Japan (Cherry, Plum, and Chrysanthemum)



Japan (Japanese: 明湄 Myōmi; formally 大明湄民國 Dai-Myōmi 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 and Russia, stretching from the southern part of Sakhalin island in the north to the Nanyo islands in the south.

Its previous official name is Daiwa Minkoku  (Japanese: 大和民國). But after the World War II, the National Congress of Japan regulated the change of Japan&apos;s name through the popular referendum in 1946. The "Great Wa" (大和) as the name of Japan replaced by "Myōmi".

Japan is an archipelago of 8,964 islands. The five largest islands are Honshū, Ezo, Kyūshū, Shikoku and Takasago, together accounting for ninety-six percent of Japan&apos;s land area. Japan has the world&apos;s eight-largest population, with over 153 million people. The Greater Tokyo Area, which includes the capital city of Tokyo and several surrounding prefectures, is the largest metropolitan area in the world, with over 40 million residents.

Climate
The climate of Japan is predominantly temperate, but varies greatly from north to south. Japan&apos;s geographical features divide it into eight principal climatic zones: Karafuto-Chishima-Ezo, Sea of Japan, Central Highland, Seto Inland Sea, Pacific Ocean, Ryūkyū Islands, Takasago and Nanyo Islands. The northernmost zone, Karafuto, Ezo and Chishima islands, has a humid continental climate with long, cold winters and very warm to cool summers. Precipitation is not heavy, but the islands usually develop deep snowbanks in the winter.

In the Sea of Japan zone on Honshū&apos;s west coast, northwest winter winds bring heavy snowfall. In the summer, the region is cooler than the Pacific area, though it sometimes experiences extremely hot temperatures because of the foehn wind. The Central Highland has a typical inland humid continental climate, with large temperature differences between summer and winter, and between day and night; precipitation is light, though winters are usually snowy. The mountains of the Chūgoku and Shikoku regions shelter the Seto Inland Sea from seasonal winds, bringing mild weather year-round.

The Pacific coast features a humid subtropical climate that experiences milder winters with occasional snowfall and hot, humid summers because of the southeast seasonal wind. The Ryukyu Islands have a subtropical climate, with warm winters and hot summers. Precipitation is very heavy, especially during the rainy season. The generally humid, temperate climate exhibits marked seasonal variation such as the blooming of the spring cherry blossoms, the calls of the summer cicada and fall foliage colors that are celebrated in art and literature.

In Takasago, the climate is generally marine and varies widely by season in the Northern part and the mountain areas. The Southern part of the island, however, belongs to the tropical belt and is warm and humid all year. The southernmost part of the country, Nanyo islands has a tropical climate all year round with an annual mean temperature of 82 °F (28 °C). Rainfall is heavy throughout the year, averaging a total of 150 inches (3,800 mm). The average humidity over the course of the year is 82%, and although rain falls more frequently between July and October, there is still much sunshine.

The average winter temperature in Japan is 5.1 °C (41.2 °F) and the average summer temperature is 25.2 °C (77.4 °F). The highest temperature ever measured in Japan—40.9 °C (105.6 °F)—was recorded on 16 August 2007. The main rainy season begins in October in Nanyo islands, then in early January in Takasago, and the rain front gradually moves north until reaching Ezo in late July. In most of Honshu, the rainy season begins before the middle of June and lasts about six weeks. In late summer and early autumn, typhoons often bring heavy rain.

Politics and Government
The Republic of Japan is the authoritarian government under the rule of Japanese Nationalist Party which based from the ideology of Social Nationalism and the principle of National Democracy

The President of the Republic of Japan (民國総裁 Minkoku Sōsai) elected by the National Congress from among its members every four years. The President is the head of state of Republic, and the nominal commander-in-chief of the armed forces.

The Council of Ministers (閣僚評議會 Kakuryō Riji-kai) serves as the highest administrative body of Japan. It is consisted by the Prime Minister (首相 Shushō), the Vice-Prime Ministers (副首相 Fuku-Shushō), and the Ministers of State (國務相 Kokumushō).

The National Congress (國民代表大會 Kokumin Daihyō Taikai) elected every four years by the direct election. The election, however, only participated by the parties that recognized as legal under the Japanese law, with the Nationalist Party as leading party.

