large enough to reach a position of power on the board, a black operations team is sent to "retire" the suspect. Sometimes a wealthy person or other corporation manages to amass enough actions to exercise considerable power in the voting of Arasaka shareholders and sometimes these people vote against the board. This is tolerated for reasons of image. However, when these shareholders become too noisy in the voting, and protest the exclusivity of the board and its goals, they are "convinced" by a black operations team to deviate from Arasaka's interests. As an alternative they can be destroyed or purchased. What comes out cheaper at that time.
Material Resources
Arasaka, not counting its subsidiaries, owns 250 Osprey V-type aircraft and more than 250 AV-4. A quarter of each type of these vehicles is used by the corporate offices. Three quarters belong to the Arasaka guards and the military forces. Naturally there are some exchanges, but military versions usually have combat options and camouflage schemes and are less luxurious than their corporate counterparts. The corporation also owns twenty C-25 heavy cargo planes, which can carry skydivers, heavy equipment and cross intercontinental distances. Arasaka-owned airplanes include several small executive reactors and helicopters. They are unarmed, but they are fast and luxurious. The reactors have intercontinental capacity, strictly local helicopters.The air transport capacity provided by the C-25s is complemented by the three Arasaka container ships. Naviera Comercial Sato, a subsidiary of Yokohama, owns other large ships, such as container ships, cisterns and submarine freighters. This gives Arasaka a considerable capacity for maritime displacement.
The military forces and the Arasaka guards possess a certain number of vehicles produced by the house. More than 2,000 Riot 8 and Combat 10 are in use worldwide, and countless thousands of Kumas and modified Lexus cars. Another 2,500 of each of the combat vehicles are distributed throughout the warehouses of Japan, Europe and America. These units await to be sent to customers but can be activated for combat in a short period of time.
In addition to all this usual material, Arasaka has a reserve of other equipment too diverse and numerous to catalog. Various heavy military weapons, light weapons and equipment, specialized airplanes and land vehicles, supercomputers, linear frames and others are included.
Human Resources
Arasaka and its subsidiaries employ more than one million people around the world. Three quarters are executives, researchers, and various workers, both office and factory, from Arasaka and its many sub-corporations. The rest are troops of one kind or another, including guards, soldiers and agents. The troops are divided more or less as follows: 100,000 are Arasaka soldiers and special forces combat teams, 200,000 are guards for industrial contracting, bodyguards and advisers and 5000 are undercover agents, assassins and spies.Black Resources
Arasaka has a secret resource that is more powerful than all its obvious forces: its secret influence on powerful people and corporations around the world. Unfortunately, the details of this particular resource are too intricate, extensive and, of course, unknown to the general public.The banking division of Arasaka was another brainchild of Saburo Arasaka's, it was founded shortly after his takeover in the 1960's and he used his various government contacts to get if off the ground. He used a considerable sum of the family wealth as a capital base and started making loans and investments with other corporations. Saburo personally invested heavily in the Cybernetics and Net related industries, making a considerable return on investment and padding the bank accounts of Arasaka quite well.
Subsidiary Companies
Arasaka has more subsidiaries than almost any other corporation in the world. Arasaka's subsidiaries, like those of most large corporations, are connected through a complex network of cross-linked owners, loans and investments, commercial and financial ties and co-addresses. Arasaka Security, Arasaka Bank and Arasaka Manufactures are the central companies, all under the aegis of the Arasaka corporation. Despite the system of cross-linked owners, Arasaka is not a keiretsu. In a keiretsu there is no large concentration of power in any branch. In Arasaka, the entire corporation responds directly to the board of directors of the Arasaka Corporation and the main companies.A few of the hundreds of subsidiaries of the Arasaka Corporation include: Arasaka Security, Arasaka Bank, Arasaka Manufactures, Arasaka International, Arasaka America, Arasaka European Group, Arasaka Police Services, Arasaka Chemistry, Sato Commercial Ship, Kanshiro MicroElectric, Barrett Engineering-Arasaka, Nagoya Transportation, Japan Airlines (JAL), Korusu Commercial Aircraft, Kyoran-MediaStorm Entertainment, Lubcheck Structural Materials, Pan-Ground Communications, Glaser Model Agency, Pharmaceutical Ito, All-American Pictures, Krieger Beer, Scandia Aerospace, Matsura Food Products, Children's Kingdom Toy Stores, Tokyo/Miami/Los Angeles Adventure Land Amusement Parks, and Tender-Love Baby Care Products.
