Takamaiku
The Republic of Takamaiku 高舞共和国 | |
|---|---|
 Flag
 Coat of Arms
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| Motto: 減らさない多様性 Diversity without diminishment | |
| Anthem: 海の遥か先 Onward Beyond the Sea | |
| "The Takamaikan Republic Seal" 高麗國共和国の印章 | |
 Area controlled by Takamaiku in Green | |
| Capital and largest city | Senkaido |
| Official languages | Hatanaka English Ainu Takamaiku Sign Language |
| Ethnic groups (2024) | 56.6 - Rokkaido 16.4% - Konketsu 12.0% - Ainu 6.3% - Yamato 3.3% - Ogatsugari 2.1% - Korean 1.9% - Han Chinese 1.4% - Others (Indians, Filipinos, etc.) |
| Demonym(s) | Takamaikan |
| Government | Unitary dominant-party parliamentary republic |
• Daitōryō | Haruki Nakamura |
• Shushō | Mei Kobayashi |
| Minori Kushieda | |
| Legislature | Parliament |
| Independence from Japan | |
| December 4, 1868 | |
| January 28, 1869 | |
| March 1, 1871 | |
| January 16, 1884 | |
| June 6, 1948 | |
| November 30, 1986 | |
| Area | |
• Total | 84,410.02 km2 (32,590.89 sq mi) |
• Water (%) | 5% |
| Population | |
• 2024 estimate | 29,286,512 |
• 2019 census | 27,123,826 |
• Density | 346.9/km2 (898.5/sq mi) |
| GDP (PPP) | 2023 estimate |
• Total | $1.365 Biliion |
• Per capita | $46,618.05 |
| Gini (2024) | 26.2 low |
| HDI (2024) |  0.939very high |
| Currency | Takamaikan Tsukon (Ŧ) |
| Time zone | UTC+9:30 (TAST) |
| Date format | yyyy-mm-dd yyyy年m月d日 |
| Driving side | left |
| Calling code | +809 |
| Internet TLD | .ta |
Takamaiku (Hatanaka: 高舞; formally 高舞共和国, Takamaiku-Kyōwakoku, lit "The Republic of Takamaiku") is an island country in East Asia straddling between Sea of Takamaiku on the west and Pacific Ocean in the east. It lies about 10.13 nautical miles (18.76 kilometers; 11.66 miles) north of Japan and 23.43 nautical miles (43.39 kilometers; 26.96 miles) south of Soviet Union on its closest point. While the majority of the population resides on the main landmass, Tōei, territories controlled by Takamaiku consists of 26 smaller islands with 13 of them are considered "permanently inhabited" that amounts to a total land area of about 84,410 square kilometers (32,591 square miles). The country's varied topography and sharp mountain peaks, including both the Wadomari and Chippubetsu Alps, owe much to the tectonic uplift and volcanic eruption due to its location in the Pacific Ring of Fire.
Indigenous Ainu have been continuously inhabited what is now Takamaiku for over 15,000 years, and has developed a society of hunter-gatherers. Beginning in the 13th century, the Yamato people from Japan began migrating to Takamaiku and later settled southern portion of Tōei (present-day Asakanai) where it established a Ashikaga shogunate ruling over the area. Subsequently, a series of conflicts between the shogunate authority and the Ainu people resulted in the alientation and confiscations of large amounts of Ainu lands, with most of them are forcibly relocated to the northern portion of the island (present-day Hachimantei). The Japanese rule over the islands ended in 1871 after Enomoto Takeaki established Takamaiku as an independent break-away republic, making it the first republic to be established in Asia. Initially a presidential republic that favours the old shogunate rule, the Rokujou Reformation liberalized the republic and replaced the structure of government as a parliamentary republic. In 1942, Takamaiku was successfully annexed by Empire of Japan as part of their territorial expansion in WW2. However, it ended in 1945 after the Japanese surrendered to the allies with the United States taking over Takamaiku as part of the joint interim government until 1952.
In the early 1960s, Takamaiku is one of the Asian nations experienced a rapid economic growth and industralization dubbed as the "Miracle of Senkaido Plains." At the same time, a series of Ainu reconcilation and reformation efforts, and the introduction of multiculturalism into the consitution further boosted the influence of the Ainu and other visible minority people in Takamaiku. As a result, the modern-day Takamaiku's culture is now dereived from a mixture of Ainu, Yamato, and other series of foreign cultures that arose due to the rise of immigration. Takamaiku, in the modern times, has developed to become one of the Asia's Giant Tigers based on international trade and economic globalization, integrating itself through free trade with minimal-to-no trade barriers that helped the country achieved one of largest accumalations of received foreign direct investmensts and assets held by sovereign welath funds. With the nation progresses throughout the history with pro-labour policies, its economic system is unique as its mixes public social ownership of labour in the framework of a market economy with privately owned enterprises. Considered as a highly developed country, it is currently 5th on the AIN Human Development Index and has the 18th-largest GDP per capita (PPP) in AIN. It is Asia's major airline, financing, and maritime hub and has been placed highly in key social indicators such as education, healthcare, quality of life, human security and infrastructure.
