Japan’s Secret Agenda Exposed in Solo Leveling

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Summary

  • Japan aided South Korea in the Jeju Island Raid to avoid potential attacks and collaborated to defeat the ants.
  • However, Japan’s hidden motive was to betray South Korea, use their help, and claim credit for the victory.
  • Ultimately, Japan’s plan failed when Goto was killed by the Ant King, and Jin-Woo intervened to save South Korea.

The events of the ‘Solo Leveling‘ series’ Jeju Island Raid Arc unfolded when Japanese Hunt teams chose to collaborate with South Korean counterparts. The operation proceeded smoothly until an imposing adversary emerged, causing disarray. It was later revealed that Japan’s participation in the raid had a hidden agenda, as their losses exposed.

The Raid Operation was a collaborative effort between Japanese and South Korean hunter groups. Previously, South Korea found themselves underpowered against the ant threat, but Japan’s assistance brought 10 elite S-Rank Hunters into their armory. When the Ant King emerged, it swiftly began eliminating S-Rank Hunters on the spot. This deadly encounter prompted the Japanese hunter group to unveil their secret strategies.

Why Did Japan Help South Korea?

Also at the Risk of Danger

Regardless if Japan had a secret motive or not, assisting South Korea turned out to be in their best interest. Being so near to Jeju Island made Japan vulnerable too. If they hadn’t acted, the ants would have eventually reached them and caused significant harm. Despite several unsuccessful attempts, it was clear that South Korea couldn’t handle the threat by itself.

Japan’s Hidden Objective

In the events portrayed in Season 2, Episode 11 of Solo Leveling, it became apparent that Japan’s primary intention was to enlist South Korea’s assistance in managing the Jeju Island Raid and then claim sole credit for it. This revelation unfolded during the Raid when Goto Ryuji received a call from Matsumoto Shigeo, the head of the Japanese Hunters Association. As they observed their own casualties and recognized that South Korean Hunters were likely to perish as well, Matsumoto urged the Japanese Hunters to withdraw promptly.

In simpler terms, they chose to let the South Korean Hunters struggle while prioritizing their own safety. Additionally, they intended to reattack the island at a later time, aiming to be the ones who successfully defeated a top-tier Gate and received recognition for it. This was the plan as revealed in Chapter 100 of Solo Leveling Manhwa.

We’ve successfully accomplished our final objective, “The elimination of South Korea’s elite forces, the S-Ranks”. Now it’s time for us to withdraw from that location.

– Matsumoto Shigeo, Chapter 100

How Did Japan Plan to Execute Its Goal?

In devising the strategy for the Raid, the Japanese Hunters proposed a risky move. Their idea was to expend their mana to lure most of the ants towards them, thereby allowing the South Korean Hunters to destroy the entire nest.

However, their strategy was actually a clever one; they aimed to lure the less dangerous ants towards them, while keeping the lethal ones for the South Korean Hunters. In his chat with Ryuji, Matsumoto confided that their objective was simply to eliminate the evolved variants to reduce potential risks.

Goto Ryuji’s Personal Goal

In Chapter 100 of the Manhwa, it was disclosed that all Japanese troops deployed were members from the Draw Sword Guild, known as Hunters. This implies that Goto might also stand to benefit by taking such drastic measures. Interestingly, Japan’s efforts to aid South Korea were not just altruistic; they aimed to help Goto reach the prestigious rank of a Nation Level Hunter. However, it is worth noting that Goto has yet to meet the prerequisite for this rank – successfully completing an S-Rank dungeon.

The following section is a spoiler from the Solo Leveling Manhwa

Will Japan Succeed?

Previously, the Ant King had defeated numerous Japanese hunters. However, as they were preparing to withdraw, it encountered Goto’s group. Overconfident in his abilities, Goto declared himself the king that the Ant King was seeking and boldly challenged it. Unfortunately for him, the Ant King proved to be far stronger than Goto had imagined, effortlessly taking Goto’s life. This tragic encounter effectively ended Goto’s aspirations of reaching the National Level of hunting.

Moreover, it was Jin-Woo’s striking presence that prevented South Korea from being overshadowed by Japan in the Hunter’s salvation, thereby thwarting Japan’s claim to sole credit. Consequently, Japan’s schemes crumbled disastrously, leaving them with a severely depleted defense force, rendering them highly exposed and defenseless.

Japanese Hunters who died at Jeju Island

Goto Ryuji S-Rank
Akari Shimizu S-Rank
Kenzo Tanaka S-Rank
Tatsumi Fujishima S-Rank
Mari Ishida S-Rank
Ippei Izawa S-Rank
Kei S-Rank

The intricately crafted universe of Solo Leveling underscores the fact that even in the presence of magical creatures, one of humanity’s greatest perils remains self-inflicted. With the majority of its Hunter force depleted, it remains to be seen how Japan will navigate and manage the ongoing risk posed by Gates.

Solo Leveling is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.

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2025-03-20 21:26