To exercise daily legislative functions, the National Congress elected the members of Legislative Council (立法院 Rippō-in) from among its members every four years. The Legislative Council is describes by the constitution as the main law-making body of the Republic.

The State Council (國務院 Kokumu-in) have a minor significance role in the day-to-day government. Its members elected by the electoral college, consisted by 40 electorates, in every provinces every six years. The National Front, an alliance of legal political parties always nominating two candidates in each prefectures as "All-Party candidates". The State Council functioning as the main advisory body for the government.

The National Court of Japan (國民裁判所 Kokumin Saibansho) serves as the supreme judicature for the whole territory of Japanese Republic. It supervises the administration of justice by the state courts at various levels. Japan, is the one of few non-communist country that applying the procuratorial system. The procuratorates charged with both the investigation and prosecution of crime with the office of National Procuratorate (國民檢察院 Kokumin Kensatsu-in) at the national level.

Pre-modern Japan
A Paleolithic culture around 30,000 BC constitutes the first known habitation of the Japanese archipelago. This was followed from around 14,000 BC (the start of the Jōmon period) by a Mesolithic to Neolithic semi-sedentary hunter-gatherer culture, who include ancestors of both the contemporary Ainu people and Yamato people, characterized by pit dwelling and rudimentary agriculture. Decorated clay vessels from this period are some of the oldest surviving examples of pottery in the world. Around 300 BC, the Yayoi people began to enter the Japanese islands, intermingling with the Jōmon. The Yayoi period, starting around 500 BC, saw the introduction of practices like wet-rice farming, a new style of pottery, and metallurgy, introduced from China and Korea.

Japan first appears in written history in the Chinese Book of Han. According to the Records of the Three Kingdoms, the most powerful kingdom on the archipelago during the 3rd century was called Yamataikoku. Buddhism was first introduced to Japan from Baekje of Korea, but the subsequent development of Japanese Buddhism was primarily influenced by China. Despite early resistance, Buddhism was promoted by the ruling class and gained widespread acceptance beginning in the Asuka period (592–710).

The Nara period (710–784) of the 8th century marked the emergence of a strong Japanese state, centered on an imperial court in Heijō-kyō (modern Nara). The Nara period is characterized by the appearance of a nascent literature as well as the development of Buddhist-inspired art and architecture. The smallpox epidemic of 735–737 is believed to have killed as much as one-third of Japan&apos;s population. In 784, Emperor Sudo moved the capital from Nara to Nagaoka-kyō before relocating it to Heian-kyō (modern Kyoto) in 794.

The Zen school of Buddhism was introduced from China in the later part of Heian period (784–1333) and became popular among the petite noble class. Japan repelled Mongol invasions in 1274, but was eventually successfully defeated by Mongol in 1281. Between 1281 and 1590, Japan become the tributary state to Yuan Dynasty and its successor, Ming Dynasty.

Under the leadership of Nobunaga Oda, Japan regained its independence in 1590 and even ambitiously tried to invade Korea between 1592 and 1596. But following defeats by Korean and Ming Chinese forces and Nobunaga&apos;s death, Japanese troops were withdrawn in 1596. Under the rule of Emperor Go-Mizunoo, Japan enjoyed high degree in the development of economy and art. The power of national government centered under the hand of Emperor while the Oda clan became the prominent ruling family as the regents for the Emperor. Japan later moved its invasion to South, towards the Kingdom of Ryukyu and island of Takasago (known by the Westerners as "Formosa") in 1624.

In 1679, Emperor Yonichi renamed Japan as "Great Wa Empire" that spanned the two centuries of tenuous political unity and economic hegemony over the region of Oceania, known as the Daiwa period (1590–1868). The study of Western sciences, known as rangaku, continued through contact with the Dutch enclave at Dejima in Nagasaki. This period also gave rise to kokugaku ("national studies"), the study of Japan by the Japanese.

Modern Empire of Japan era (1854-1920)
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 Imperial government, led by Great Councillor (大老 Tairō) Ii Naosuke initiated several programs to modernize Japanese military. When Emperor Ninko suddenly died in 1865, Ii installed his own Imperial candidate, Prince Kitashirakawa Yoshihisa for the Chrysanthemum throne as Emperor Tōbu. In this position, Sekkan government not only control the military, but also the Kyoto Imperial Court.