Politically, Takamaiku is a unitary parliamentary republic based on the Westminster system with both the head of state and government are elected by the general public, thus considered the country as a "full-democracy" nation by the EIU's Democracy Index whilst holding highest in civil liberty. The country is comprised of 20 prefectures with most of Takamaiku's population are considered highly urbanized and heavily concentrated near the coastlines. Takamaiku is part of several major international and intergovernmental institutions such as the United Nations, East Asia Summit, Eurasian Economic Union, and one of the member of Major non-NATO Allies.
Etymology[edit | edit source]
The name Takamaiku (高舞育) was first mentioned after the end of the Takachima Occupation by Aki Yakumo where the Tokugawa Shougunate loyalists invaded the island of Takachima of now-then the current nation. It is derieved from the combination of Takamagahara (高天原), meaning the "dwelling place of the heavenly gods" and Mai Iku (舞育), meaning Dance or Harmony. Both compound means "the Harmonized land of God", which in western-terms can also means "the land of harmony and peace".
History[edit | edit source]
Pre-colonization[edit | edit source]
Ainu Arrival and Settlement[edit | edit source]
Yayoi Ainu
According to Archeological and Indigenous genetic evidence, the island of what is back then called Ezogashima was first settled by the Jomon around 15,000 years ago. It is suggested that most of these group of people immigrated from Central and Northern Areas of Honshu and unlike it, Ezogashima never experienced any conflict. By around 300 BCE, the arrival of the Yayoi people from the Korean Peninsula brought the Neolitihic culture in the island with rice cultivation and metallurgy. The culture and life of both the Jomon and Yayoi continued for another hundreds of years than the rest of the archipelago until it eventually merged to create the Yamato culture, the modern Takamaikan and Japanese ethnic group.
At around 600CE, a culture from the island of what is now called Sakhalin arrived to the island, the Okhotsk. Intermingling to the newly evolved Satsumon culture by the old Jomon people, they mostly reside in the seasides of the north, while its counterpart reside in the inner part of Ezogashima. However, the Okhotsk culture disappeared for no reason, and it is still not known if they either have been integrated by the Satsumon people or retreated to Sakhalin. With the departure of the Okhotsk culture came the arrival of the Emishi people from Northern Honshu. But with incursions between the Yamato and the Satsumon settlers in the island, Emishi settlers saw themselves getting integrated to those cultures with some of them intermarrying and trading with them conjuctively.
The descendants of these settlers became known as the Ainu, a unique tri-culture formed between the remnants of the Emishi, Satsumon, and perhaps the Okhotsk culture. The latter Ainu expansion expanded from the Kuril Islands to the North and South of Ezogashima brought their non-Japonic linguistic culture and their distinctive human group that is described by early western visitors as “lost Caucasian people of Asia”.
As for its traditions, Ainu people believed in marriage by arrangement between his or her parents and parents of his or her betrothed and were told who their spouse was to be when they reached a marriageable age. Newborn babies were named ayay, ship, poysh, or shion temporarily until the ages of 2 or 3 as a meaning of warding off the demon of ill-health upon newborn. The Ainu are mostly animists, believing that everything in nature has a spirit of God, or Kamuy, inside of them, with Kotan-kar-kamuy is regarded as their God and creator of the world. One notable ceremonies is arctolatry or bear worship. It is believed that bears hold Kim-un Kamuy’s divine gift for the people through the bear’s hide and meat.
Early Japanese Colonization[edit | edit source]
The first modern Japanese known to reach Ezogashima were a series of Buddhist priests who are tasked to convert the Ainu natives to Buddhism but failed to account the strength of their Animist religion. With the early Yamato settlers had set up trading post along the southern portion of the island, the waters around the now-then Asakanai Strait began to accommodate numerous Yamato people during the 12th and 13th century, with the majority of them are seeking to establish a permanent settlement in the south away from the wars and famine in Honshu. Communities started to prop up in Southern Asakanai Region close to rich fisheries, trading access, and elusive gold, while the Kamakura Shogunate began to send their convicts from Honshu. In the heart of the great colonization of the Yamato people, the village town named Otanuki was established and became one of the largest and earliest Japanese settlements in the Ezogashima.
With the colonization of Yamato people from different parts of Honshu, conflicts between the Indigenous Ainu and new settlers were at an all-time high, despite also being reliant into one of each other for trading goods. Since the settlers were not accustomed to their new land, a series of trading deals and partnerships was established to allow them to access a series of key goods in the deeps of Ezogashima, while in return to have the Ainu access with Honshu’s rice, sake, metal works, and lacquerware good. However, this did not ease off the tension as abuse of power and unfair trade commitment rose the resentment of the Ainu.
The tensions hit a critical boiling point when a single pricing dispute of a sword escalated to the killing of an Ainu customer that riled up the Indigenous population for a full-scale rebellion, the Koshamain’s War. Alongside with its dissatisfaction with the Yamato population, Koshamain and his loose confederation of the population attacked numerous Japanese settlements in the South with most of them defeating Yamato defenders. Even with its devasting outcome for the settlers, it didn’t convince the Yamato people to evacuate back to Honshu and instead counter-attacked the Ainu with Takeda Nobuhiro managed to kill Koshamain, ending the Ainu revolt.