Public Relations
Public relations has been problematic for Arasaka Corporation since the early 2000s. The corporation suffers under an image of brooding, ominous power. The media as well as the general public joke about Arasaka's omnipotence and omnipresence, but there is a ring of truth that drains the humor from these statements. The Arasaka board of directors has attempted to cast the best light possible on itself, extolling the virtues of its security department, touting the philanthropic work of the bank, explaining how its manufacturing arm and subsidiaries, and sponsoring many festivals or expos that are the backbone of an economically sound in Japan. Though there is truth to this it has not helped much to overcome the dark images associated with the corporation. There are too many rumors and memories adrift in the public consciousness. Nor does the company's somewhat intimidating public appearance do anything to endear it to the public. People will respect Arasaka, people will need Arasaka, people will occasionally thank God for Arasaka, but there will always be an undercurrent of fear tempering their attitude towards the corporation. Occasionally someone puts the pieces together and gets a clue as to the true nature of Arasaka's goals and power. When the corporation gets wind of someone sniffing around in the wrong place, or when someone finds out something they shouldn't, the local Arasaka office will arrange for them to have an accident. If it is a particularly sensitive mission the home office in Tokyo will be contacted to prep a special operation to deal with the problem. By and large, most local offices are more than adequately equipped and staffed to handle such tasks.Typically, great pains will be taken to see that a black operation is not connected with Arasaka unless, as sometimes happens, the corporation wants to make an example of the target. There are, however, times when Arasaka goes out of its way to advertise its involvement in an operation. This is usually when it is retaliating against some person, group or other corporation that has publicly infringed against it. Arasaka also has a policy of visibly assassinating individuals and assaulting corporations that breach security at installations protected by Arasaka contracts. In these situations Arasaka is powerful and ruthless, maintaining its reputation as a persistent and deadly adversary.
Arasaka's black ops and political and financial influence had come of age in the world of 2020, giving the corporation far reaching influence across the world. Hundreds of influential politicians and agents at all levels of government and in every important country in the world are in Arasaka's pocket. Thousands of influential and wealthy private citizens, police departments and corporate executives are also under Arasaka's control, some willingly, some under duress. Saburo and the Board of Directors in Tokyo have been using these puppets to further the Arasaka master plan of Japanese economic and military dominance. In Japan, the constitutional clause prohibiting large scale armament was trashed in 1996 by Arasaka owned politicians. Saburo has been working on the reconstruction of national armed forces ever since. Other ultra conservative corporate leaders, many under Arasaka influence, are also taking up that cry. Arasaka already has more financial power in the industrialized world than any other single corporation. If it weren't for other corporate alliances arrayed against it, it might have been the single most powerful factor on Earth.
Within the corporation only Saburo, his sons, the hand picked board of directors and a few select analysts, executives, and operatives know the true extent of Arasaka's goals and influence. Among employees information is distributed on a strictly need-to-know basis. The highest priority for Arasaka employees is loyalty. This is especially true in the Security arm where most of the sensitive operations are handled. Arasaka Security agents will lay their lives on the line for the corporation first and the client second. Troops are required to demonstrate unquestioning obedience when they are dispatched on missions, although they must use initiative and intelligence on assignment or in action. Agents and executives who show signs of wavering loyalty, or fail badly in their assignments are dismissed. Those who betray the company, or cause it damage are eliminated.
Enemies & Allies
The Arasaka Corporation has many enemies around the world. These enemies range from; corporations that compete directly with the company or have clashed with it, powerful individuals who suspect that their blackmailers have some relation to Arasaka, and even law enforcement officers from all over the world who suspect the extent of the illegal operations of Arasaka.Among the corporations Arasaka has dealt with in the past are InfoComp, which had studied Arasaka's history and holdings multiple times for its database, Network News 54, which has lost several reporters investigating scandals related to Arasaka, and finally Militech (The most infamous of rivalries, which competes with Arasaka in the world of security equipment and weapons). InfoComp is tiny compared to Arasaka, and receives little attention. Arasaka avoids direct confrontations with NN54 or other news services to minimize negative publicity. Militech and Arasaka, however, have been in conflict on several occasions, and continue to face each other on a regular basis. Law enforcement agencies are contained not only by eliminating their agents, but by the skill with which Arasaka conceals its conflicts of interest and illegal operations. In addition to keeping your dirty business and transactions extremely undercover.
