Saburo Arasaka

Saburo Arasaka (荒坂 三郎), better known as the Emperor, went from being an Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service Pilot to the corporate God of the 21st century. Born in Tokyo, Japan he made the Arasaka Corporation into what it is today. Saburo is proud and honorable, and like a true Samurai Shogun he claims to be, he's power hungry.

Overview
Although he is an ancient fossil and physically decrepit, Saburo Arasaka remains the genius he always was in his younger years. Despite his age, Saburo never gave up his control over the Arasaka Corporation. When his eldest son, Kei, became the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation in 1997, Saburo remained the chairman of the board and the true puppeteer behind all the major corporate decisions.

In 2020, Saburo was confined to a wheelchair. Doctors on multiple occasions had informed him that his body could not stand anymore cybernetic or organic replacements. As a result of this, he seldom left the Arasaka family compound near Tokyo, and he never went outside his beloved Japan. Despite his disabilities he made occasional trips to the Tokyo headquarters and the main R&D facility, however most of his time when he participates in board meetings and ex-executive conferences he does this via two-way screen or in a braindance universe where he appears as a feudal Japanese Lord.

Saburo's private office at the family compound has a terminal interlinked with the R&D computer. From this he can consult the database system or the analysts who worked on it.

Saburo is megalomaniacal and obsessed. He is highly arrogant and considers himself the most adept man that has and will ever exist, and he sees it as his duty to elevate Japan to what he believes it as its former glory. He works tirelessly to see this ideal come true. His family believe his dedication to his work is the thing that keeps him alive. Saburo concentrated so hard on building his Empire that he did not even begin having children until he was in his 60s. He firmly believes in the traditional Japanese values and enforces them rigidly at the family compound. He also maintains a classical décor inside the compound, dismissing any non-functional modern appointing.

Saburo plans to have his personality downloaded to an AI at the moment of his death. The equipment to accomplish this task is always ready twenty-four hours a day at the Arasaka Headquarters infirmary in Tokyo. A special team is on call everyday to transport him if he takes ill, or suffers any sort of trauma.

At the age of 158, he still reigns at the top of Arasaka in the world in 2077. He built Arasaka into a great empire in his generation. He's proud, honorable, ruthless and more hungry for power, then ever.

1919 - 1945
Saburo Arasaka was born in Tokyo, Japan in 1919 to a rich family that could trace their lineage back to the noble samurai of old. His parents were rich and more so his father was a shrewd businessman and Arasaka founder Sasai Arasaka. He grew up in the Arasaka family estate located just outside of Tokyo and at a young age he joined the Imperial Japanese Navy as a fighter pilot. He quickly rose through the ranks and by the age of 23 he had already attained the rank of Lieutenant. As a skilled flying ace he had over 20 confirmed kills and is said to have a fierce pride both towards his country and undying loyalty to his Emperor.

In 1942 during a routine bombing run over Guadalcanal, American Grumman F4F fighters engaged a flight of Japanese Betty bombers out of Rabaul Island. The Zero fighters escorting the Bettys broke out of formation to engage the attackers, and a pitched air battle followed. While Lieutenant Saburo was weaving in pursuit of one of the F4F Wildcat fighters, he passed though another American plane's line of fire. Saburo wasn't vulnerable long enough to be shot down, but several bullets smashed through the canopy, shattering his left arm and driving splinters of perspex and metal into his left eye and skull. Barely conscious, he let his fighter plummet towards the ground fifteen thousand feet below. Precious seconds later Saburo struggled back to awareness only to see the ground rushing towards him. Despite the punishing pain and the loss of the use of one arm he pulled back on his stick, leveled his plane and regained control with only a scant 2000 feet to spare. Then, patching himself up as best he could, he began the long haul back to Rabaul, fully believing that he would die somewhere over the 560 miles of ocean he had to cross. He managed to make it to the base despite his injuries.

After delivering his report he passed out and was transported back to Tokyo, where he discovered that due to his injuries he would never be able to fly again and he was also due to be medically discharged. His injuries were so severe that he was permanently blind in his left eye and that his left arm, although not amputated, was damaged beyond use. Saburo lamented over his injuries and wished he had died a dignified death over the skies of Guadalcanal, rather than face the humiliation of a cripple. He was summarily discharged from service and returned to the Arasaka family compound outside of Tokyo. Where he spent his days brooding over his loss.

