Empire of Manchuria

The **Empire of Manchuria**, also known as **Empire of Great Manchuria**, is a Japanese puppet state in the north-east of China. They border Chita and Amur to the north, Japanese Korea to the south, the Mengjiang United Autonomous Government to the west and the Republic of China to the south-west. They are a member of the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere.

## History

Born out of a 1932 Japanese land-grab, the Empire of Manchukuo sits firmly as the crown jewel of Japan’s Co-Prosperity Sphere. Manchukuo is by far the most industrialized nation in the Sphere and hosts a diverse population of Manchu, Mongol, Han, Russian, Korean, and Japanese peoples working under one Union. The true situation is one of contrasts. The cities are distinctly Japanese in style and storefronts peddle Japanese goods to Japanese, Manchu and Han occupants. Outside of urban centers, Japanese settlers do not fare well. Despite many attempts by the Japanese government to pacify the countryside, Japanese farmers face intermediate harassment by rebellious Han and Mongol rebels. Communities remain a hegemony, defined by race and wealth alike.

The collapse of the USSR allowed the Kwantung Army to occupy the Amur coastline and incorporate it into the Empire of Manchukuo. Though officially annexed and *de jure* administered with Manchu names, the Amur territories remain lawless and largely untouched. The largest community, Vladivostok, was annexed by Japan as a warm-water port, leaving the rest of Outer Manchuria to Manchukuo. The majority-Russian region is largely disconnected from the Manchurian government and receives little investment from Hsinking. Manchukuo has the option of either sending colonists into the region (expecting moderate success) or retaining the coastline’s autonomy and using the territory as a bargaining chip with a powerful Russian warlord.

The Kwantung Army, de facto based out of Ryojun, operates as Japan’s primary garrison in Manchukuo. Infamous for initiating the 1932 invasion of Manchuria, three decades later the army still maintains a prominent presence in the security of Manchukuo. The army’s utilization of the northern flatlands for operations and weapons testing placates the leadership well enough, but should the government of Manchukuo alter the deal, there could be trouble.

## Situation

Manchuria is on a web of tightropes: it must balance Tokyo's interests, keeping them content and funneling resources into Manchuria, whilst also legitimizing the state to its people, something which has been neglected severely, placating the pillars of government whilst keeping the interest groups in check.

### Pillars of Government

Manchuria's stability is maintained by the three Pillars of Government: the Concordia Association, the Manchurian general Affairs Council, and the Military. These Pillars have varying amounts of power and have different cliques and factions within them competing for dominance. To maintain stability and the state itself, the Pillars of Government must be placated into at least contentment.

The Concordia Association was formed by a group of people who, whilst having different and conflicting goals and interests, cooperated to preserve their position and status. The Association became the ruling and only significant party of Manchuria. Its purpose was to give non-Japanese a voice in government and regulate legislation, whilst in practice were reduced to a meaningless rubber stamp and its individuals became figureheads. However, after the Pacific War and the death of Hideki Tojo, the Association has grabbed more and more authority, left by the apathetic Aisin Gioro Puyi and the divided Japanese. This has been encouraged by the rising star Aisin-Gioro Yuyan, a cousin of the emperor. Now the Association wields true power, and has taken an interest in Manchuria's succession. There are two factions in the Concordia: the Japanophiles, led by bureaucrats from the Pan-Asian cities of Hsinking, Mukden and Harbin, and the Sovereignists, led by Puyi's relatives, namely Aisin Gioro Yuyan, Gobulo Runqi, and Aisin Gioro Puije, supported by native collaborators and former members of anti-Japanese groups like the Northeastern National Salvation Comittee, and wish to achieve better terms with Tokyo and Manchurian bureaucracy, though its leaders have familial disputes with each other.

The Manchurian General Affairs Council is meant to be a mere advisory body, providing bureaucratic and technical experience, however are the true force behind Manchuria's legislation, formed in their informal and unassuming 'Wednesday Meetings'. They aren't normal colonial bureaucrats: they are the Reform Bureaucrats, bureaucrats who wish and dream to create a ruthlessly efficient bureaucracy and economy centered around resources rather than financial capital, to serve the Pan-Asian cause. Yet the bleeding edge of the 1930s is not that of the 60s, and there is no war to serve anymore. The Manchurian System has become bloated and inefficient, and much is needed to be done to claim the dream of years ago.

The Kwantung Army are the true rulers of Manchuria. Their purpose, originally to serve as a mere garrison on the South Manchurian Railway, has now morphed into a counterinsurgency army and manipulating the government into servitude. However, recent events have undermined their power. When the Imperial Manchurian Army was integrated into the Kwantung Army's command structure, meant to keep the Manchurians on a tighter leash, backfired by the resulting ascension of reformist figures, fracturing the army into two factions: the Orthodox Faction led by Katakura Tadashi, which dominates the army and is connected to the Innovationists of the General Affairs Council due to the influence of Nobusuke Kishi, and the Manchurian Faction, heir to the National Mobilization Faction led by Matsumura Tomokatsu and Ikeda Sumihasa, though it has moved away from their vision of a socialist-state driven economy with the accession of Sejima Ryuzo and his collaborators and links to the Wada faction of the General Affairs Council.

### Interest Groups

The **Interest Groups** of Manchuria are factions that whilst not having a direct role in the government are competed over the Pillars for support.

The Manchurian Industrial Development Corporation was created from the vision of the Reform Bureaucrats and dominates every part of Manchurian economic life, as was intended, so that resources wouldn't be lost to the Zaibatsus and would instead serve the state. The Corporation has done just that, and has become an industrial powerhouse comparable to the German megacorporations like Reichswerke or IG Farben. However, the Corporation is built for a war economy; now that there are no wars to be fought, the Corporation bloats and has proven sluggish in adapting. Whilst all know the need for reform, many are careful to change something so vital to the Sphere.

The People of Manchuria are totally alienated from the Manchurian state, not being cared for but instead are sent to the factories, with those who resist being made examples of. However, the state must also placate them to the point that they don't join the various partisan groups or resort to the old Manchu tradition of banditry.

The Manchurian Imperial Police are a loyal dog of the Kwantung Army and serve the state loyally. The police are also extremely corrupt, extorting civilians for bribes, much like in the State of Guangdong, and participate in other crimes like the opium trade. The Police are left unpunished, as none may do so without the permission of their master, the Kwantung Army, and also are a moderating influence on the Army itself. However, as corruption has escalated to the point it is even embarrassing the Kwantung general staff, there has been discussion about making the competent Commissioner of Police, Yu Jingtao, conduct a general investigation of corruption and crime in the force, though it is rumored Yu himself is involved as well.

## In-game

Early in the game, Konstantin Rodzaevsky will request the return of his home town of Blagoveshchensk. Since the area still has a Russian majority and is overrun with bandits, the Japanese are more than happy to accept. Rodzaevsky will subsequently rename the town (then called Hailanpao) to Rodzaevsk after himself (although he will not move the capital of Amur). However, if Amur loses the oncoming Smuta, the Kwantung Army will initiate a border war with whoever reunited the Russian Far East to retake the Blagoveshchensk concessions and reintegrate them back in Manchuria.