A perpetual thorn in Saburo's side is Tycho's mass accelerator on the Moon. Few people have forgotten the rock that fell in Colorado Springs during the 2008 orbital wars. Saburo knows that if Arasaka is to guide Japan to her destiny to conquer Earth and space she will have to subdue or destroy the throttle sooner or later. He doubts that the Tycho colony would shoot a rock straight at Arasaka headquarters in Tokyo if its leaders thought that the corporation, or the country under their guidance, constituted a danger to space.
Despite enormous difficulties and his many adversaries, the elderly Saburo continued to work to realize what he sees as his company's final destiny: to promote the rise of a new Japanese Imperial Dynasty under the 'Shogunate' Arasaka. Arasaka's towers, like those of many corporations, are impressive structures projecting a large part of the corporation's public face. The larger part of the corporation, the more their offices and towers become a beacon of wealth and image. In keeping with Arasaka's monumental size and reputation, their towers are not only widespread, appearing in major cities across the globe, but standardized so they are instantly recognizable. The special facilities, such as training camps and factories, don't follow the strict image guidelines applied to the towers as they are less visible to the public.
Key Facilitates
Tokyo Headquarters
The Arasaka Corporation is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan and consists of two skyscrapers more commonly referred to as the Boys in Black, due to the similarities between the two imposing black towers and the black-clad Arasaka Security guards. The towers are black with dark, tinted glass and black steel beams are typical. Arasaka designers eschew stone or unpainted metal. The only deviation from black surfacing are the white, backlit Arasaka logo which appear near the tops of the towers. The Arasaka Tower dominates the Tokyo skyline and are easily recognizable, not from their shape or size, but for the giant backlit Arasaka Logo at the top of the towers. The lobby interior decorations has a tasteful blend of modern and contemporary Japanese artwork and sculpture. Most of the interior shows functional elegance, with true luxury appearing only in the upper executive areas. Arasaka regional offices around the world follow the same pattern with their buildings looking almost identical.Night City American Division Headquarters
The Arasaka American Division is headquartered in Night City, NUSA and originally consisted of two skyscrapers before it was destroyed in 2023 by a Militech strike team.[10] The new headquarters was rebuilt in 2070 after Arasaka was allowed to operate in the US again. The new tower consisted of one tall skyscraper that stands as the tallest structure in the Corpo Plaza. The building is black with dark tinted glass, near the top of the tower is the white backlit Arasaka logo. It's heavily guarded, heliports and AV-4 pads on the top, and with a restricted subterranean parking and loading area.Main Honshu R&D installation
The main Arasaka Research and Development Installation, situated in the Northern part of Japan's main island of Honshu, is a secretive facility where only the most sensitive of research is carried out. This is a highly secretive installation where the five customized supercomputers containing the huge Arasaka database (thousands of MU) are located. It is also where the most sensitive research and development of new weapons and security systems and techniques is carried out. It is a sprawling complex of three large, unmarked, three-story white buildings. The buildings sit in the center of 5,000 fenced acres of non-arable coastal land procured from the government after the world economic collapse of the 1990s. A subterranean structure extending five levels beneath the earth linked the three buildings.The security in the R&D complex even higher then the headquarters. The surrounding land is mined and monitored and patrolled by crack teams of soldiers accompanied by attack dogs. Military air defenses monitor the skies for unauthorized traffic. Veteran quick response teams led by experienced solos are on call 24 hours a day. A total of 150 soldiers are billeted on site and available at all times. In the event of an emergency, more troops can be parachuted in from the Hokkaido training facility within 45 minutes. More than one curious youngster from the nearby fishing village has disappeared without a trace after going on an exploration of the hills surrounding the R&D facility.
