Zhanliang Jewish Autonomous Community (Cherry, Plum, and Chrysanthemum)

The Jewish Autonomous Territory of Zhanliang is a Japanese dependency located in northern Manchuria. It is bordered with Manchuria by south and Russian Federation by north. The administrative center of the territory is in Suangyashan.

History
In April 1934, the leader of Harbin Jews from Betarim Jew Zionist Movement, Solomon Domonovich, submitted a plan to the Japanese government for giving a permittion to the Jewish emigree from Eastern Europe to settle in Manchuria. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of the Realm Affairs of Japan, however, felt relunctant about the plan after received the protest from the German Embassy in Tokyo.

But, after the plan reached the hearing session in the Congress of Japan in January 1935, the British Embassy contacted President of Japan, Nagayama Yoshida, to support Domonovich Plan. The British government thought the plan could temporarily solved the problem to the establishment of Jewish national home in Mandate Palestine. Japanese government itself viewed Domonovich Plan for being to risky to be realized.

In April 24, 1935, Isaac Steinberg, the leader of Freeland League, wrote a letter personally to Foreign Minister of Japan, Shidehara Kijuro to persuade the Congress of Japan to give the immigrational permission to Manchuria. After a heated debate in May 7 session, the Congress freezed the plan for about three months before can be hearing again at the parliamentary session.

The plan brought up again in August 13 session of Legislative Council of Japan before finally reviewed again in August 19 session of National Congress that attended by the delegates from Manchurian Parliament and Harbin Jewish community. The Congressional Commission for Jewish Settlement Affairs in Manchuria (known as "Makino Commission" after its speaker, Makino Nobuaki) formed in August 24, 1935.

On its private report to President Nagayama Yoshida, the commission wrote about "the importance of Jewish investation in Japanese national development" and the give a permission to Jewish settlement in Manchuria will "necessarily helped to achieve the aim of Great Economic Plan." The Law of Jewish Settlement passed by the Congress of Japan in January 2, 1936 and ratified by the Great Council of Manchuria in January 14, 1936. In 1937, the law revised for allowed Jewish refugees to entry Manchuria without visa or passport. By the time when most German Jews arrived, Russian Jews had already settled in the country, mostly in Harbin. As result, a large Jewish ghetto emerged in Harbin throughout the World War II.

During the World War II, Manchuria fallen under Kuomintang Chinese occupation as a part of Pact of Kwantung. Manchurian Jews under leadership of Jakob Rosenfeld and Abraham Kaufman started to form a resistance force under the Anti-Fascist Jewish Liberation Committee in 1941 before its formally merged with the Anti-Fascist Japanese Liberation Forces. After Liberation of Japan in 1945, the enthusiasm for establishment of Jewish autonomous region in Manchuria grew significantly. Isaac Steinberg was invited by Japanese government to personally scout an area of northern Manchuria. After negotiations with the President of the Republic and the Council of Ministers of Japan in May 1946, the delegation of Freeland League and the Japanese government signed a joint declaration in which both parties agreed to establish the Jewish autonomous entity in Suangyashan.

Some radical Zionist leaders criticized Japanese government plan for being slowed the realization of Jewish state in Palestine. David Ben-Gurion as the leader of Palestine Jews referred the plan as "the destruction of Jewish hundred years dream."

In 1947, Suangyashan Prefecture renamed as "Zhanliang Jewish Autonomous Prefecture" and formally transferred under the direct supervision of Ministry of the Realm Affairs of Japan although nominally still a part of Dominion of Manchuria. The Jewish Provisional Administration formed in August 1, 1947 with Isaac Steinberg elected President of Jewish General Council and Solomon Domonovich elected Speaker of Zhanliang Prefectural Council. The flag of Far Eastern Jewish Conference hoisted for the first time along with the Manchurian flag in front of old Suangyashan Municipal Council building. Due the uncertain situation between Palestinian Arab and Zionist Jewish forces in 1948 Palestine War, many Jews became pessimistic to the Zionist movement. The wave of Jewish immigration flooded to Zhanliang and lead the Japanese Ministry of the Realm Affairs limited the number of emigrees per year to be only 2000.

Manchuria granted its independence by Japan in February 1950. Zhanliang ceded as a part of Japanese Realm after Isaac Steinberg declared the establishment of Territory of Zhanliang at the old Suangyashan Municipal Building. The Manchurian flag lowered and flag of Japanese Realm hoisted along with Zhanliang flag. Yiddish and Japanese declared as co-official language. Solomon Domonovich elected Speaker of First Legislative Council and Abraham Kaufman elected first Director of Home Affairs Bureau.

Government of Japan, Zhanliang, and Manchuria signed a joint agreement of economic cooperation in 1956. Zhanliang agreed for the investation of Japanese and Manchurian companies in its territory that would countributed for increase of exchange gain of Zhanliang until recent days. In 1994, the government of Korea and Zhanliang authority agreed for the establishment of Nason Joint Economic Area that marked first access of the territory to the sea.