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Queendom of Yamaichi
Yamaichi jo ōkoku, 山一女王国
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Motto: Truth and Honor (真実と名誉)
Anthem: Yamaichi Koto
Capital: Kyuden (Kyūden, 宮殿)
Language: Yamaichi
Government: Elective monarchy
Leader: Queen Kimiko (69th Reincarnation)
Area: 171,828 km˛ (66,343 square miles)
Population:
• Estimate: 45 million
• Density: 262/km˛
GDP (nominal):
• Total: 1,575 billion Ɨ
• Per capita: 35,000 Ɨ
Currency: Ichi (Ɨ)
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Yamaichi, Yamaichi jo ōkoku, 山一女王国 is an island country in West Karshe. It is located in the southern Apeiros Ocean and is bordered on the east by the Bay of Yamaichi and the Street of Yamaichi. Yamaichi spans an archipelago of 8 islands, with the three main islands being Hokubu, Hontō and Nanbu. Kyūden is the nation's capital and largest city, followed by Sausuhābā, Nōdobāgu, Okuchi and Nagaitōri.
Yamaichi has over 45 million inhabitants. About three-fourths of the country's terrain is mountainous, concentrating its highly urbanized population on narrow coastal plains. Yamaichi is divided into 9 administrative provinces.
Yamaichi is known as a culturally and spiritually diverse country in which the philosophy of thoughtful action and compassion has a high social value. Yamaichi is considered peaceful, diplomatic and hospitable.
Yamaichi consists of 8 islands that stretch along the western coast of Karshe. The three main islands, from north to south, are Hokubu, Hontō and Nanbu. To the south of it lie the five southern islands called Minami no shima. Yamaichi is particularly vulnerable to earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanic eruptions.
Yamaichi's area is 171,828 km˛. The Yamaichi Archipelago is 70% forests and 15% agriculture. The predominantly rugged and mountainous terrain is restricted for settlement. Therefore, the habitable zones, especially in the coastal areas, have a very high population density. The largest city is the capital Kyūden with around 5 million inhabitants. Together with the cities of Okuchi and Nekomura, it forms a metropolitan area with 9 million inhabitants.
Yamaichi's climate varies greatly from west to east. The east coast has a rather moderate climate. Yamaichi Bay to the east brings cool air from the continent in winter and can bring snowfall into the lowlands. The west coast, on the other hand, has a humid subtropical climate due to the Alpeiros Ocean. The southern islands have a tropical climate. Precipitation is very heavy, especially during the rainy season. The mountain range that runs through Yamaichi from north to south has snow-covered peaks up to 3000m. The highest mountain in Yamaichi is Yama Ichi (Yama= mountain, Ichi= One) at 3567m.
Yamaichi has over 90,000 species of wildlife, including the brown bear, the Yamaichi macaque, the Yamaichi raccoon dog, the small field mouse, and the giant salamander, believed to be the descendants of the dragons that once inhabited the world.
In Yamaichi mythology it is said that the world came into being when the first mountain rose from the global sea. The resulting tsunami wave (creation wave) swept large amounts of water from the edge of the world and exposed the mainland and continents. This is how the world as we know it today was formed. The first mountain and its foothills now form the Yamaichi Archipelago. This creation story is still reflected today in the country's name and the national symbol, which shows the creating tsunami wave as Mon.
Early History
According to legend, the first queen Kimiko (probably a priestess or shaman) ruled around 100 AD. For the first time, she united almost all the tribes of the three main islands into one contiguous state. It is also said that Kimiko achieved unification non-violently. Her smile was enough to break the will of her opponents and secure their loyalty. Her legendary reign is said to have lasted 80 years and brought immense prosperity and peace.
She was followed by the "three bad kings", who some sources report were her sons. Under Hideki, the first of them, a famine occurred due to mismanagement and corruption. After Hideki's violent death, his brother Keitaro took over and tried to end the unrest with violence, thereby causing a civil war. After Keitaro fell in battle, his brother Kazuyoshi, the cruelest of them all, took over.
The time of the three bad kings lasted 30 years. In the 31st year, shortly before Kazoyoshi met his bitterest opponents, a Buddhist monk accompanied by a young girl appeared on the battlefield and opposed the enemy camps. He claimed the girl was the reincarnation of Queen Kimiko and had come to put an end to the madness. At first the leaders of the armies laughed. But when the girl herself raised her voice and spoke, the sun darkened. She ended her speech with a smile just as the sun emerged from the shadows. Then the leaders threw themselves at her feet and pledged loyalty to her. But Kazuyoshi threw himself on his sword.