With the success of ending the revolt, Takeda Nobuhiro was invited by Kakizaki to their family and becoming the head of their family clan that are supplant to the local Abe clan as the leaders of the Yamato in Ezogashima. By 1516, the Ashikaga Shogunate granted the Kakizaki Clan to tax any ship that enters the Otanuki Harbour and helped the Kakizaki clan to consolidate more power in the island. Seeing no alternatives to end the war with the Ainu, the clan signed a peace agreement with them in 1551 to reduce the revolt to a minimum. With the arrival of Toyotomi Hideyoshi in 1560 and his grant to administer Ezogashima as a fief with the promise of protecting Japan from Ainu granted, the Kakizaki Clan was eventually renamed to Otanuki Clan.
1604-1869: Ezo Under Otanuki Fiefdom[edit | edit source]
Upon the establishment of the Otanuki Clan in the island of Ezogashima, the march fief issued the Oshima Treaty of 1608. The treaty organized the clan’s boundaries along the Oshima Peninsula under Yamato-control, while the rest is reserved for the indigenous-land to settle into the distant frontier indefinitely. It also aims to improve and stabilize relations between the Yamato and the Ainu by formalizing the recognition of Indigenous title, land purchases, and in trading regulation with both groups benefitted. Despite the treaty being enforced, the Yamato colonizers and colonized Ainu population experienced a series of conflict and discriminatory outbreaks, fueling another round of Yamato-Ainu tensions.
Shakushain Rebellion[edit | edit source]
Despite started with a dispute over another Ainu clan’s resources and land purchases, it escalated dramatically in 1669 when war was declared with the Yamato in interfering the balance of trade between one ainu clan to the another. Known as the The Shakushain Rebellion, it is described as a last effort to retain Ainu political and economical independence and regaining control in the trading sector from the Yamato people. Alongside Shakushain leading the battle, he gathered numerous tribe to revolt against the Otanuki Clan and launched an assault in numerous Yamato towns and destroyed Yamato ships in the process. With nearly 400 Yamato presumably dead in the heigh of the rebellion, the Tokugawa Shogunate deployed over 10,000 troops supported by its own artillery, cavalry, and local militia to assist the Otanuki Clan in ending the rebellion
Heavily outnumbered and with resources hitting critically low, Shakushain and his forces eventually stand down and surrendered to the Otanuki, ending the three-year rebellion. Despite negotiating a peace settlement between the two groups, Shakushain and some of the Ainu generals were assassinated by Otanuki warriors. With exception of the last revolt, the Koshamain’s War, this is one of the last large-scale revolt by Ainu against the Japanese as the Shogunate and the march fief has held utmost control in the island.
The Otanuki-Oshima Company[edit | edit source]
By the early 1700s, the Otanuki lord was ascended to the official title of a daimyo, on which its recognized his authoritative control in Ezogashima. The island saw exponential growth in local fisheries and fertilizers trading with the people of Honshu. Despite with forced Ainu labor, the unbalanced supply-to-demand ratio was quickly becoming evident by the daimyo. To support its growing fishing and agricultural industry, the Otanuki-Oshima Company was chartered by the Tokugawa Shogunate to focus on settling Yamato in Ezogashima and establishing an emperor-daimyo monopolization in managing fishing and agriculture trade in the island.
With over 50 to 60k Yamato people immigrated to Ezogashima within its establishment, the Ainu saw its population to dip into the downward trend due to new disease and the unprecedented encroachment of the Yamato people into their lands. By the 1800s, Yamato population grown to at least 80,000 with the ainu decreased at around 15,000-20,000. Tensions during this time was at an all-time high, but with the Tokugawa-Otanuki forces outnumbering Ainu revolutionaries, it spelled the end of major armed Ainu resistance in the island.
Temporary Shogunate Takeover[edit | edit source]
Explorations of the Russians in the Far East became one of the clan’s major concern as they encroach closer to the unmapped territory of Northern Ezogashima. With Sakoku still being enforced by the shogunate, the Russian missions proved to be difficult as they were being denied entry in Otanuki and Teiko’s Nagasaki. It eventually escalated into attacking numerous outpost in the Kurils and Sakhalin, burning them, and attacked two Otanuki Clan’s ships at the sea.
With the predicament and paranoia of Russian attacks and even invasion of Ezogashima, the Tokugawa shogunate placed the Otanuki Clan under direct Shogunate ruling and deployed troops to the northern outpost to fend off the Russians. The Otanuki-Oshima Company expedited numerous Yamato immigrants towards the newly-purchased lands that was belonged to the Ainu in accordance of the Oshima Treaty of 1608, with some of them are Samurai-farmers.
