Empire of Great Japan (6.0)

The Empire of Japan has found herself granted a odd hand by faith in the aftermath of the Trinity Flood Disaster enjoying a higher GDP per Capita than prior to the war and territorial integrity. Three major intuitions of Japan give it legitimacy as a direct continuation of the pre-disaster government:

1. The Emperor(Akihito following the death of Hirohito to old Age)
2. The National Diet(Japanese Parliament)
3. The Imperial General Headquarters

A clear continuance to that of the pre-disaster Japanese State, with many enjoying the fruits of what is for all cases a return to Taisho Democracy. However, the Second World War and the Trinity Disaster has destroyed much of the grand Imperial designs of the Japanese Establishment with many desiring now to only reclaim the full of Japan's Pre-War Possessions with the exception of her Chinese Concessions(not including Taiwan, we still want that) .

With the recent election of the Rikken Seiyūkaito the government of Japan, a return to that pre-disaster norm has remerged partially in government policy with rumors of the final enactment of the Northern Expansion Doctrine becoming more frequent with the collapse of the Soviet State during the Trinity Disaster.

The Murayama Cabinet itself however, has enjoyed widespread support as with the Japanese Economic Boom, Japan has finally fully recovered economically speaking from the devastation in the wake of the Trinity Disaster and reimplemented Child Labor Regulations as well as full public education. However, under pressure from the still pervasive influence of Imperial GHQ and his own leanings as a paternal conservative of the *pro-military* party in the diet, Japan has underwent a large scale remilitarization with increased funding to the armed forces.

For the General Public However, Murayama has pushed far but how much further can Japanese Democracy go? With Taisho Democracy as its known apparently hitting its limits with the public sentiment calling for the repeal of the Peace Preservation Laws or their amendment to be less intrusive and some remaining militarists calling for the reestablishment of the *Taisei Yokusankai, the very same national unity party dissolved by Imperial Decree of the Emperor Showa.*

## History since the Trinity Nuclear Disaster

### The Tojo Cabinet

With Operation Downfall underway by American Forces and increased headway into Japan, the Cabinet had chosen to abandon Tokyo, forcibly moving Emperor Showa with them. The Emperor had refused to move citing his loyalty to the people. Following consultation with several oceanographers and the Keeper of the Imperial Seal Kōichi Kido, it had become apparent that even with the potential of invasion out of the way several individuals had noted rising water levels, with fears of the potential of a mass flood.

Effectively cooerced by the disaster's rising impact, Emperor Showa in a meeting of the *Saikō sensō shidō kaigi,* the details of which were laid out, resulting in the Imperial GHQ, the National Diet, the Imperial Household and the Cabinet deciding to evacuate the city. With the last capital of Japan being Kyoto, it was decided as the new provisional capital till the situation was cleared up in regards to the reports of rising tides and American Advance. However, as the evacuation was to begin, the Emperor Showa had issued orders for the evacuation of the civilian populace of Tokyo as well, the edict of which was suppressed by Tojo in an effort to utilize the populace as a militia alongside troops already stationed in Tokyo to delay American Forces and buy the government time.

As the Imperial Government was settling in Kyoto, it resulted in a heavy rain causing several stragglers to be cut off and forced to either return to Tokyo, find a place to shelter or find a new route. This resulted notably in Nobusuke Kishi being declared missing when soldiers were sent to find him. This led Tojo to become unhinged without the aid of his protege, and his subterfuge. This resulted in increasing authoritarian actions by Tojo, such as placing increased controls around access to the Emperor and his seal besides those already established and arresting Sadao Araki, which undermined his support within the armed forces, as while the Imperial Way Faction had been substantially reduced following the Febuary 26th Incident, many of its supporters still remained.

As increased opposition began to build, which reached its Apex when Tojo utilizing the National Protection Law attempted to arrest Saitō Takao in the Imperial Diet. Saitō Takao had always been a consistent opponent to the war, and a leading conservative, who despite intensive censorship and increased government intervention against politicians had maintained a clean reputation, supported universal male suffrage and constitutionalism. In short, Takao reflected the pre-war attitude of Japan, and surprisingly despite the tide of militarism sweeping Japan and his own expulsion from the diet had been reelected by his constituents. Takao's arrest has been viewed a massive catalyst for the Showa Restoration.

Following the arrest several locals of Hyogo Prefecutre had arrived to demand the release of Takao, which was met with gunfire and mass arrests by Tojo. The incident resulted in riots Hyogo Prefecture leading to further deaths. Despite these calls, Tojo still maintained the strong backing of the army and the *Kenpeitai* concentrated in the recently arrived Kwantung Army.