Ii&apos;s actions led to the First Japanese Civil War between 1866-1868. Afraid the future collapse of Sekkan domination over Imperial Government, Kampaku Oda Nobumichi agreed to cooperate with Ii. Both parties agreed to open Japan up to the international community and began more broader modernizations in political, judicial and social institutions. Under Ii&apos;s leadership, Sekkan government unified all local armies into one national army and national navy which equipped by modern weapons and Western techniques.

Four divisions of society abolished in 1874 and Western bureaucracy system officially implemented in 1875. All members of ancient court nobility formed new aristocratic class, kazoku. Senate of Japan (元老院 Genrōin), composed by kazoku nobility representatives assembled in Tokyo on 1875 and promulgated Tokyo Charter, proto-constitution of Japan.

Inspired after the Chancellor of Prussia, Otto von Bismarck, who modernized Imperial Germany to become a nation with strong military leadership, Ii appointed himself as the Chancellor of the Realm ( 太政大臣 Daijō Daijin) in 1877. After Ii&apos;s death, he replaced by Uesugi Mochinori in 1891. Ii&apos;s radical reforms succeed to transforms Japanese military into the first modern Asian armed forces and able to support Japan for expanding 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 Korea Peninsula and Kwantung. Japan&apos;s population grew from 35 million in 1873 to 50 million in 1920. Emperor Tōbu died in 1904. His son, Prince Takeda Tsunehisa succeeded him and enthroned as Emperor Keishin.

Japan entered World War I in 1914 and sided with the Central Powers. Due to heavy economic embargo, Japan moved its side to Triple Entente in 1916. Central Powers defeated in 1918. Japan regained the Nanyo islands from Germany, that previously a tributary of Japanese Empire until 1800s. Although already win the Great War, Japan’s economy already suffered and almost collapse. Soon after the death of Emperor Keishin in 1919, the workers and peasant uprisings against Imperial government, however, was inevitable.

Ten-Year Civil War (1920-1930)
Toward the end of the war, Japan succumbed into deep economic crisis. In August 1918, rice riots caused by this inflation erupted in towns and cities throughout Japan. At the north, the White Russian Army who escaped from Siberia after the Bolshevik gained controls over the country, occupied northeastern Korea, Karafuto (Japanese part of Sakhalin island) and northern Ezo in September 1918. The anti-communist Empire of Japan tried to cooperate with the White Russians for halting the spread of Communism by planned to create a buffer state in Siberia and Sakhalin. This action led to protests by most of Japanese nationalists as they seen South Sakhalin as the legitimate part of the Empire.

The death of Emperor Keishin, the main opponent of White Russian aggression, in 1919 marked the government’s loss of support from the nationalists. The series of protests from both right- and left-wing movements erupted in Tokyo, Kobe, Osaka, Kyoto, Osaka, and Hiroshima. In Japanese-occupied Korea, the pro-independence movement arose in March 1, 1919 and signaled gradual lost of Japanese domination over the peninsula. The demonstrations in Japan itself came to peak earlier in November 13, 1918. Over 5,200 peoples gathered in Ii Naosuke Square, Kyoto to hear the speech from Nagayama Yoshida, the Kyoto leader of Japanese People&apos;s Party.

In his speech, Nagayama fiercely addressed the crowd to “drive out the Barbarians (White Russians) from our Empire and save Asia from Western imperialism.” He added, “Although we just the yellow-colored people in the Westerners’ eyes, we must believe and forever believe, we can stand in our own feet, by our own strength, to our own nation. Neither me nor you, whole Japanese nation, wanted to be a slave in our own country!” That speech quickly spread through both left- and right-wing newspapers. The whole nation was electrified.

All Japanese nationalists soon hailed Nagayama Yoshida as the supreme leader of Japanese Revolution. Less than two weeks, Yoshida&apos;s popularity sky-rocketed and he became the icon of Revolution. The number of People&apos;s Party members also significantly increased, especially in the Central Japan provinces

In January 16, 1919, nineteen leaders of People&apos;s Party convened the meeting at Kyoto and concluded the resolution which known as “Proclamation of the Action”, that called for Japanese people to form a new grass-root government and defend the nation by themselves, not depended on Imperial Army. The resolution is very important to lay the foundation of modern Japanese Republic and the Japanese Republic Armed Forces.