Despite sanctions issued by the Shogun to the European and American ships who are in island waters in search of fisheries and whales, encounters between foreigners continued. Without a potential outlook in the situation and funds trinkling, the Shogunate reverted back the Otanuki Control to the previous daimyo and withdrew any sort of direct rule in the island. However, despite the return of power, it would be short-lived.
American Intervention and the end of Sakoku[edit | edit source]
With Admiral Matthew C. Perry of the Royal American Navy and his armada of powerful steam-powered warship strolled along the bay near Uraga, Kanagawa, the Shogunate saw its long-isolationism policy is coming to an end. The ratification of The Treaty of Peace and Amity by both Japan and the United States ended Sakoku and forcefully made the island of Ezogashima to open one of its prominent port to the west, the Port of Nishinomachi.
Despite being denied to enter the Port of Otanuki, Perry and his troops arrived in Nishinomachi to insure the port is suitable for trading, on which he likened it and compared the city to the likes of Gibraltar. The entrance of Perry in Nishinomachi marks Ezogashima’s point of contact between the far east to the Western nations and investments by the Daimyo such as increasing agricultural and beef output were made to help cater foreign seamen and trading in the port.
But with foreign powers started shifting its focus to cater the concerns of the Ainu Indigenous population, the Shogunate and with its colonization company restarted its immigration program to allow Yamato people to settle the protected lands of the indigenous. This immigration policy allows the Yamato population to thrive in once native land, decreasing the indigenous lifestyle, and also decreasing its potential to win any revolt. By the 1850s, a majority of the Ainu population have already integrated with the Yamato culture.
Boshin War[edit | edit source]
Dissatisfaction on the Shogunate’s handling of foreign influence in their land and increasing western exploitation into its economy eventually cultivated into a revolution, the Boshin War. With a strong alliance composed of both the feudal domains of the Satsuma and Chōshū, the revolution started in January 27th, 1868.
Battle after battle and with the support of both the United Kingdom and the United States, the military strength of the alliance were increasingly powerful. Mixed with the partisan violence in Edo and its eventual downfall by the encroaching Imperial forces, Tokugawa Yoshinobu officially surrendered. Despite the majority of the Shogun’s troops officially standed down, a group of French advisors and Tokugawa Loyalists headed by Enomoto Takeaki and his French compatriot, Jules Brunet, refused to surrender and continued the fight against the Imperial Forces.
With the Imperial forces surrounded his group, Enomoto, Brunet, and his troops boarded the Kaiyo Maru and left Edo, leaving the disposed Shogun on which both sworn loyalty to him. However, upon arriving in Sendai and with intentions of helping the Northern Coalition to defeat the Imperial forces, it was apparent that the coalition was crumbling. As defeat of the coalition is increasingly possible and no other option, Enomoto and Brunet has decided to assemble his sea fleet and land troops, including 5 Frenchmen that joined the Shogunate rebellion, leave Sendai and sail up north to Ezogashima in hopes in allowing the continuation of a Shogunate government.
1869-1871: Path to National Independence[edit | edit source]
Proclamation of Independence[edit | edit source]
As part of their treacherous trek towards up the island of Ezogashima, one of Enomoto’s battleship, the Kaiyo Maru, suffered intensive damage and eventually dragged down by the destructive waves. However despite the situation, Enomoto and his crewmates was able to escape before the sea has engulfed the entire ship. With one of its military’s flagship down, Enomoto was becoming weary of its reduced naval power against the Imperial Forces.
Despite the setback, Enomoto, Brunet, and his troops landed on the Port of Nishinomachi on December 4, 1868 and marched toward Otanuki. Upon marching in the rural lands of the Asakanai region, they encountered little resistance as the Meiji magistrates and the majority of the Otanuki Clan exiled to Aomori by that time. Battle after battle, and with the remaining Otanuki and Meiji magistrates surrendered to Tokugawa’s forces, the island of Ezogashima was now under control of Enomoto and Brunet.
On January 27, 1869, Enomoto publicly declared the Independence of the Island of Ezogashima from Japan and promptly named the first republic in East Asia, The Republic of Takamaiku. A territory declaration ceremony was held in Otanuki on the same day and a provisional government was established with Enomoto being the first president of Takamaiku.
Knowing that Imperial forces would encroach the newly-established republic, preparations to defend the republic was underway. The purchase of the USS Stonewall from the United States proved to be vitally important on the republic’s naval force with the lost of its flagship Kaiyo Maru during pre-occupation, despite the purchase was plagued with bureaucratic blockade by the Japanese and a high-interest loan from the US. Defenses around the southern shore of the island were enhanced, including one of the republic’s prized possession, the Goryōkaku.
Under the joint Franco-Takamaikan command of Ōtori Keisuke and Brunet, over 12,000 loyalists troops were trained with French and European war tactics and were then subdivided into different infantry with a French and Takamaikan as commanders. As part of their military training, Brunet has demanded and eventually received a pledge of loyalty from all trained officers and were then introduced with French ideas and culture. With it, France under Napoleon III started actively supporting both French and the loyalists with weaponry and naval assistance from the French Navy.
