Kawasaki Clan

## **History**:

### ***Operation Downfall***

The invasion of the American Empire on the Japanese islands was a point that finished a thousand-year history where Japanese territory had never gone into actual danger of being conquered by a foreign barbarian. The Emperor and his ministers had failed the people, the spirit of the nation, and his ancestors. This was clear in the mind of Kawasaki Yoshiro, and it was also probably in the mind of the other family heads of the Zaibatsus.

Of course, not everyone was concerned in the philosophical concerns of the invasion of the Americans but rather in the material concerns that followed such an invasion. Japan had been cut off from the rest of the world, its land was ravaged and its resources almost to the point of exhaustion. The militarists had put Japan on a path of destruction. The economy was, to say the least, destroyed. The Zaibatsus that had tried to follow the quotas of the armed forces had lost much of their manpower, their resources, and industrial know-how. Yet, they did not give up they continued their struggle and moved into the upper territories of Japan to protect these vital industries from the American advance.

The Kawasaki Conglomerate moved north of Sendai, into the coldest territory of Japan in order to continue the manufacturing of aircraft, ships, and guns for the struggle against the Americans. However, the rise in water levels and the continuous refugee waves caused a massive strain on the workshops and infrastructure of the northern regions. It was a miracle that authority and organization kept up even under such duress, however, that would not last very long.

### ***The Failure of the Imperial State***

Then there was silence, at one point the Imperial Government and the Imperial seat stopped sending instructions to the factories of Kawasaki Heavy Industries and many other Zaibatsus. Immediately, the people lost faith and riots began to take place throughout the entire region. Looting, banditry, and warlordism took a hold of the northern prefectures of Japan. The Zaibatsus did their best to reorganize and conserve their strength to weather the storm the best they could.

During this time the head of the Kawasaki family, Kawasaki Yoshiro led a group of IJA forces and militias to maintain and restore order to the city of Morioka. First, came securing energy, water, and food for the city all of which took much effort and even then harsh rationing to ensure that as many useful people could be put to work in expanding the agricultural and industrial efforts of the Kawasaki conglomerate in Morioka. Quickly, other Zaibatsu families followed through in the northern regions putting together small militias and using their technical knowledge to bring back some of the luxuries of the modern world such as electricity, clean water, and heating during winter.

Just as the snow fell into the north, so came fell the silence upon that region. But it was a peaceful silence, at least, more peaceful than the stressful days of the war against America. Kawasaki Yoshiro already old and frail entrusted that peace to his son and heir, Kawasaki Akitmitsu. He taught him to seek efficiency, honesty and to remember that this escape from anarchy had not been achieved by the Emperor or any divinity but by the hand of intellectuals and educated people. The path to the future is found only in the strength of knowledge, a knowledge that carries with it heavy responsibility.

### ***The Zaibatsu Resurgence***

The arrival of news from the south of Japan was welcomed by the Zaibatsu families, it meant that Japan was recovering but it was quickly realized that the future of Japan had branched into many different paths. After all, the people had lost focus and had gone their own ways to survive. Nobody could blame them, but the northern Zaibatsus knew that they were in the right. Their ways had allowed them to survive and thrive, they would not be changing their ways for those of fascist party officials or of corrupt democracy. Instead, they strived to make their own path led by a few, yes, but those few had all the necessary skills to restore the land to its former prosperity and that was all that mattered.

The various Zaibatsus organized around strong family heads and loyal subordinates worked hard and in unison through the establishment of familial ties and a council system. For a while, this worked well and infrastructure throughout the region was rebuilt and even improved, agricultural yields rose to levels close to pre-war ones and the population began to grow instead of stagnating.

Yet, the way of the council soon turned into a tool of stagnation. One that Kawasaki Akitmitsu could not and would not tolerate. He was determined to continue the growth and prosperity that his father had secured for this land and soon he found other determined minds to join him in this endeavor. Soon he founded the party of Progressive Order and pushed for a limited democratic reform that would allow all those educated and skilled workers of the Zaibatsus to vote for a legislature with limited power. This was all a play for power, of course, and soon Kawasaki Akitmitsu was the leader and sole member of the Zaibatsu council. Thus beginning a new era for the Kawasaki Clan.

### ***The Kawasaki Rise***

Kawasaki Akitmitsu supported by the influential middle class of the Progressive Order pushed for radical reforms that altered the way that the government worked. First of all, they abolished the council and began to call themselves after the regional lords of old. Akitmitsu was no longer a simple man but a daimyo.

He enacted popular measures such as extending and promoting education up to the secondary levels and ensuring that the government was run through a heavily meritocratic method. He established a proper civil code and equal rights for men and women. After all, for him, his subjects were all human resources in potential, a potential that needed to be fully exploited for Japan to shine again.

Perhaps one of the grandest achievements of Kawasaki Akitmitsu was the establishment of the Kawasaki Internal Bureau, a police officer that was nothing at all like the Kempetai of old but rather a professional force that would maintain order within his land. Yet, it seems that his dream is still far away. The aircraft and shipbuilding industries that Kawasaki once prided itself upon are not yet at adequate levels, however, Kawasaki Akitmitsu believes that once the foundations are set. The establishment of the Kawasaki airforce and navy as proper forces will be achieved. In the meantime, much is to be done in teaching the people of his territories in the ways of science and understanding.