Due to the dishonor he bought upon himself and his family, he considered ritual suicide (Seppuku), however he pressed through and remained in the care of his home. On August 15th 1945, the day of the Japanese surrender, the Emperor addressed the people and made note of their surrender, Saburo was thunderstruck. He was on the verge of seppuku in the compound's cherry tree grove of the hospital before the blade was able to puncture his stomach 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. He envisioned a Japan rising above the humiliation of losing the war, and becoming an economic powerhouse. Japan back towards a position of power from which it could dominate the world politically and economically. 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. He began intense studies into the fields of politics, economics and history as to become a worthy successor to his father and to ensure that Arasaka would one day rule the world.

1960 - 1990s
Saburo took over the company in 1960 shortly after his father's death and branched out from the simple manufacturing company that his father started. Banking and Security along with Manufacturing were now the three pillars of the Arasaka Corporation and by the 2020s the once small manufacturing company had become one of the most powerful Megacorporations in the world, not to mention during these years Saburo's wealth multiplied tenfold, and he had become one of the richest men on the planet.

Being such a dedicated worker, Saburo was late in actually marrying or having kids that could continue his legacy after he passed. In 1980, Saburo and his then wife had their first child Kei, a boy Saburo planned on grooming to eventually takeover the Corporation. He didn't stay married to one women long as Saburo remarried 2 more times after his first wife.

During the 1990s, Saburo kept busy he was able foresee the world market collapse of 1994 and the US collapse of 1996. In the end he manage to profit from it. He also started getting more involved in politics, corrupting the Japanese Government to further benefit his ideals. However many other Japanese corporations didn't agree with Saburo and his ideals, soon enough a group was formed to appose Saburo. Even with taking a lose against FACS, Sbauro still continued to lead a thriving corporation that's influence was immense. Saburo also remarried in the 1990s, to his third wife Michiko Arasaka, while together they had two children Yorinobu and Hanako. Michiko passed away shortly after having Hanako, who became the apple of his eye and wished to protect her from the dangers of the outside world. Yorinobu was put through to the best schools in Tokyo, while Hanako was home schooled by people Saburo trusted.

2000s
During his time after he sustained injuries, Saburo had undergone numerous surgeries to implant various cybernetics as well as a new eye and right arm for the ones he lost in World War 2. However, by 2020 at 101, he became wheelchair bound in his family's estate just outside of Tokyo. He handed his reins of the company to his eldest son Kei. During Yorinobu's 21st birthday, Saburo told him everything about the family corporation, Yorinobu disowned his father after being told the truth about the corporation's success. This deeply sadden Saburo, Hanako was never told the truth and instead was kept inside the family compound.

Saburo still participated in Japanese politics would soon find a foothold, allowing him to get some control. Despite Kei becoming the CEO, Saburo still ran the company from behind the scenes, having final say over everything as his puppet son stands in for him.

At some point in 2020 the Eel, an Arasaka Cargo Submarine, and its crew including Captain Hyung Mitsumoto sunk in the North Pacific. Shintaro Takayama informed Saburo of the loss, and that the sub was carrying "Project Five." Because of the lack units in the area, Saburo ordered a acquisition of IDA (International Defense Alliance) an independent organization that was then put under the Arasaka subsidiary, Sato Commercial Shipping. A covert IDA team was dispatched to the Bonin trench to bring the sub to the surface, which allowed a few dozen Arasaka ships enough time to reach the sub before any other threat could reach it. Saburo managed to protect his corporations assets.

2022
During the fourth corporate war, the Arasaka Corporation faced off against Militech, a corporation Saburo grew to hate due it's CEO Donald Lundee reminding him of the American pilot who shot his plane down in the war. However Saburo gave full control over to his son Kei, as he ran the war effort in Night City. Yorinobu behind his father's back worked with the Japanese Government to nationalize Arasaka, which soon cut off Saburo from Kei costing them the war.