The tense of Japanese Revolution effected the Imperial government action in the colonial provinces. About 6,450 people were killed in Korea after being accused as “extremists”. Seeing no supports from any Western countries and the British support to Imperial Japanese government, Korean independence movement began to side with Japanese revolutionary movement. In February 17, 1919, the delegation of Korean independence movements met in secret with the delegation of Japanese Nationalist Party, Japanese Socialist Party, Japanese Workers’ Union and Formosan Chinese Cultural Association in Sapporo, Hokkaido. The meeting resulted in the decision from all delegations to establish a “united opposition front”.

The Great Japanese People’s Conference gathered in Osaka on April 11, 1919 and attended by the delegations from Japanese Home Islands and Korean Peninsula. Among of the delegates, Nagayama Yoshida attended as deputy from Kyoto, Matsutaka Imada from Kumamoto, Hotori Etsu from Kochi, Yoshinohe Toyoda from Chiba, Lee Seung-man (Ri Shō-ban) from Keijō (modern-day Seoul), and Chiang Wei-shui (Shō I-sui) from Taichu.

In August 25, 1919, the Nationalist Party of Japan made an agreement with Shanghai-based Korean Provisional Government that promised the future independence of Korea if the Revolutionary succeed to overthrow the Imperial government while the Korean will provides the Japanese revolutionaries with a military and financial help. Dr. Sun Yat-sen of China gave his support to Japanese revolutionary movement by sent a personal letter to Nagayama Yoshida in April 2, 1920 that stated the movement in Japan as the better improvement for realization of Pan-Asia Union in the future. The same support also came from the Bolshevik leader, Vladimir Lenin.

The situations in foreign embassies in Tokyo getting worse. The nationalist sympathizers attacked the British stations and killed the foreigners that suspected as “Western imperial agents”. The Japanese House of Commons in Tokyo filled with heated debates between the delegates that support the revolutionary movement with against ones.

In February 7, 1920, Nationalist-based Japanese Revolutionary Army formed with Colonel Matsutaka Imada from the Sixth Division of Imperial Army as its Field Commander. The Army itself took a loyalty to the Great Japanese People’s Conference, instead to the Emperor.

The Revolutionary forces tried to build a strong military base in mountainous areas that stretch along Central Japan to avoid any threats and influences from the Imperial Army. The first Central Headquarters of JRA was established later in Nagano, Shinano Province on August 20, 1921.

The National Protection Government formed in Kanazawa, Kaga Province on August 22, 1920. The government headed by the Executive Council of National People’s Conference, consisted by:
 * Nagayama Yoshida as Political Commander of the Army and Navy
 * Hōtori Etsu as Secretary of the Council
 * Colonel Matsutaka Imada as Field Commander of the Army
 * Captain Takahagi Shiromiya as Fleet Commander of the Navy
 * Yoshinohe Toyoda, Aikiro Yoichii and Atsugawa Ōsobe as First Councelors
 * Motonara Hishaku, Satsudaira Ezō, Motonari Aichi, Shozaku Kumashira as Second Councelors
 * Koga Ichiru, Sendaiki Atsuma, Tomozawa Genbu, Noburo Sen, Ichigaya Makino, Miyagawa Haneda, and Sumimoto Akira as Associate Counselors
 * Genji Fukuzawa, Kōda Bonsuke, Tayama Madaira, Yuzaki Isei and Nōki Haseguchi as Assistant Secretaries (Secretariat of the Council).

As the Political Commander of Army and Navy, Yoshida granted the title of “Generalissimo” by the Western media and brought the Nationalist Party hegemony over the Revolutionary Army. After the establishment of Republic in 1931, the position of Political Commander later included into the office of President of the Republic, as stated in 1931 Japanese Constitution: “The President of the Republic is the political commander of the National Army and the National Navy.”

The Revolutionary Army and the Imperial Army fought a protracted battle in Kanume, Shimotsuke, known as the Battle of Akayama, that would last until September 19, 1921. The Battle of Akayama marked the beginning the Japanese Civil War between the revolutionaries and the imperial government which would lasted from September 1921 until April 1930.