Despite the situation, Enomoto wished to maintain peace with the Meiji with the intention of having a strong connection with the mainland but was declined outright. He then focuses on improving the Republic’s reputation internationally, developing the island’s agriculture sector to boost food supply, drafted a series of articles that was described by one of the British consul as ”liberal and englightened”, and began the communication with the ainu population. These actions were enough to persuade the majority of foreigners in Otanuki and Nishinomachi to stay in the island, even with the threat of Imperial invasion is imminent.
Japanese-Takamaiku War of 1869[edit | edit source]
The Establishment of the Republic of Takamaiku was seen by the Imperial Government as an “illegal breakaway state” and with the recent iteration of the Imperial Japanese Navy, eight battle ships and 7,000 Imperial troops departed from Edo on March 9th, 1869 to Takamaiku in hopes to crush the remaining Tokugawa resistance in Japan. Anticipating the incoming assault from the capital, the newly-established Takamaiku Maritime Defence Force commanded by Arai Ikunosuke planned a counter-attack with the Japanese and deployed four of its warships to Miyako with the desire to buy time for the rapid militarization of Takamaiku and negotiating a peace accord with the Imperial Government.
On March 20th, 1869, two forces engaged in a naval battle with both naval fronts receiving considerable damage with Takamaiku’s new flagship, the Munesane, damaging four Imperial warships and capturing one of them. Despite the sinking of Takao in the aftermath of the battle, the Takamaikan navy was able to escape back to its territory. Angered by it, the Imperial Government expedited the invasion of Takamaiku. This marks the start of the Japanese-Takamaiku War of 1869.
With more former Tokugawa loyalists fled to Takamaiku from Honshu and eventually trained by the appointed commanders in the military, over 15, 000 troops were mobilized around the southern portion of Asakanai. Warships of both Takamaiku and French Navy were positioned across the Strait to sway off the incoming attack. On April 9th, 1869, the Imperial troops arrived from Honshu and commenced the Siege of Asakanai. Bloody battles occurred in the western flank of the peninsula as the Imperial forces tries to occupy Otanuki. The town suffered extensive damage from these battles and over 1,000 civilians and troops perished. However, as more infantry arrived in Otanuki to assist, the Imperial forces were overrun with the sudden uprise of military retaliation. In Nishinomachi, over 3,000 troops defended the port city and was able to retain Loyalist control despite the same extensive damage experienced with Otanuki. Over four Imperial warships were sunk by joint Franco-Takamaiku naval forces. As the land invasion continues with heavy Imperial losses and the advantages losing away, the remaining Imperial troops surrendered on May 20th, 1869, solidifying Takamaiku’s naval and land strength.
As more western nations are starting to recognize the legitimacy of the Republic of Takamaiku and supporting them thru aid, the Meiji Government’s hope to invade the island in another invasion dwindled as they came to a rational of a potential western retaliation if they decided to attack the Republic. Japan’s focus shifted from warfare to anti-loyalist propaganda, cutting off trade networks and loyalists land grants, and imposing a wide array of feudal reforms in the process. As the reforms is mainly centered in eradicating the remaining culture of the Tokugawa Shogunate in the mainland, an influx of underground loyalists arrived in Takamaiku to avoid persecution. Including in the influx are a significant Christian groups from Teiko and Southern Japan who are also avoiding religious persecution.
Along with Enomoto-sponsored rebel attacks in northern Honshu continues towards to 1871, the war between Takamaiku and Japan carried forward with increasing deathtoll. Seeing no end in the bloodshed, Ōkubo Toshimichi and Saigō Takamori expressed their voice in expelling Takamaiku from Japan. Upon hearing this, Enomoto and two of the nobles of the Restoration discussed a peace agreement and total independence from Japan in condition that Enomoto, Brunet, or their troops not to attack Japan in perpetuity. The Proclamation of Takamaiku was signed on March 1st, 1871 and on the same day, The Republic of Takamaiku became a sovereign and an independent island nation.
1871-1884: The Commonwealth Republic[edit | edit source]
Within the terms of The Proclamation, Takamaiku saw its own political and economic independence from Imperial Japan. Developing as a “the last traditional frontier”, the nation conducted it is first national balloted election but only those who hold a samurai-class membership as recognized by the Republic. As a result. Enomoto Takeaki was re-elected as the President of the Commonwealth of Takamaiku and Kitashirakawa Yoshihisa, a former head of the Ōuetsu Reppan Dōmei, became the Appointed Shushō.
As part of his agenda in modernizing and providing an economic base for the undeveloped island, Enomoto hired Logan Miller from the Unites States and Jean-Marc Chaney from France to be the Republic’s economic advisor. Within the decade, Takamaiku saw a rapid economic growth as trading and investment from Europe and North America began to cater the Republic’s higher class and foreign expats. Alongside with the economic reform, the Government saw its own modernization as once a strong unicameral legislature was divided into two to establish a bicameral legislature to be more in-line with Western standards.