2023
In the immediate aftermath of the nuclear bomb detonation in Arasaka Tower, Saburo met with the man behind the bombing: Johnny Silverhand. Silverhand had been captured by Adam Smasher during his escape from the Tower, and was evacuated before the nuke went off. Saburo had Silverhand's mind copied with Soulkiller, killing him. The copy was later inserted into the Relic. The true identities of the perpetrators of the bombing were covered up.

2045
After the death of his son, Kei, the Arasaka Corporation became under the nominal control of Saburo once again. Though he kept the face of corporation under his eldest daughter Hanako Arasaka. As of the 2040s, there were three major factions struggling to come out on top. All the while hoping that Old Man Saburo, at 126, would eventually hand the crown over to them. The factions at hand were: The Kiji 雉 faction led by Hanako (though controlled by Saburo), The Taka 鷹 faction led by Yorinobu, and finally the Hato 鳩 faction centered on Michiko (Kei's daughter and Saburo's granddaughter). Despite all wondering who would reign as the next leader of Arasaka, Saburo was hellbent on remaining in control.

2077
Saburo was still alive in 2077 at the age of 158 and remained in firm control of Arasaka, although his daughter Hanako was officially the CEO. His son, Yorinobu, stole the Relic from one of his laboratories because of his long-term rebellion against him. In exchange for the return of the Relic, Yorinobu demanded a personal audience with Saburo at Konpeki Plaza in Night City, their first meeting in decades. Saburo agreed, and arrived at Yorinobu's suite on the same night that the mercenaries V and Jackie Welles infiltrated the hotel to steal the Relic for Evelyn Parker. With the two thieves looking on in secret from a concealed location, Saburo spoke with his son, but Yorinobu snapped and strangled Saburo to death. In a few short moments, the long life of the man renowned and feared around the world as "the Emperor" ended.

Yorinobu moved quickly to consolidate control of Arasaka, and blamed Saburo's murder on Takemura, Saburo's bodyguard. Word of Saburo's death reached the public within minutes; officially, Arasaka claimed his unexpected demise was attributed to natural causes.

Ambitions
Saburo by 2020 held the unofficial title of the most powerful man on the planet. The Arasaka lineage consisted of noble samurai, Saburo because of this is incredibly proud and honorable, and after his humiliating defeat in WW2 he vowed to restore his honor by seppuku. His unsuccessful attempt on August 15th 1945, during Emperor Hirohito's surrender speech to the nation, made him realize that Japan would never become the militaristic power it once was, but rather it could evolve into an economical and commercial power that could rule East Asia once again and possibly the world. Saburo began to study to one-day take control over his fathers company and to use his vast amounts of wealth to catapult the Arasaka Corporation onto the world stage.

Saburo strived for perfection and studied at the top University of Tokyo, Todai, he graduated with expertise in economics, business, politics, and various others. He is one of the smartest men on the planet. Saburo is also very nationalistic, more importantly he hates most countries and cultures. More specifically Saburo hates the United States for humiliating him in the war. He rarely ever leaves Japan. Saburo uses three key areas of his company as tools to further his plans: the security division, the bank and the secretive black operations.

Within a month of his fathers passing black operations such as blackmail, bribery, extortion, assassination and abduction were already underway. These black operations usually uncovered dirt on important figures such as politicians, celebrities and other corporate types, which Saburo uses against them—never for money—but for influence and information. As well as these black operations the company uses its security division to steal information from its own clients, who it had sworn to protect. The corporation has never been caught and the data stolen is not sold on for profit, but rather for Saburo to use the trends in the data to influence business decisions for the most profitable outcome. The bank is primarily used as a bargaining tool against other corporations that may be failing and need a previous load to stay afloat, but it has been known to be used for money laundering between Arasaka and the dummy corporations it owns.

Parents

 * Sasai Arasaka – Father (Deceased)
 * Yui Arasaka - Mother (Deceased)

Spouses

 * Michiko Arasaka - Third Wife (Deceased)
 * Ayako Arasaka - Second Wife (Rumored)
 * Naomi Arasaka - First wife (Rumored)

Children

 * Kei Arasaka – Eldest Son (Deceased)
 * Hanako Arasaka – Daughter
 * Yorinobu Arasaka – Youngest Son

Grandchildren

 * Michiko Arasaka - Granddaughter