Since then, there has been speculation as to whether the monks knew about the time of the solar eclipse and used this knowledge for their own purposes. What is certain is that this Queen Kimiko was a real historical person who actually ensured peace and laid the foundation for today's Yamaichi. She died childless, which is because she was attracted to her own gender.
The female succession to the throne and the principle of elective monarchy are traced back to her. Since then, after the death of a queen, Buddhist monks have swarmed out to find the next reincarnation of Kimiko. The ban on marriage or even pregnancy of a reigning queen also dates back to this early period of the queendom.
After peace had returned to the queendom, the standing armies were disbanded and conscription was abolished. A volunteer army was raised to protect the queen and maintain order in all parts of the queendom. Over time, this developed into a knightly warrior caste with a strict code of honor, the so-called samurai.
Influence and isolation
In the following centuries, the newly consolidated empire was culturally influenced primarily by Nihangok, located in the north of Karesh, with which there were many trade contacts. This was reflected in numerous customs, writing, art, architecture and technology, which were adopted from Nihangok and developed independently from then on.
At the latest in the emerging Middle Ages, a long period of Yamaichi's isolation followed. The remote island location favored development that was largely uninfluenced from outside. Under Queen Kimiko the 36th, the southern islands were occupied and settled. The few internal conflicts remained limited and without consequences. Over time, martial actions became sporting competitions and during this time some of the martial arts still known today such as Jiu-Jitsu and Kendo developed, which in turn led to Judo and Karate later.
Opening and reform
The increased appearance of traders from western shores changed the situation from the middle of the 18th century. External pressure to open Yamaichi's markets to foreign trade became increasingly stronger. Under Queen Kimiko the 63rd, fear of a violent opening or even invasion led to the great reform of 1868. Yamaichi finally opened up to international trade, but at the same time reintroduced conscription and began building modern defense forces and a navy. The samurai, who had also performed police duties well into the 19th century, were now only responsible for protecting the queen and the court.
The absolute elective monarchy of Yamaichi also opened up politically. Local and regional elections were introduced in 1917. In 1935, popularly elected representatives were appointed to the Royal Council for the first time and, following the legal reform of 1946, they form the majority of the members sitting on the council.
By the middle of the 20th century, Yamaichi was able to secure its place in the global economy. Today it is considered one of the leading banking centers, has a diverse service sector and excels in shipbuilding.
Yamaichi does not have a written constitution, but rather there are various codices, the most important of which is the Royal Codex. The Queen is the executive head of state and de jure head of government. She is supported by the legislative Royal Council, which is headed by a Chancellor, who is de facto head of government. Yamaichi is a central state; there is no provincial legislature. The administrative heads of the provinces are freely elected by the people of the respective province for 7 years. However, the so-called Chihanji must be confirmed by the queen. The laws are interpreted by a free jurisdiction (judiciary). Not even the queen is above the law!
The Queen
Yamaichi is a type of elective monarchy. The respective queen is elected for life. The possibility of abdication is not provided.
Only females under the age of 16 and born in Yamaichi have the right to be voted as queen. The new queen is elected exclusively by the heads of the country's 9 Buddhist monastic provinces and 9 assessors chosen by them. After the death of a queen, these 18 men search the entire queendom for a reincarnation of the first queen, Kimiko. The candidates undergo numerous tests until reincarnation is recognized. This must be completed within 2 months of the predecessor's death. During this time, the incumbent Chancellor assumes the duties of the Queen.
The Royal Council
The Royal Council consists of 30 members. 27 of them are representatives from the 9 provinces of the queendom (3 per province). These representatives are chosen by the people in free and secret elections every 7 years and then confirmed by the Queen.
The Queen sends a Chancellor of her choosing to the Council, who presides as the first among equals and acts as the Queen's voice.
The council also includes the Shogun, the country's highest military officer, as well as the head of the Buddhist monastery of Kyūden, who therefore holds the highest spiritual office in the country.
The Council elects from its ranks the ministers it deems necessary, but at least one treasurer. It also appoints a minister of state (which are usually not members of the Royal Council) for each ministry, who carries out the real administrative work in the respective ministry.
The Council discusses and enacts the laws of the land together with the Queen. It proceeds according to the majority principle. The Queen formally has a right of veto. However, this was last used by a queen in 1919.
