Japan

## State of Japan

日本国
*Nippon-koku*

The **State of Japan** is one of the most influential superpowers on Earth, and as such, constitutes one of the strongest centers of political and economic control within the Coalition of Congressional Republics. Only rivaled by the United States of America, the People's Republic of China, and the European Federation, Japan has enshrined itself as an entity that has shaped the course of human history; this has been accomplished through the nation being the origin of several megacorporations (such as the Kanetomi Corporation and Hinata Group), a founding member of the Coalition, and a pioneer in science and technological research. In the modern day, Japan is considered (alongside all other Earth-borne polities) as being on equal footing with entire stellar republics, and is directly represented in the General Congress of the Coalition.

## History

Japan's history within the Coalition of Congressional Republics begins in 2077, when the nation was one of the founding members of the organization following the Second Martian-Terran War and the Solar Peace Accords as a result of being a significant member of the Terran United Nations. Japan was still recovering from the devastation of both World War III and the Second-Martian Terran War at this time; nevertheless, its leaders were determined to make a name for itself in this new era of interstellar politics. It briefly held the capital of the Coalition in Tokyo until the Central Headquarters of the Coalition in Hong Kong was completed in 2084.

One of the key ways Japan accomplished its goals of heightened influence was through its megacorporations, which rapidly became major players in the Coalition's astronomically expanding economic landscape. The Kanetomi Corporation, for example, was one of the first to invest heavily in space exploration, terraformation, and colonization efforts, which allowed Japan to claim significant stakes and dividends in many of the Coalition's early extraplanetary ventures. Similarly, the Hinata Group became known for its cutting-edge technological research, which helped to propel Japan to the forefront of the Coalition's scientific community.

Throughout the first century of the Coalition's existence, Japan continued to solidify its position as a major global power. It played a key role in several major conflicts, including combating novel forms of piracy in the advent of the Planet Rush and mediating the Martian Crisis of the 2110s, helping to prevent a third Martian-Terran War. Japan's astral and terrestrial military might was solidified by becoming the most technologically advanced power on Earth; with the nation's corporations continuing to grow in size and power, its population became some of the wealthiest per-capita and continued to send colonial populations across the novel Periphery. Even so, it was also the origin of many powerful criminal organizations, such as the international yakuza union known as the Four Seas Alliance.

As the years passed, Japan remained a dominant force within the Coalition, but it was not without its challenges. One of the biggest threats to Japan's stability came in the form of the Corporate Wars of the 2230s and 2240s, which saw widespread financial instability and chaos sweep across much of the Coalition's member nations. Japan was hit particularly hard by the crisis due to the destruction and economic damage, and the resulting political and economic upheaval led to several major reforms within the nation's government and corporate structures, further tying itself to megacorporations such as Kanetomi and Hinata as a means of economic assurance.

Despite these challenges, however, Japan emerged from the Corporate Wars stronger than ever. Its child corporations adapted to the new laws, with several Japanese megacorps ascending to the Coalition Corporate Advisory Committee. This new focus would prove to be prescient, as the Coalition continued to expand and face new financial challenges in the decades to come.

In the years leading up to the 26th century, Japan continued to be a major player in the Coalition's affairs. Its corporations and national programs were among the first to invest in long-distance interstellar travel and exploration, which helped to secure Japan's place as a leader in astrocartography. By the end of the 26th century, the Coalition had grown into a massive interstellar empire, with Japan playing a key role in its governance and administration.

Throughout its long and storied history as a founding state of the Coalition, Japan has proven itself to be a resilient and innovative nation, constantly adapting to new challenges and pushing the boundaries. Whether through its megacorporations, its military might, or its scientific and technological innovations, Japan has left an indelible mark on the course of human history, and many see this as a trend for centuries to come.