Japan (Cherry, Plum, and Chrysanthemum)



Japan (Japanese: 妙味 Myōmi; formally 大妙味民国 Dai-Myomi Minkoku; literally Greater Japanese Republic; officially Republic of Japan  ) is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, Korea Peninsula and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south.

Its previous official name is Dai-Nihon Sokoku or Dai-Nippon Sokoku (Japanese: 大日本祖国; literally Greater Japanese Fatherland; officially State of Japan). But after the World War II, the National Congress of Japan regulated the change of Japan's name in 1946. The "Nihon" name of Japan replaced by its unofficial name, "Myomi" and its official name became Dai-Myomi Minkoku (Japanese: 大妙味民国; literally Greater Myomi Republic; officially Republic of Japan).

"Myomi" (means "charming" in Japanese) is the name of the small village located 81 km north of Minkyo where the Imperial Army signed the Instrument of Surrender to the Revolutionary Army in 16 May 1930. This name became the unofficial name for Japan from 1931 to 1946 in the similar manner with Germany's Weimar Republic.

Japan is an archipelago of 6,852 islands. The five largest islands are Honshū, Hokkaidō, Kyūshū, Shikoku and Takasago (Taiwan), together accounting for ninety-seven percent of Japan's land area. Japan has the world's tenth-largest population, with over 150 million people. The Greater Minkyo Area, which includes the de facto capital city of Minkyo and several surrounding prefectures, is the largest metropolitan area in the world, with over 30 million residents.

Imperial Restoration era (1854-1930)
On March 31, 1854, Commodore Matthew Perry and the "Black Ships" of the United States Navy forced the opening of Japan to the outside world with the Convention of Kanagawa. Subsequent similar treaties with Western countries in the Bakumatsu period brought economic and political crises. The resignation of the shogun led to the Boshin War and the establishment of a centralized state nominally unified under the Emperor (the Meiji Restoration). Adopting Western political, judicial and military institutions, the Cabinet organized the Privy Council, introduced the Meiji Constitution, and assembled the Imperial Diet. The Meiji Restoration transformed the Empire of Japan into an industrialized world power that pursued military conflict to expand its sphere of influence. After victories in the First Sino-Japanese War (1894–1895) and the Russo-Japanese War (1904–1905), Japan gained control of Taiwan, Korea, and the southern half of Sakhalin. Japan's population grew from 35 million in 1873 to 70 million in 1935.

Japan entered World War I in 1914, seizing the opportunity of Germany's distraction with the European War to expand its sphere of influence in China and the Pacific. Japan declared war on Germany on August 23, 1914. Japanese and allied British Empire forces soon moved to occupy Tsingtao fortress, the German East Asia Squadron base, German-leased territories in China's Shandong Province as well as the Marianas, Caroline, and Marshall Islands in the Pacific, which were part of German New Guinea. The Siege of Tsingtao and a swift invasion in the German territory of Jiaozhou (Kiautschou), proved successful and the colonial troops surrendered on November 7, 1914. Japan then gained the German holdings.

By the early of 1920s, the country experienced a brief period of "Taishō democracy" overshadowed by increasing expansionism and militarization which resulted into the public unrest from the left-wing movement

Five Years of Japanese Civil War (1925-1930)
On 15 March 1925, rebellion broke out in Niigata among the local farmers. This rebellion soon organized by the left-wing movement, led by Nationalist Party (Kokuminto).

The Fatherland Worker and Peasant People’s Army (Sōkoku No'min'rodogun) formed in 27 March 1925, led by Lieutenant Imada Matsutaka as the military wing of the Nationalist and its coalition parties. The Nationalists, led by Nagayama Yoshida pushed for social revolution modeled after Russian Revolution of 1917. The revolution spread throughout Japan, and participants seized military and civil powers in individual cities. The power takeover was achieved everywhere without loss of life and control was firmly in the hands of the largest political party, the Nationalists.

Nevertheless, the rebellion caused great concern around military elements of government for its establishment and the Imperial Government reacted by the sent the troops to suppress the revolutionaries in early April. The revolutionaries and the imperialists fought a protracted battle in Tohoku and and Niigata known as the Battle of Sakurayama that would last until 10 April 1925.

The Battle of Sakurayama marked the beginning the Japanese Civil War between the revolutionaries and the imperial government which would lasted from April 1925 until May 1929. The revolutionaries itself composed by the Japanese republicans, leftists and social democrats and the Korean independent fighters who promised by the Nationalists for restored Korean independence if the revolution succeeded.