### The Showa Restoration

The event that became known as the Showa Restoration began with the diet's effort to issue a Resolution calling for the resignation of Tojo from the Prime-Ministership in light of both military failures and his harsh crackdowns. With these efforts underway Tojo decided to appeal to the one Authority who could prevent such a scandal from unseating him, Emperor Showa. Upon arrival at the acting Imperial Residence, Tojo was advised to resign by the Emperor, however given the defacto Ceremonial Role that existed it was not extended to an outright removal of office.

Tojo chose against following the Emperor Showa's Advice, and instead began preparations for his coup, due to the poor state of communications and the use of proxies, the orders fell into the hands of Admiral Takagi, an active conspirator against Tojo, who had been planning his assassination since 1942, unsure of whether such a coup had Imperial Approval given the ommision by Tojo of the Imperial Household, he requested a meeting with the Lord of the Privy Seal, Kido. Kido upon being asked about the position of the Imperial Household and the Emperor in regards to Tojo, reaffirmed that the Emperor had indeed advised Tojo to stepdown. The details of the coup, were then laid out by Admiral Takagi, and a plot to prepare a countercoup was put in motion.

Kido, and Emperor Showa utilizing their proxy in the form of Makino Nobuaki, the former Lord of the Privy Seal, reached out to the navy and army leaking what the advisement of Emperor Showa had been and the plot by Tojo to both unseat the diet and purge several members of both organizations.

Tojo on the night of February 8th 1946 was summoned to the Imperial Residence alongside several other members of the government for a meeting of the *Saikō sensō shidō kaigi,* the meeting's official agenda being the reestablishment of communication with Japanese Forces and preparations for a counteroffensive upon consultating with Field Marshall Hata leading the Western Front. However, in reality the meeting's purpose was to keep Tojo isolated and distracted.

Trucks carrying Naval Troops, Imperial Way and Hata's men began their countercoup. Hata's men were tasked with securing the Imperial General Headquarters which was accomplished without resistance, as many officers assumed it to be a changing of the guard. Naval Officers stormed the Kyoto Radio Station, secured the streets with a few other of Hata's Troops and seized the train station. Imperial Way-sympathizers and former members stormed the *Kenpeitai* Headquarters liberating General Sadao. All of these actions were accomplished by 10:00 PM Local Time.

At 10:30, Imperial General Headquarters realized a coup was underway after being prevented from leaving, but got confusing responses from the few troops they could reach. Descriptions of a Naval Coup, a repeat of the February 21st Incident or that Hata had defected to the Americans, and had moved troops to hand the city over to them.

At 11:00, Imperial General Headquarters, General Kuniaki Koiso arrives and inform other Control Faction Officers of the countercoup and Tojo's Planned Coup, several Control Faction officers pledge support to the coup.

At 11:30 Imperial Mechs, and Trucks begin to arrive at the Imperial Residency. No Bloodshed occurs due to the already present Imperial Guard being aligned with the plotters, a cordon is established around the Imperial Residency following confirmation of Tojo remaining in the meeting.

At 12:00, the Emperor Showa demands Tojo's Resignation, Tojo oncemore refuses resulting in an outcry in the chamber. Imperial Guard alert the conspirators of Tojo's Refusal. The chamber is stormed by the Imperial Guard, Tojo surrenders.

At Noon, the next day Tojo is forced to announce his resignation over Radio and shortly afterwards imprisoned. Tojo was later executed over a variety of charges, with all war crimes known to the general public pinned on him, as well as the addition of his refusal to resign despite the calls of both the diet and Emperor.

A few days later, General Kuniaki Koiso is named Prime-Minister of Japan due to support of the coup with his Vice-Prime-Minister being Mitsumasa Yonai, as well as prior experience as Governor of Korea. He is tasked with preparations for negotiation with American Forces, however this does not occur due to the scope of the Trinity Disaster being made apparent when communication is later established. The decision is then made by Kuniaki to instead begin efforts to consolidate forces in preparation for a proper offensive.

However, due to a miscommunication and confusion, several regions fall out of Kyoto's Control assuming that Tojo had killed the Emperor, outright opposition to the war, rice riots, socialist uprisings and even some Warlords.