Policies
Yamaichi is an elective monarchy with some parliamentary features and a strong position for the monarch. Nevertheless, the society is considered relatively liberal. There is freedom of expression, press and assembly. The establishment of associations and parties is generally permitted, however, parties only play a role in elections; within the Royal Council, party affiliation or proximity to a party has little meaning. Approval of the monarchy is generally very high; the political system, which has been established for almost 2,000 years, is accepted by a broad majority.
Yamaichi is a neutral and non-aligned state, an integration into military alliances is not intended. It is co-founder and member of the Council of Non-Aligned Nations (CONAN).
Yamaichis quick industrialization and rapid growth of economy during the latter half of the 20th century has been called the Yamaichi Miracle and created a stable industrial economy. Today Yamaichis economy is dynamic, capitalist and export-driven. Exports have provided the primary impetus for industrialization. The trade surplus is substantial. The country benefits from a highly skilled workforce.
Yamaichi does not have large reserves of raw materials, but can meet its own needs for iron, coal and some other metals. There are large natural gas deposits off the east coast in Yamaichi Bay, which contribute to the islands' energy supply. Imports are dominated by raw materials, oil and capital goods, which account for more than 90% of the total.
Since the 1980s, a number of Yamaichi-based technology firms have expanded their reach around the world. Well-known international technology companies headquartered in Yamaichi include automotive and aerospace manufacturer Mitsubichi, mobile phone makers YamaPhone Inc. and Wavecom.
Today the economy is led by the financial sector (Bank of Kyuden, Ichi Bank and others), followed by Information Technology firms and Consumer Electronics manufacturing, the service sector (customer relations) and shipbuilding companies.
Yamaichi maintains a civilian space program. The Royal Yamaichi Starfarer Agency (RYSA) is responsible for research, technology development and launch of satellites into orbit, and is involved in many more advanced missions such as asteroid exploration and possible human exploration of the Moon.
The Yamaichi Chronicle is Yamaichi's largest daily newspaper and has been published since 1910. The Chronicle has a circulation of 200,000 copies and contains the full range of information from home and abroad, a business and sports section as well as reports from the cultural sector.
The currency of Yamaichi is the Ichi (Ɨ), which is subdivided into Ien (1 Ichi = 100 Ien).
The Civil Codex protects people's freedom of religion and the practices of belief. There are approximately 83% religious followers in Yamaichi. About 17% are non-religious. According to the 2016 census, the five largest religions in Taiouan are: Buddhism (63%), Taoism (12%), Protestantism (4%), Catholicism (2%) and Islam (1%).
In addition to the traditional written religions, the polytheistic belief in the spirits of the ancestors and nature, called Kamiism, still exists to a large extent. Kamiism is often seen as a this-worldly counterpart to beyond-oriented Buddhism. In fact, Buddhism and Kamiism became inseparably mixed from the 6th century onwards.
Main article: Royal Yamaichi Defense Forces (RYDF).
Yamaichi maintains a medium sized (compared to its area and population) and technological advanced military, mainly as defence against the threat of an invasion. Control of the Royal Yamaichi Defense Forces (RYDF) is de facto in the hands of the shogun, however the queen is called commander-in-chief.
Conscription remains universal for qualified males and females reaching age eighteen. Current plans call for a transition to a predominantly professional army over the next decade. Conscription periods are planned to decrease from 14 months to 12. The headquarters is located in Kyūden. In 2022, Yamaichi spent almost 1.9% of its GDP on the military.
The largest branch of the Royal Yamaichi Defense Forces today is the navy, with 1 helicopter carrier, 4 destroyers, 8 frigates and 8 submarines. Also important is the air force with over 80 combat aircraft and 60 attack helicopters. The army maintains 80 tanks and 50 howitzers/heavy artillery. Overall military personnel is approx. 90,000 active (110,000 reserve).
The Royal Yamaichi Defense Forces has not yet been involved in any conflict. This is not to be expected in the future either, as Yamaichi pursues a strict policy of neutrality and is one of the non-aligned states.
All content and images in these factbooks are self-edited or garnered from open sources like Pixabay or Wikimedia. I do not claim or own the contents of these displayed within these factbooks. All content and images goes to their respected owners.
Attribution for the images:
Izumo Class: Kaijō Jieitai （海上自衛隊 / Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force）, CC BY 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons. An icon has been added to the front deck.
All roleplays conducted by this nation is work of fiction. Any roleplay characters and any similarity to persons living or dead is purely coincidental.
The opinions expressed in this factbook, particularly social and political, are not necessarily the same as the opinion of the person behind the project.