Emperor Taisho’s death in 1926 led the power vacuum in Imperial side. The moderate and more liberal faction of the Imperialists: Shidehara Kijūrō, Etsu Hōtori, Ozaki Yukio and Baron Makoto Ikeda proposed the constitutional amendment to altered the Imperial Government into British-like system with Emperor as mere figurehead of the nation.

The radicals refused the proposal and accused its as “the deviation of the Imperial tradition”. But, the moderates already gained majority in government and for the first (and only time), Imperial Diet amended the Meiji Constitution. Shidehara became the new Prime Minister in 23 August 1927, but failed to maintained the order again.

The People's Army successfully defeats the Imperial Army in Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, Kyushu in 27 April 1930. Prime Minister Shidehara agreed to ceasefire and signed the Instrument of Surrender in Myomi hamlet on 16 May 1930. The provisional revolutionary government, led by Etsu Hotori effectively take over the control over the nation on May 20

First Republic era (1931-1942)
main article, see: First Republic of Japan

After the defeat of Imperial Japan forces by the Revolutionary forces on April 27, 1930, the revolutionary coalition formed a provisional government in Osaka with Etsu Hotori as the head of government. The provisional government ruled the country from May 1930 to February 1931.

The new republican government of Japan proclaimed on February 16, 1931 and the new republican constitution had been promulgated by the first National Congress on February 18. It established a single-party state system under the Nationalist Party of Japan.

Under the new government, Japan subsequently introduced many radical reforms included the abolition of noble titles, the nationalization of all zaibatsu companies, industries, and banks, the abolition of State Shinto and the simplification of national language

The Republic also tried to restores the good relationship with China and Korea. With China, Japan agreed to ceasefire and ultimately ended the Sino-Japanese War in March 1931. Japan also negotiates with Korean independence activists and resulted the give the Korean the rights of self-government in July 1931.

With the introduction of Great Economic Plan in 1932, Japan economy recovered and maintain its status as the leading economy power in Asia

World War II (1939-1945)
for main article, see: Fascist Japan

Since 1932, President Yoshida conducted Japan to embrace the peaceful foreign policy and ended all offensive policy to made the Republic into the neutral nation. But, despite his internationalistic socialist nature, Dr. Yoshida is a prominent supporter of Pan-Asianism. He belief the socialist world only can be achieved by the equal status between the Western and the Eastern world, and to realized it, the Asia must united under one roof and strengthening their own social-economic power, free from the Western imperialism

When Nazi Germany started the invasion to Poland at the end of 1939 and resulted the Second World War in Europe, the Party radical right wing faction, led by the head of Peasantry Protection Committee, Nakano Seigo view this event as the chance for the realization of Pan-Asianism. But, the left-wing and the centre faction of the Party against the idea and accuses its as the “new Japan imperialism”. The Party Central Committee meeting of December 1939 filled by heated debates about the possibility of Japan entry to the war

Due the success of the Great Economic Plan, Japan re-expanded its national arms industry at the middle of 1930s. By 1939, the weapons, artilleries and tanks productions of Japan reached its peak and the Japanese Army was the largest armies in Asia and Pacific.

The Party right-wingers pressured President Yoshida to fulfills the Pan-Asianism idea by joined the Germany in the war with Europe. At first, President refused, but the rightists threatened by plan will boycott the National Party Congress in 1942. The left-wingers soon formed the Anti-War Opposition to oppose the right-winger threat and demands.

Afraid of the Party internal disunity, President convened the Council of Ministers immediately. PM Yoshinohe agree to step down from his office and after the New Year plenum of the Congress, Nakano Seigo appointed as the new office holder in 5 January 1940

The leftists protested and situation turned chaotic. The left-winger and centre formed the Joint Opposition, led by Hōtori Etsu. At the mass meeting in January 18, 1940, Hotori called for the resignation of Nakano from his recent position to the citizens

The Opposition then organized a nation-wide general strikes which threatened the national economy situation. As the act of moral responsibility, Nagayama Yoshida step down as Party Politburo member, but retain his position as the Party Congress Chairman and as the President of the Republic.

As result, Dr. Yoshida position become powerless and made the rightist gained a chance to take over the national government. Under PM Nakano leadership, Japan formed the alliance with Germany and Italy with the signing of Tripartite Pact in 27 September 1940. On 1 Oktober 1940, Japan declared the war to British Empire and France, and then also Netherland who colonized the South and Southeast Asia.

