The Empire of Japan is the juggernaut and superpower of Asia. Existing for over two and a half millennia, Japan had generally remained isolated on its island chain up until the 1850s. This is when Americans showed up and demanded they trade with them. The new items that entered Japan between 1853 and 1860 provoked the Meiji Restoration and the refounding of the Japanese emperor's divine authority. It remilitarized, industrialized rapidly and became itching to expand. It's army and navy were first displayed in 1869 when they invaded and occupied Korea in the span of three weeks. The Americans offered to mediate a peace solution, but in 1870, the American, Japanese, and some Mexican diplomats were slaughtered by the Qing authorities. This prompted an all out invasion by Japan and America, and helped to build the foundation for their alliance, which still lasts to this day. By 1874, they had decisively defeated the Qing, occupied the Forbidden City and captured the emperor. In the ensuing peace treaty, they humiliated China. Japan annexed Korea, Taiwan, Manchuria and the eastern plains of China, forcing China westwards. This victory prompted the Americans and Japan to sign a treaty of friendship and alliance. In 1882, they joined the Ameroeuroasiatic Coalition, or simply the West-East Powers. This cemented their friendship with America.
Over the next few decades, Japan took Indonesia from the Dutch exiled government (The mainland was controlled by the First French Empire). It took Indochina, Siam and Burma, securing its control over vast natural resources and thus expansion crawled down.
In 1903, Japan joined the Great War by declaring war on Russia and sweeping into Mongolia and Siberia. They gained lands that they were promised by America and her other allies which led to more support.
East Asia remained quiet for many decades, except for a minor squabble in which the Qing desired to take some land, including Beijing back.
In 1955, China, now under the Chinese Communist Republic (CCR) invaded Japan's territories. This was in coordination to drive Japan and America out of China altogether. They're hopes were squashed when the Kwangtung Army routed China's invasion force at Hsinking in Manchuria. From there, the Japanese and Americans pushed back Chinese forces, systemically slaughtering any civilians they came across. The Americans and Japanese would sometimes work together, such as in the Rape of Wuhan. During the war, which ended in 1963, it is estimated the Japanese Army killed between 21 and 32 million Chinese.
Another war was fought between 1992 and 1996, in which the Japanese would finally secure Southern China, but it would end controversially with the Lightning Sakusen, where the Japanese Air Force detonated two hydrogen bombs over China, ending the war.
Since then, Japan has been quiet, maintaining its empire under the rule of Emperor Sato all while strengthening itself. It does claim American territories in the Philippines and Siberia, though these claims have little to no merit, and the Japanese have no intention of taking them from their ally. The Japanese are successfully colonizing Korea, and by now, most ethnic Koreans have been expelled to Manchuria, as well as ethnic cleansing of Manchus, Chinese and Mongols within its borders. They expel and deport them to various islands in the Pacific and colonize the lands with Japanese settlers.
List of Japanese Emperors (Imperial Americana Era)[]
For Japanese Emperors before this era, click on this non-wiki article here.
- Hidehito (1771-1779)
- Morohito (1779-1817)
- Ayahito (1817-1846)
- Osahito (1846-1867)
- Meiji (1867-1912)
- Yosihito (1912-1926)
- Hirohito (1926-1964)
- Sato (1964-)
Flag of the Empire of Japan