Rebellion and The Rokujou Reformation[edit | edit source]
With the rise of modernization of the island saw a marginal resistance between the Loyalists who wanted to maintain traditional Tokugawa values and the Reformists who wanted to make Takamaiku progressive but would still retain the old shogun values albeit not significant. The Sekkyoku-tō (Progressives), under the leadership of Taguchi Chikamoto, campaigned and petitioned for a universal suffrage to allow all class of people to vote and a ministerial responsibility. However, it was rejected almost instantly by the Loyalists-majority held bicameral congress who were voted mostly from the Samurai Class. This brought a verbal and physical violence in the both sides, and eventually led to a rebellion.
Motivated by the distrust towards the new government and frustrations to reforming the political and voting system, the Reformists and the Progressives took up arms and initiated an armed uprising in Otanuki in August 3rd, 1875. With over 850 rebels, they defeated the Takamaiku force who were deployed to quell the uprisings. The rebels ransack the Congress building and attack the Samurai-class, however they were held back quite significantly as more reinforcements arrived in the city. Unprepared and outnumbered, they were defeated and most of them retreated to Japan. When the news of the uprisings took place in Otanuki, a small reformist group within the Progressive Party also initiated an armed conflict in Nishinomachi with the same agenda. Eventually, with their lack of training, they were defeated easily by the force. With over 300 people dead, it left a significant mark in the public’s perception towards the government.
The armed conflicts sparked a reformation movement in the public and riots broke out between the Loyalists and Reformists. Seeing no end in the conflicts, President Takeaki eventually leaned on the reformation agenda in the political and voting system and promised to propose a government system that appeals both the resolutions of the Progressives and still maintaining the old-shogun culture. Drafted and signed on March 19th, 1883, The Rokujou Act was narrowly passed in the Congress. The act allows the public in any classes to vote in the election, created an executive branch with a cabinet minister that holds a certain office, and a responsible government. On the same day, Takeaki stepped down as the President.
1884-1942: The First Republic[edit | edit source]
Following the resignation of Takeaki and several revisions to the Rokujou Act, Takamaiku's first constitution, The Takamaiku Act, 1884, was enacted and assented in January 17, 1884. This serves as the nation's first legal binding sources of constitutional laws and showcases the civil and human rights that every citizen and non-citizen of Takamaiku will receive. As part of the constitution, it also outlines Takamaiku's system of government that replaced the status of a President to a ceremonial one and created an office for the Shushō to act as the new head of government for the republic. Also included in the constitution is the beginning and the end date for the terms of a Shushō and President with an definite election day of first week of June.
On June 3rd, 1884, Takamaiku held its first democratic national election for both President and Shushō. With votes heavily siding with the Sekkyoku-tō, Seikanji Munetomo and Suuji Fukuda became the first President and Shushōr of the First Republic respectively.
To open the vast parts of the island and encourage immigration, the Government initiated a major infrastructure projects across the island, such as the creation of Takamaiku Rail, road-paving, and housing developments. However, the population of Otanuki and its surroundings increased substantially, creating inefficiencies in the newly-created government. As a result, Senkaido was officially announced by Fukuda as the new capital of Takamaiku. Despited situated in an Alluvial fan, Fukuda has coined the idea of "unlimited" expansion of the new capital to "allow the nation's government operate efficiently and be the next financial capital of Takamaiku." However, with the rise of the immigration in the island comes the rise of Ainu displacement to the "territorial reserves." This cause a decline of Ainu population in the island and a widespread famine from the lost of traditional hunting and farming lands. In an effort to assimilate the indigenous population to the rising Yamato settlement, the Government introduced The Ainu Act to enables the national government to exert authority over the Ainu people in education, movement, and legal rights.
However being relatively peaceful, strained relations with the Empire of Japan continued. Disputes in ocean boundaries over fishing rights in Asakanai Strait and the Kojima Island Dispute were the sources of the strained relations and an Anti-Japanese sentiment. The sentiment reached the boiling point in 1902 when the Sekkyoku-tō-held government negotiated a reciprocity with Japan. The intention was to lower trade barriers between the two nations, essentially a free trade. The rival party, National, publicly denouced the sitting government for allowing Japanese factories to take over the local factories and a potenial economic annexation of Takamaiku to the Empire of Japan. Appealing to the Anti-Japanese sentiment and Takamaikan Nationalism, the National won a landslide victory in the 1904 General Election. Despite of a potenial invasion by the Meiji, Takamaiku became relatively neutral in the Russo-Japanese War and World War I. With the surrounding nations being ravaged by the flu outbreak in 1918, Takamaiku was one of East Asian nation that were hit severely by the first and second wave of the virus with over 15-30% of the population infected.