R&D Facilities
Besides the Main Honshu R&D facility, Arasaka also has smaller R&D facilities throughout Japan. The most noteworthy Arasaka R&D facilities can also be found in China and Kazakhstan, as well as the southern continent of Antartica. Smaller R&D facilities are also located in South America and North America.[11]Hokkaido Training Camp
Located in the Northern island of Japan in the cold wilderness of the forested mountains of central Hokkaido is Arasaka's main troop training facility. There on a wide expanse of inhospitable land, several thousand potential guards, soldiers and agents go through tough courses in combat, security techniques, survival, infiltration, counter infiltration, espionage and counter espionage. Seasoned veterans run all aspects of the secretive training, pitting guards, soldiers and agents against each other in endless, harrowing exercises. Guards train for four months, soldiers train for eight months and special agents and bodyguards train for as long as deemed necessary. There are always several levels of training in progress at any given time. Seminars on loyalty to the Arasaka Corporation are also required study at the camp. Graduates are shipped out for assignment or on-site and special training. Those who fail the courses are shipped out in disgrace.The Hokkaido camp's personnel facilities include an administration building, an officer's and trainers billet, and barracks for trainees. Aircraft land and take off from a full sized runway capable of handling heavy transports. Other buildings include two gymnasiums, a mess hall, four classroom buildings, and mock towns and tower sections for simulation training. Athletic fields, firing ranges, a hospital, hangars and storage buildings round out the camp.
The Hokkaido camp is not fenced, and there is little security other than a standing watch over the buildings, vehicles and automated air defenses. Any unauthorized intruders who disobey warnings to desist are shot or captured and interrogated. Counter infiltration is handled at the candidate recruitment stage back on Honshu. Any military attack will face the single largest concentration of Arasaka troops and hardware anywhere on earth. The only sensitive information on site are some equipment performance parameters and the identities of undercover Arasaka agents and solos. The inhospitable terrain surrounding the camp is a barrier to ground attack and the mountainous area limits air approaches to two directions.
The facility is located in the middle of nowhere, and as such has minimal security around the facility, any intruders are either shot or interrogated and if any larger forces foolishly decided to attack, they will find themselves up against the largest contingent of Arasaka soldiers anywhere on earth and all backed up by the latest equipment. Dozens of light to heavy vehicles are situated at the camp for any number of training exercises as well as several Ospreys, AVs and even two C-25 Cargo planes.
Training Facilities
Arasaka maintains other, more specialized training facilities in several areas around the world. The four month courses in specialized combat and security techniques are given at these schools. The Maritime Security and Combat school is in Yokohama, the Jungle Operations School is in Brazil, the Winter Operations Camp is in the Rocky Mountains in Colorado, the Airport Security School is located near Narita Airport in Narita City, Chiba Prefecture, and the fledgling Space Operations School is at Crystal Palace, where it is run under strict watch by the ESA. Most Arasaka Towers maintain basic training facilities in or near their home cities, but those agents and troops who wish to advance within the company eventually ship out to the secretive Hokkaido camp.Yokohama Weapons Factories
The Arasaka weapons factories are located in a heavily secured 500 acre area of Yokohama in the Tokyo bay. There are three factories to be precise, all with their own specialty. The first factory produces many Arasaka branded vehicles, the second one produces Arasaka weapons and personal armor, and finally the third one produces electronic security devices and computers. The factories sit on portside industrial land acquired in the post-Crash corporate take over. The vehicle factory is immense, containing assembly lines for all their vehicles. The security equipment and weapons production buildings are smaller than the vehicle factory, but still huge. All remaining space is devoted to warehouses, garrisons, rail tracks, piers, an administration building, and the Maritime Security School building, teaching up to 500 troops at any one time.The facility has, in the past, been attacked by it's competitor Militech, and as such started featuring heavy security. The land was purchased by Arasaka and is policed by both the Corporate Security and Arasaka Police forces and has up to one thousand troops at any one time, not to mention the 500 or so Maritime recruits and the odd Solo. Since little sensitive data is stored at the factories there are fewer elite solos on site than at the R&D complex. Solos can be delivered within minutes, however, as it is only a short hop by air to the Tokyo tower.