The Diet however, aids in calming the situation by endorsing the Emperor's actions upon being made aware of the planned coup by Tojo. The long-term impact has seen the reverence of the Emperor return once again, out of genuine popular endorsement rather than tradition or militarist influence, as well as the reinforcement of the Diet's Dominance, due to Imperial Endorsement. In regards to the military, it has seen a waning in the influence of the Imperial Way despite new found popularity as Imperial loyalists due to the general unpopularity of totalitarianism in its western form. With the death of Tojo being a scapegoat for the Imperial Government, the Government as well has whitewashed itself of its pasts crimes, despite the truth being far worst than simply Tojo being responsible. This leads to the gradual disintegration of the Imperial Rule Association, as being deemed a product of Tojo's Authoritarianism rather than a genuine popular movement. The Incident as a whole see's the Emperor reinforce himself as the supreme leader of Japan, but one who due to disinterest, has allowed Democracy to flourish.

### The Showa-Era(A Return to Taisho)

With the end of the war apparently nearing plans were drawn up for the dissolution of the Imperial Rule Assistance Association, which are carried out in the year of 1947. Resulting in the reemergence of the Rikken Seiyūkai( Association of Friends of Constitutional Government), Rikken Minseitō(Constitutional Democratic Party), Shakai Taishūtō(*Social Masses Party).* However, the Shakai Taishūtō having been left as a rump of its former self due to Tojo-era purges would soon be forced to restore its pre-war status quo as a social democratic party having been turned into a weird national socialist monstrosity due to Tojo and expulsion of most of the party leadership. Upon restoration, a purge was carried out of the left wing of the party against the national socialists, many of whom faded into obscurity.

The Fascist Kokumin Dōmei, however started to fade fast with the public support for Totalitarianism beginning to fade, however the party chose to make a major change with the addition of the now retired Sadao Araki joining their ranks in 1955, the movement reinvented itself. Maintaining its support for corporatism(state socialism as it was called in Japan), they joined forces with the incoming retiring Imperial Way Officers with Sadao later becoming electing Party Chairman. The Party moved from Fascism to calling for Imperial Absolutism under the reign of a populist Emperor arguing that the Emperor was being held as a mere figurehead by the continuation of the Meji Oligarchy, who intend to keep the Emperor subordinate onto them.

The Truth is the Imperial Way is right, the Emperor during the course of the Kyoto Government has increasing become isolated and under the sway of the aristocrats of Meji, with the Shimazu clan assuming the leading position. The Imperial Family itself is apathetic and cares little for assuming governance, making such control ever easier to maintain. This Shimazu have in recent years revived the post of Sessho and Kampaku running the state while the Emperor merely studies fish.

Under the Shimazu the Japanese State has begun to prepare for conflict, with many wondering if these upstarts could indeed succeed where the militarists had failed so long ago...

## The Political Scene

### Rikken Seiyūkai( Association of Friends of Constitutional Government)

The Seiyūkai are Japan's' conservative and militarist-aligned party, representing the conservative and statist elements of society. With the fall of Tojo, several members of the control faction had been forced to once more bow to the interest of the diet, and as such has a return of some degree of military support. The Seiyūkai as of now are Japan's ruiling government with the paternal conservative Tomiichi Murayama as Prime-Minister. Advocates a pragmatic approach to Pan-Asianism echoed by the Minseitō, alongside Northern Expansion Doctrine as favored by the Kokumin Dōmei.

### Rikken Minseitō(Constitutional Democratic Party)

The Minseitō, are Japan's Center-left political party ranging from market liberals to social democrats. Having been maintaining their relevancy with aid from the Zaitsabus, the major pacifist movement and those desiring the end of the peace preservation laws. Many believe that the Minseitō are little more than the puppet of Zaitsabus and would fall apart without their aid. Advocates Pragmatic Pan-Asianism/Pan-Asian Federalism.

### Shakai Taishūtō(Social Masses Party)

The only major socialist party in Japan, it calls for Land Reform, the end of the Peace Preservation Laws, pacifism and advocates for the reformation of international institutions. However, due to their ties with the control faction is liable to support Japanese Expansion in Asia. They advocate a peaceful approach to Pan-Asianism.

### Kokumin Dōmei(National Citizens Alliance)

Originally founded as a Fascist Political Party by former Home Minister Adachi Kenzō, Seigō Nakano, and Akira Kazami. The party in recent years has seen a shift to right wing populism starting under ironically Sadao Araki. With it advocating the Emperor moving from a mere ceremonial figure to a populist Emperor who would exert absolute powers with the Imperial Diet ignored, alongside the development of corporatism to curb the Zaitsabus. They also maintain their support for traditional Japanese ways of life, a class-less society(there are no classes/class-collaborationism) and aggressive military expansionism, alongside fanatic Imperial Pan-Asianism(Pan-Asia under the Emperor's Guidance).