1942-1945: The Second Republic[edit | edit source]
In the early morning of December 8, 1941, the Imperial Japanese Army has initiated a surprise attack on Otanuki and Nishinodomari, merely 9 hours after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbour in Hawaii. A series of initial bombardments was initiated in the general area as Japanese ground troops landed in Otanuki and Nishinodomari in large numbers. Under the command of President Ikejiri Ujikuni during that time, Takamaikan troops heavily defended the Southern Hanako Peninsula from the encroaching Japanese. Pressured from the superior opposing forces, the defending forces withdrew up north to the boundaries of Mount Hoheikyo to sway off the Japanese invasion of Senkaido
With the Japanese forces nearing the capital, Ujikuni and Shushō Rokujou Yukisane declared Senkaido as an open city, and ordered all troops to defend the remaining parts of Takamaiku "as long as they can." The remaining Takamaikan troops continued to protect against the Japanese until their final surrender in Chiyoko on January 29, 1942. Ujikuni, Yukisane, and several members of the cabinet narrowly left the city to Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk in neighboring Soviet Union, where a government-in-exile was set up. The First Republic was dissolved by the Japanese Government, and Takamaiku fell under direct Japanese rule.
Although under the direct supervision of the Seimei Hyōgi-kai in Tokyo from January 29 to April 2, 1943, the Japanese military authorities have eventually set up a state-sponsored Republic under the direct duo-rule of President Chousokabe Motokane and Shushō Sanjou Arihira, declaring the start of the Second Republic Government.
However, it proved to be a failed venture as Motokane and Arihira were faced with issues such as shortage of food and resources and heavy Japanese intervention in public and private affairs. Efforts were made to ratify these issues but were unsuccessful. The Takamaikan Tsukon was replaced by the overinflated Japanese yen by over 60-70%, and education was shifted to a similar Japanese school system. With the Rokaido population, the Ainu inhabitants were treated poorly and faced tortures with the Japanese troops. Rapid integration programs that were sponsored by the Government were in full force to convert Ainu to a Rokaido people. The Japanese-sponsored Government heavily faced large-scale guerrilla forces by the remnants of the TDF that mainly were sequestered in Nuyamito and Kunagami, with their Food and weaponry supplies airdropped from the Soviet Union. By 1945, over 19,000 Takamaikan civilian and military troops perished.
The Second Republic ceased to exist on August 15, 1945, when the Japanese unconditionally surrenders to the allied powers. Under the direction of Lt. Tommy Brooks, the United States Seventh and Eighth Army landed in Otanuki and Fujimoto and immediately occupied Senkaido to take over the now-then government-less nation. Motokane and Arihira were arrested, and Ujikuni and Yukisane returned to Takamaiku in August 19th.
1945-1953: Joint US-Takamaiku Interim Government[edit | edit source]
With Takamaiku under the American allied occupation, Ujikuni and Yukisane approached Lt. Brooks for a potential joint US-Takamaiku interim government. After a three-year Japanese occupation in the country, Takamaiku's industry sector was obliterated, and allied bombing raids heavily damaged road infrastructures. Recognizing that the nation would incur a severe debt and instability in an attempt to reorganize Takamaiku on its own, the surviving cabinet members decided that an interim joint US-Takamaiku government would be needed to "re-start Takamaiku prosperously."
After a round of negotiations, on September 3rd, both parties agreed on a joint interim government, and Lt. Brooks announced to the Continental Congress its intention of establishing a joint government. After passing a resolution that would allow the United States to control the Government and Infrastructural affairs of Takamaiku jointly, Lt. Brooks and Shushō Habane signed the Convention of Yoshinaga that established the Interim Government on September 29, 1945.
Although the United States appointed Brooks as the Interim Governor, governmental powers were shared between the President and Shushō. Through a series of legislation passed by both parties, the major sectors of the Takamaikan society, government, and economy saw a string of liberalization as the interim government prioritized economic growth and internal stabilization during the whole administration. In 1948, The Congress ratified a new constitution, The Takamaiku Constitution, 1948, that closely follows a "western-like" constitution. Drafted by the Kenpō No Ie, a joint American-Takamaiku constitution drafting group, it follows the same principle of the United States Bill of Rights and the New Deal to allow Takamaiku to be economically, politically socially reform itself. As part of the constitution, both parties agreed that English should be one of the national languages to allow Takamaikans to communicate foreign business seamlessly. The nation became one of the first East Asian nations to pass two labor acts, "Trade Union Act" and "The Labour Standards Act of 1949", that allows workers a right to organize a union and receive better labor conditions. The education system was fully reformed as the old Takamaikan education system, formerly based on both France and Russia education system, was changed to a hybrid British and US education system that incorporated a three-year junior high school and senior high schools. By the end of 1953, Takamaiku was dramatically transformed from a backward rural countryside to an emerging urbanized nation in East Asia.
In 28th of April, 1952, the interim government was eventually dissolved as the United States has legally ended their allied occupation of Takamaiku and Japan through the Treaty of San Francisco. As the interim government has officially ended, Ujikuni and Yukisane has continued serving their respective office until 30th of June, 1953 when the Congress was dissolved to make way for the nation's election.
Government and Politics[edit | edit source]
Takamaiku is governed in a framework based from the Westminster system as a unitary parliamentary representative democratic republic whereby the Daitōryō of Takamaiku is the Head of state and the Shushō is Head of government, and of a multi-party system.