Manufacturing Facilities
Other Arasaka Manufacturing facilities can be found all across Japan and South East Asia. The more notworthy facilities can be found in Taiwan, New Philippines, and Antartica. Multiple Arasaka Manufacturing facilities are seen in Europe and the Americas.[12] Arasaka has several smaller factories for component and accessory manufacture around the world, principally in Indonesia and Southeast Asia, and factories under subsidiary names in many other countries.The Arasaka Family Compound
The Arasaka Compound has been in the Arasaka family for many years and is situated on twenty acres of land, just outside of Tokyo. This impregnable fortress was built in the style of feudal Japan and acts as a headquarters for Saburo Arasaka and his family. The twenty acres is divided up by the main house, a gymnasium, Shinto shrine, a cherry grove garden and an Osprey landing pad. The facility is commanded by Shintaro Takayama, a close friend and loyal ally of Arasaka, and employs thirty live-in staff, all trained as both servants of the house and security guards. Only the most loyal, highly trusted and distinguished staff are placed here at the compound.In case of any emergency, an Osprey is ready and waiting at all times to extract the family at a moments notice as well an escape tunnel and panic room able to supply up to ten people for a week. That of course is all unnecessary, as a detachment of Solo's are only a moment notice away at the Tokyo HQ.
Arasaka and the Net
Arasaka is, by nature of its information base, heavily tied into the Net. All Arasaka offices and installations around the world communicate through the Net, and there is always a large amount of activity centered out of the corporation's data processing, storage and control centers. Arasaka also has some of the tightest Net security to be found anywhere in the world. The corporation is well known among netrunners for its liberal use of black ICE, much of which is developed in-house. Also, Arasaka uses more of its own netrunners for security purposes than almost any other corporation. All of this makes penetrating Arasaka computer systems a formidable task indeed. Of special note is the security surrounding the northern Honshu R&D facility's database. The legend among netrunners is that the security programs and intrusion countermeasures on that particular subgrid have claimed the lives of more netrunners than any other single installation. It is not known if anyone has ever penetrated to the data core without authorization.Benkai Island Training Facility
The Arasaka Benkei Island Training Facility is located on a small tropical island somewhere in the vicinity of Indonesia. Its exact location is kept a secret, for although it's used to train very few people at a time, it's very important to the corporation's covert operations. Because of this secrecy, access to Benkei Island is highly restricted. People and supplies are brought to the island by submarine.Arasaka Sleep Facility
The Arasaka Sleep Facility is a subsidiary of the large Arasaka Corporation. The Sleep Facility are designed for the cyber edgerunners of 2020, these can be rented out from anybody willing to rest till tomorrow. The device's major market is available in Japan, United States, and just about every major country.Arasaka Waterfront
Main article: Arasaka WaterfrontThe Arasaka Waterfront is a large area found in the Watson District of Night City. The Arasaka facility called Konpeki Plaza is located here. Konpeki Plaza is a facility where Arasaka employees can stay if they are visiting Night City or have no place to live in the city.
Regional Offices
The major Arasaka towers (usually consisting of two large towers back to back, with black tinted windows and classical Japanese lobby interiors) can be found in Tokyo, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Sydney, London, Hamburg, Paris, Madrid, Rome, Geneva, Stockholm, Rio de Janeiro, Montreal, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Night City, Honolulu and Nairobi. Smaller offices exist in almost all major cities. In Japan almost every major city will have an Arasaka office; Osaka, Kyoto, Sapporo, and Fukuoka. The United States is home to some of the most regional offices.Personnel
A tower contains the top Arasaka officials for any given region, including the National Directors and Regional Vice Presidents. Beneath the Regional VR will be the Regional Security Director, Regional Sales Director, and Regional Bank Director. Chain of command for the individual departments proceeds downwards from Region to Area, Local, District, and Site. The Tokyo tower has the offices for the corporation President, executive vice presidents, board of directors, and other top officials. All large offices also have R&D departments for developers either not cleared for the Honshu R&D facility, or who need to work in a specific area of the world for one reason or another.Guards and soldiers are quartered and trained at specialized facilities around the world and throughout Arasaka served countries. Sizable contingents are always billeted and maintained at major towers for purposes of on-site security, quick response and firefighting. An Arasaka tower should have between one and two hundred guards and fifty and one hundred soldiers billeted on site at any given time, although not all of those will be on duty or available. Larger contingents of guards and troops intended for client rotation are maintained in barracks located outside of major cities. Most of the soldiers and guards available will be typical contract types, but some will be elite solos.