The Revolutionary forces successfully defeated the Government forces in Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, Kyushu on April 27, 1930. Prime Minister Shidehara agreed to ceasefire and signed the Instrument of Surrender in Kyoto on May 16, 1930. Empress Anmei announced her abdication from the throne in May 18, 1930 and the Empire of Japan officially abolished in May 27, 1930 and the provisional revolutionary Republican government, led by Nagayama Yoshida and Etsu Hotori effectively took over the control of the country in May 29, 1930.

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 Tokyo with Nagayama Yoshida and Hotori Etsu as the co-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

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

President Nagayama Yoshida himself imagined the sort of Portuguese colonial empire in East Asia by uniting Japan, Korea, Manchuria, Mongolia, China and even Tibet, as a new economic power that possibly can rivaled the British Empire, the United States and the Soviet Union. The domination of Japan over the union seen as natural since the Japanese economically and militarily strong enough for creating the “Asian line” in the League of Nations.

But, the plan became radicalized after Germany invasion to Poland in September 1939. The radical faction of Japanese Armed Forces argued the only way to create the union is by the military intervention to overthrow Chiang Kai-shek regime in Nanjing. As many opponents of peaceful tactics (known as “hegemonist”, for their idea of future Japanese economic hegemony in East Asia) resided in the body of Nationalist Party, the Armed Forces began to distrust and disobey the Party orders and reorganized themselves to gain the legitimacy over Republican government

The Party and the Armed Forces relationship getting worse and put under critical condition in May 19, 1940 after the Army surrounded the Presidential Palace, Tokyo National Palace, the Council of Ministers Building, the Tokyo Municipality Hall and the National Congress Building and pressured President Yoshida to appoint pro-Army figures, Nakano Seigo, as the new Prime Minister

The Party Central Committee secretly convoked the plenum in May 27-June 2, 1940 confirmed the Party and the Armed Forces broke up as the meeting bought up the theme of “The Immediate Actions to Neutralizes the Armed Forces from Independent Power”. The Party inner leaders planned to purge the Army leadership by replaced radical Generals with more cooperative ones.

The military government soon acknowledged the plan. The martial law declared in June 4, 1940. The 1931 Republic Constitution breezed. The power of National Congress transferred to the Council of Ministers led by Nakano Seigo. President Nagayama Yoshida house-arrested in Tokyo National Palace (referred by the military government as “distanced our Senior Comrade from the American and British undercover agent influences”) on June 5, 1940.

The Nationalist Party of Japan officially disbanded in June 7, 1940 after the military government accused the institution already infiltrated by foreign powers spies. Some of Party leaders arrested and executed, while others such as Hotori Etsu, Sazaki Oda, Mizunari Kazama and Yoshinohe Yamada succeed to escape to Vladivostok and formed the National Committee for Fatherland Liberation and its military wings, Japanese People’s Liberation Army on August 14, 1940.

The resistance committee later more known as the "Vladivostok Government". Nagayama Yoshida appointed as the President of the exiled government and Hōtori Etsu as the Prime Minister. The loyalist General of the Army, Katobushi Toshio became the nominal commander-in-chief of the Resistance forces. The Vladivostok Government sent their delegations to Washington to re-negotiate the peace. The United States then recognized the resistance government as the legitimate authority of Japan islands on November 3, 1942.

Under military government, Japan formed the alliance with Germany and Italy with the signing of Tripartite Pact in September 27, 1940. On October 1, 1940, Japan declared the war to British Empire and France, and then also Netherlands 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 hard-line conservative faction of the military, led by Lieutenant General Fukuda Shogi advising Nakano to advanced the action and declared the war to United States of America. Its sparked the controversy within the military. General Hashimoto Genji, the commander of the Nineteenth 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, Nakano Seigo 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, December 7, 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.

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 Southeast 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.

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&apos;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 Japan.