With the occupation of French Indochina in the years of 1940–41, the United States placed embargoes on Japan of strategic materials such as scrap metal and oil, which were vitally needed for the war effort. The Japanese were faced with the option of either withdrawing the Southeast Asia campaign and losing face or seizing and securing new sources of raw materials in the resource-rich, European-controlled colonies of South East Asia—specifically British Malaya and the Dutch East Indies (modern-day Indonesia).

The ultranationalist faction of the military, led by Lieutenant General Fukuda Shogi advising PM Nakano to advanced the action and declared the war to United States of America. Its resulted the controversy within the Party and the military, especially from the Navy. Marshal Matsutaka Imada, the Commander-in-chief of the Army said those action is courageous and endangered the Japan’s interests itself in Asia because the imbalance factor of the army and artillery sizes with the United States.

But, PM Nakano agreed with the advice and arranged the attack to American naval base in Pacific. The Imperial Japanese Navy made its surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, Oahu, Hawaii, on Sunday morning, 7 December 1941 while the Japanese ambassadors to United States, Nomura Kichisaburō and special envoy Kurusu Saburō tried to negotiate peace and understanding with Washington.

The Pacific Fleet of the United States Navy and its defending Army Air Forces and Marine air forces sustained significant losses. The primary objective of the attack was to incapacitate the United States long enough for Japan to establish its long-planned Southeast Asian empire and defensible buffer zones. The U.S. public saw the attack as a treacherous act and rallied against the Empire of Japan. The United States entered the European Theatre and Pacific Theater in full force. Four days later, Adolf Hitler of Nazi Germany declared war on the United States, merging the separate conflicts.

President Yoshida protest and dissatisfied with those action by Nakano administration and voluntarily resigned from his position as President of the Republic on 9 December because the military did not reported the plan and secretly arranged the attack from him. Marshal Matsutaka Imada elected as the successor of Yoshida, but have no power to regained the public order.

Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Japanese launched offensives against an Allied forces in South East Asia, with simultaneous attacks on Hong Kong, British Malaya and the Philippines.

The South-East Asian Campaign was preceded by years of propaganda and espionage activities carried out in the region by the Japan. The Japanese espoused their vision of an Asia for Asians to the people of Asia, who had lived under European rule for generations. As a result, many inhabitants in the region actually sided with the Japanese.

On June 13, 1942, Marshal Imada resign from his position after suffering the pressures from PM Nakano. Former Imperial Army general, Suzuki Kantaro appointed as the acting Head of State from June 14, 1942 until August 13, 1945, but the all President's constitutional power already transferred to Nakano Seigo, decorated him as the dictator.

With the help from the Opposition within the Party, Dr. Yoshida, Marshal Imada and some senior statesmen escaped to Vladivostok, Soviet Union. The exiled statesmen later formed the National Committee for Fatherland Liberation and its military wings, Fatherland Workers and Peasants People’s Liberation Army on 14 September 1942.

Those Committee later more known as the "Vladivostok Government". Nagayama Yoshida appointed as the President of the exile government and Hōtori Etsu as the prime minister. The junior General of the Army, General Katobushi Toshio became the Army commander-in-chief

The Vladivostok Government sent their delegations to Washington to re-negotiate the peace. The United States then recognized the Vladivostok Committee as the legitimate government of Japan islands on 3 November 1942.

This setback of the Pacific battle was followed in June 1942 by the catastrophic loss of a four carrier task force at the Battle of Midway. Midway was a decisive defeat for the Imperial Japanese Navy, and proved to be the turning point of the war. Australian land forces defeated Japanese Marines in New Guinea at the Battle of Milne Bay in September 1942, which was the first land defeat suffered by the Japanese in the Pacific. Further defeats by the Allies at Guadalcanal in September 1942, and New Guinea in 1943 put the Empire of Japan on the defensive for the remainder of the war.

By 1944, the Allies had seized or bypassed and neutralized many of Japan's strategic bases through amphibious landings and bombardment. By early 1945, the U.S. Marines had gotten the control of the Ogasawara Islands marking the beginning of the fall of the islands of Japan.

