大日本海国Dai Nippon Kaikoku Thalassocracy of Greater Japan (大日本海国,
Dai Nippon Kaikoku)
Majority/Official Culture : Japanese
Territorial Core : Japanese home islands, Ryukyu Islands, Alaska, Kuril Islands, Kamchatka Peninsula, Sakhalin, Taiwan, Hawaii, Micronesia, Guam, Mariana Islands, Nanpō Islands, Minamitori Island and the Philippines.
Territorial Claim : Fiji, Tonga, Solomon Islands, New Zealand, Yukon Territory, Pacific Northwest.
Capital City : Kyoto
Population : 41.9 million (27.1 million for the home islands; 14.8 million in colonies).
Government Type : Ceremonial diarchy under traditionalist hereditary dictatorship
Government Ideology/Policies : Imperialism, mercantilism, traditionalism, Confucianism
Government Focus : Economic growth, maintaining dominant position in the north Pacific, colonial expansion.
Head of State : Their Imperial Majesties, the Emperors of the Northern and Southern Courts.
Head of Government : Her Highness the Imperial Regent, Lady Toyotomi Hinami.
Government Description : The ultimate fount of all authority is considered to be the two co-emperors of Japan, who rule by virtue of their descent from the sun deity, Amaterasu-Omikami. In practice, however, authority is exercised by the Toyotomi clan as imperial regents or
kampaku. There are two parallel governments within the Japanese Empire- one for the home islands of the Japanese people, referred to as
Yamatokoku (大和国), and one for the overseas empire, known as the state of the sea or
Kaikoku (海国), often translated as
thalassocracy. Since all relations with tributary and barbarian states is dealt with by the
Kaikoku-seifu (海国政府), the thalassocratic government, the latter is generally recognised as the relevant sovereign entity by foreign powers who refer to Japan in formal terms as 大日本海国,
Dai Nippon Kaikoku. The supreme head of both governments is the
kampaku (関白), meaning civil dictator or regent. The government of
Yamatokoku consists of the Council of State, the
Daijō-kan (太政官), and the Eight Ministries. In practice the imperial regent generally deals mostly with the affairs of the
Kaikoku, whilst the Chancellor of the Realm (
Daijō-daijin, 太政大臣), an official appointed by the regent, heads the administration of the
Yamatokoku. The
Kaikoku-seifu is formed of three secretariats, the Secretariat of Martial Affairs, the Secretariat of External Relations and the Secretariat of Civil Administration. The first oversees the defence of the Japanese empire; the second deals with foreign affairs, and the last is responsible for appointing colonial officials, collecting revenue and overseeing the implementation of justice outside the home islands. Each is headed by a secretary appointed by the regent.
Majority/State Religion : Most Japanese practise a combination of Shinto, Buddhism and Confucianism.
Economic Ideologies : Mercantilism
Major Production : Coal, steel, foodstuffs, luxury goods such as tea, silk and furniture
Economic Description : Japan has one of the strongest economies in the world. It is an industrialised power, the second in East Asia after Korea, and dominates maritime commerce in the Pacific. Much of Japan's colonial expansion has been driven by the need to fuel industrialisation by acquiring new sources of fossil fuels, which are scarce in the home islands. Japan is also a major producer of many luxury and manufactured goods. The government has an interventionist approach to economics, maintaining a close relationship with the powerful merchant clans that control most of the economy. Protectionist and mercantilist policies are in place to encourage production within the empire and reduce the outflow of wealth from importing foreign goods. The basics of a welfare state are beginning to be implemented, based on Confucian ideals of reciprocal loyalty between lords (employers) and servants (employees), and prompted by unrest at the poor conditions faced by workers.
Army Strength : 822,560 troops strong, efficiently organised and fanatically loyal. Japanese culture promotes courage in battle and troops would rather die than surrender to the enemy.
Army Weakness : The officer class, largely drawn from old samurai families, remain highly conservative in outlook and are yet to fully accept modern military doctrine and reconcile it with the samurai warrior code, whilst the rank-and-file are largely made up of ill-equipped and poorly-trained conscripts. Japan's army suffers from a lack of cavalry and artillery.
Naval Strength : The Imperial Japanese Navy (日本海軍,
Nippon Kaigun) is the largest and best funded naval force in East Asia. Its newest ships are among the world's most technologically advanced, and the Japanese have a strong naval tradition with a well established, tried and tested naval doctrine.
Naval Weakness : Decades of complacency have eroded the technological edge of Japan's fleets, with many ships being somewhat outdated, and it will take time to fully replace them with newer classes. Additionally many of the navy's officers achieved their position by birth rather than through merit, and are untested in a real battle scenario.
Further Military Description : TBA
National Goals : To consolidate Japan's position as the main naval power of east and southeast Asia, whilst expanding into Australasia and North America.
National Issues : Japan faces the challenge of modernising its large but increasingly outdated fleets, end its diplomatic isolation by securing new alliances, strengthen its army in order to defend and expand its continental possessions. Additionally, the Thalassocracy faces factionalism amongst the ruling elites at home and the threat of insurgency from its colonies.
National Figures of Interest : - Emperor of the Southern Court (南朝天皇, Nanchō Tennō): Personal name Yutanari (寛成). 58 years old. The older of Japan's co-sovereigns, Yutanari was known in his youth for his profligacy and inattention to study, preferring to spend time gambling, hunting and pursuing women. However his attitudes have changed with age, and he has become increasingly conservative, adopting an ascetic lifestyle and performing his obligations as emperor with dutiful devotion. Maintains a strictly Confucian court with close attention to protocol, but also a deeply devoted Zen Buddhist. His era name is Shōzū (正崇), meaning "upright and honourable."
- Emperor of the Northern Court (北朝天皇, Hokuchō Tennō): Personal name Kenshō (賢章). 19 years old. The younger of Japan's co-sovereigns, only a year into his reign following the abdication of his grandfather. Bright, idealistic and open-minded, the Northern Emperor is known to be pro-reform whilst remaining a devoted Confucian. Although dutiful he is more inclined to question the established way of doing things than his southern counterpart. His era name is Shōkyō (昌慶), meaning "prosperous and jubilant."
- Toyotomi Hinami (豊臣日南): 31 years old. The first woman to hold the title of kampaku, Lady Hinami is the daughter of previous imperial regent Toyotomi Hatsuo. She succeeded him as regent due to the lack of male heirs, with her father asking for and being granted a special edict approved by both emperors allowing the position to be filled by a woman in order to secure her legitimacy. Her husband, Toyotomi Motozane, is the head of a junior branch of the Toyotomi clan, although said branch broke off from the main line some 200 years ago, meaning the couple are not closely related. Their marriage was arranged to secure the Toyotomi clan's control of the office of regent. Charming and cultured, Hinami has proven a capable leader, embodying the ideal of the Yamato-Nadeshiko; a proper lady with a streak of iron. Her rule has been characterised by cautious reform and an increasingly ambitious and assertive foreign policy.
National Ambition/Aspirations : To become the leader of a politically and economically dominant coalition of countries under East Asian cultural influence, pursuing a civilising mission amongst the barbarians of the world.
Hakkō ichiu.
History : TBA.
Comparison Points – Political : 2
Comparison Points – Cultural/Religious : 2
Comparison Points – Economy : 5
Comparison Points – Military : 3
Total Comparison Points used : 13/13
Posted: Fri Dec 30, 2016 10:53 am