With the Allies help, the Resistance forces 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 Tokyo. Nakano Seigo and another war leaders arrested by the Allied forces on August 1945. After concerned the Postdam Declaration, Vladivostok Government agreed to seek an armistice with the Allies. In a national radio address of August 14, General Katobushi announced that termination of the war to the Japanese people

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

On August 15, President Henry Wallace of the United States appointed General Douglas MacArthur as chief of Allied Powers Transitional Administration for Japan (APTAJ), to supervise de-fascistization process of Japan. APTAJ was given direct control over the main islands of Japan (Ezo, Honshū, Shikoku, Kyūshū), Chishima islands, Karafuto 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 the Reconstruction of Korea (USARK)
 * Manchuria, under the United States Administration for Manchuria (USAM)
 * Kwantung, Takasago, and Ryukyu islands under the Republic of China Transitional Military Administration (RCTMA)
 * Bonin islands and Nanyo islands, under Australian-based South Pacific British Royal Commands (SPBRC)

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

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

Japan&apos;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 December 12, 1945. While these other reforms were taking place, various military tribunals, most notably the International Military Tribunal for the Far East in Ichigaya and the Kwantung International Military Tribunal in Kwantung, were trying Japan&apos;s war criminals and sentencing many to death and imprisonment.

In January 7, 1946, Nagayama Yoshida term as President of the Republic renewed and extended for the next two years by the Extended Second Convocation of National Congress.

After the meeting between General Katobushi Toshio (Japan), General Douglas MacArthur (United States of America), Lieutenant-General Chen Xinghua (Republic of China) and General Sir Bruce Fraser (United Kingdom) on February 15, 1946, the Allied agreed to sign the Yokohama Agreement on February 16, 1946 that loosened their dominance over the government of the Republic of Japan. The native Japanese authority, especially the Nationalist Party of Japan was de facto relieved from Allied control. With the permission from APTAJ, the Party able to re-establish its political organizations throughout the islands

During 1946 Nationalist 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 cooperated with the Allies, especially with the United States. The new right-wing faction leader was Mizunari Kazama, the secretary of Tokyo Party Committee. Mizunari appealed the Party to cooperate with the Allies occupation (especially the United States) to gained the support and recognition for newly re-established Republic.

On November 15, 1946, the National Congress regulated the amendment of 1931 Constitution and passed the law to change the native official name of Japan from "Daiwa" to "Myomi" and its official name became Dai-Myomi Minkoku.

The government of Japan and the APTAJ talks on Japan sovereignty were held in July 1946. The Republic of Japan government demanded the return of Takasago, Penghu, Okinawa, Amami islands, Ogasawara Islands and Nanyo islands 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 March 7, 1947 was a victory for the right-wing faction of MKT, which dominated the party gained 209 seats while the left-wingers who run the opposition list able to gain 114 seats in the National Congress. On March 17, 1948, Ozaki Yukio elected as President of the Republic replacing Nagayama Yoshida.

Japan regained its sovereignty on February 16, 1948, with the signing of Honolulu Peace Treaty by the Republic of Japan, the United States of America, the United Kingdom and Republic of China which guaranteed Japan neutrality. The Allied troops completely withdrawal from Japan on April 4, 1948.

Second Republic era (1948-1972)
After the emergence of second generation of Party&apos;s leadership, led by Mizunari Kazama dan Katobushi Toshio, the government began to relaxes its control over economy and press. Japan&apos;s national economy still invested heavily on industrial and agricultural field in Manchuria and Korea.

Several reforms also introduced such as total abolition of kanji characters and changes on Japanese orthography after the country relation with China strained in the late 1940s. The "Japanization" policy pushed throughout the nation to realizes Nagayama Yoshida&apos;s teaching for purge the Chinese influences in Japanese society. Japan financially supported the Viet Minh government in Vietnam to halt the advances of Chiang Kai-shek&apos;s influences toward Indochina.

Started from 1946, Japan experienced several "constitutional missions" from Japanese overseas dependencies. Korea sent its delegation in July 21, 1946 to Tokyo to deliberate with the National Congress of Japan for repealing the 1932 Korean Dominion Law and granting Korea the status as an independent and sovereign nation.

Japan really considered about decolonization for its dependencies since the country still re-developed its national economy and the state invested its industries mainly in Korea and Manchuria. Korean constitutional mission took about three years of constant negotiations before both countries reached an agreement in January 3, 1949. The Constitution of Republic of Korea adopted in February 27, 1949 and the independence proclaimed in March 1, 1949. Korean constitutional mission later followed by "Manchuria constitutional missions" (1948-1950) that resulted to the independence of Manchuria in 1950 and "Kwantung constitutional missions" (1950-1951; 1954; 1966-1967) that resulted to the greater expansion of Kwantung political and economical autonomy.