With the Allies help, Vladivostok Army led by General Katobushi entered the islands from Hokkaido island on March 1945 and success to captured the entire islands (except Taiwan) on July 1945 with the fall of Minkyo. Nakano Seigo and another war leaders arrested and Nakano administration overthrow by the Allies on August 1945. After concerned the Postdam Declaration, Vladivostok Government agreed to seek an armistive with the Allies. In a national radio address of 14 August General Katobushi announced that termination of the war to the Japanese people

Beginning of the New Republic (1945-1948)
for the main article, see: Second Republic of Japan

On 15 August, United States President Harry Truman appointed General Douglas MacArthur as chief of Allied Powers Transitional Administration for Japan (APTAJ), to supervise the "pseudo-occupation" of Japan. and to overlook the demilitarization process of Japan. APTAJ was given direct control over the main islands of Japan (Honshū, Hokkaidō, Shikoku, Kyūshū), Kuril islands, Southern Sakhalin and the immediately surrounding islands, while outlying possessions were administered by each appropriated Allied Powers administration as follows:


 * Korea, under the United States Administration for Korea Reconstruction (USAKR)


 * Manchuria, under the United States Administration for Manchuria (USAM)


 * Taiwan and Ryukyu islands, under the Republic of China Administration in Taiwan (ROCAT)


 * Japanese possessions in Pacific Islands, under Australian-based British Royal Commands for Japanese South Seas Provinces (BRCJSSP)

However, the pre-war Dominion governments for Manchuria and Korea still retained their status quo but under supervisions by both of USAKR and USAM.

The Far Eastern Commission and Allied Council for Japan were also established to supervise the occupation of Japan.

MacArthur arrived in Tokyo on August 30, and immediately decreed several laws: No Allied personnel were to assault Japanese people. No Allied personnel were to eat the scarce Japanese food. Flying the Hinomaru or "Rising Sun" war flag was initially severely restricted.

On September 2, Japan formally ended the war with the signing of the Japanese Armistice Agreement. On September 6, US President Harry S. Truman approved a document titled "US Initial Post-War Policy for Japan". The document set two main objectives for the occupation: (1) eliminating Japan's war potential and (2) turning Japan into a neutral, non-aligned country.

Japan's 1931 constitution, amended under Allied supervision, renounced war and banned Japan from maintaining any war forces. The armed forces of Japan intended to be only the defense forces. This was intended to prevent the country from ever becoming an aggressive military power again. The police forces separated from army to avoid any military influences and became the independent civilian institution on 12 December 1945

On 6 January 1946, the National Congress regulated the amendment of 1931 Constitution and passed the law to change Japan's name from "Nihon" (or "Nippon") to "Myomi" and its official name became Dai-Myomi Minkoku. This actions described by Nagayama Yoshida as "the new step of 1925 Revolution to transformed this nation into new society".

While these other reforms were taking place, various military tribunals, most notably the International Military Tribunal for the Far East in Ichigaya, were trying Japan's war criminals and sentencing many to death and imprisonment. However, some suspects, like Nagayama Yoshida and another senior pre-war statesmen who responsible for Nakano Seigo gained the power, were given immunity from criminal prosecution by General MacArthur.

On 7 January 1946, Nagayama Yoshida elected again as the President of the Republic for the second time. In his second time as President, Nagayama planned for the negotiation with the Allies authorities for the Japan sovereignty restoration on 9 January 1946.

After the meeting between General Katobushi Toshio of Japan, General MacArthur of America, General Tien Shan of China and General William Guinness of Britain on 15 February 1946, the Allied agreed to sign the Yokohama Agreement on 19 February that loosened their dominance over the Myomi government. The native Myomi authority, especially the Myomi Kokuminto (MKT) was de facto relieved of Allied control. With the SCAP permission, MKT re-established its political body structure all around the islands

In 1946 MKT Party Congress, the new right-wing faction of the Party gained a majority in Central Committee and steered the Party’s policy to be more friendly and more cooperated with the Allies, especially with the United States. The leader of the new right-wing faction is Mizunari Kazama, the secretary of Minkyo Party Committee appealed the party to cooperate with the Allies occupation (especially the United States) to gained the support and recognition.

The Myomi government and the APTAJ talks on Japan sovereignty were held in July 1946. The Myomi government demanded the return of Taiwan, Penghu, Okinawa, the Amami islands, the Ogasawara Islands and the South Seas provinces as the part of Japan legitimate territories. The APTAJ agreed and in return demanded Japan to became a neutral nation.

The first post-war Japan general election held all around the islands, except in Chinese- and British-occupied Japanese territories on 7 March 1947 was a victory for the MKT right-wingers, which dominated the party gained 209 seats while the left-wingers who run the opposition list only gained 114 seats in the Legislative Council.

Japan regained its sovereignty on 16 February 1948, the same date with the Republic establishment on 1931 with the signing of Honolulu Peace Treaty by the Myomi government, the United States, British Empire and Republic of China which guaranteed Japan neutrality. The Allied troops completely withdrawal from Japan on 4 April 1948.