In accordance of the Takamaikan Constitution, there are three powers vested in the government to ensure checks and balances are followed:
- The Gyōsei-ken (Executive Power) is based on the principle that while the Daitōryō reigns, the Government of Takamaiku rules. Despite an integral part of the process of government, the Daitōryō are considered politcally neutral and are largely ceremonial and symbolic in nature. The Goverment of Takamaiku exercsise authority on behalf of and by consent of the sovereign. Government are made of ministers, who are selected from among MPs and considered accountable to the Parliament. Most chosen ministers are part of a Cabinet, which is considered the main decision-making body of the Government. A Shushō heads his/her cabinet, who is the most senior minister formally appointed by the Daitōryō, while his/her ministers are appointed by the Daitōryō on the advice of the head of government. The 21st and current Shushō, since 25 February 2023, is Mei Kobayashi.
- The Rippo-ken (Legislative Power) is held by the Parliament of Takamaiku, Takamaiku's unicameral legislature, and is consisted of 236 Members of the Parliament (MPs). Each MPs are elected to the Parliament for a flexible term of office, with general elections held at least every four years using Proportional representation through Single transferable vote. MPs usually belong to a political parties which are dominated historically by the major parties: Ensemble! and The Moderates. Other parties that have grown in prominence and has successfully exerted influence to the political process includes the Ainu, Green, and the People's Party.
- As the only judicial system in East Asia that is based on the English common law, the Shiho-ken (Judicial Power), under the leadership of the Chief Justice, is comprised of several tiers, including the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, High Court, and subordinate courts. The appointment of judges and judicial officers is carried out without political influence, following rigorous tenure regulations aimed at safeguarding judicial independence. This framework theoretically enables the judiciary to interpret the law exclusively based on the legislation passed by Parliament, without external factors affecting their decisions.
Considered as "full-democracy", Takamaiku's politics has a rich tradition of liberalism and been marked with an egalitarian political ideology. While extremism has never been prominent in the Takamaikan Politics, the rule of the Ensemble! party has notably inched closer to the extremism left-side of the Takamaikan political spectrum. However, through the years, the left-wing politics of the ruling party has mellowed down and has moderated itself to emphasis more on social justice. This in turn became as a distinguishing element of the country's political culture with equality and inclusive being emphasized as well. As of 2017, Takamaiku was positioned as the fourth-strongest country in terms of the robustness of its democratic institutions. Furthermore, it held the top ranking for government transparency and the absence of corruption.
Additionally, Takamaiku's commitment to LGBT rights has been recognized as one of the most progressive in East Asian region. The nation's policies and attitudes towards the LGBTQ+ community are characterized by a high degree of tolerance and inclusivity. With things considered such as accounting the predominantly left-leaning modern political history of the country, Takamaiku is considered as one of the most left-leaning states in East Asia when compared to its southern neighbor, Japan.
Foreign relations[edit | edit source]
Recognized as one of East Asia's middle power, Takamaiku's international role is mostly based on pursuing multilateral solutions. Unlike its East Asian neighbours, the nation's foreign policy is notable for its international peacekeeping and providing foreign humanitarian crises and was the leading asian nation as the largest donor of Official development assistance, dubbing Takamaiku as "The Canada of East Asia".
Takamaiku was the 57th country to enter the United Nation in October 1949 and was part of the non-permanent UN Security Council members. In 2018, the country was admitted in the Alliance of Independent Nation and is considered one of the active East Asian member state since then, and as such, Daigo Katsumoto became the first Takamaikan official to be elected on one of the Agencies of the Alliance when he became the fourth Director of the Alliance Infrastructure Agency since March 2020. Takamaiku is also a member of the G7, APEC, and the East Asia Summit.
Throughout the history, Takamaiku has developed strong relationship with its East Asian neighbours such as Japan, Nakama, Oka, Teiko, Kenji, and South Korea. The nation enjoys a strong relations with ASEAN members and other distant AIN states such as Soviet Union, New Duveland, West Pacific, California, and Balisca
Since World War II, relationship between Takamaiku and the United States were historically strong and has been described as special. In 1945, Takamaiku was occupied by the Americans from the Imperial Japan in an effort to sway the Japanese away from the island nation and to rebuild the economy and political system towards democracy. Takamaiku is one of US' oldest partners and a strategically a Major non-NATO ally with 92% Takamaikans viewing the Americans favorably and postively as of 2019, making it the most pro-American country in Asia.
Military[edit | edit source]
The military services in Takamaiku are managed by the Takamaiku Defence Force. Comprised of the The Republic of Takamaiku Army (RoTA), Takamaiku Maritime Defense Force (TMDF), and the Takamaiku Air Force (TAF), it is arguably one of the most technologically advanced in East Asia and similar to Singapore, seen as the maintainner of the nation's indepedence. With the government spending over 3.2% of its GDP towards military development and research, Takamaiku is know for its long-standing policy of non-belligerence towards armed conflicts in spite of its miltary capabilities. Nevertheless, the nation is also known for its history of involvements in United Nations peacekeeping operations such as the Suez Crisis and the Korean War.
Under the constitution, the Takamaiku Defence Force with its 289,830 total active and reserved personnels are assigned to follow several key functions such as:
- Preparation for the defence of the state against direct or indirect attack from any nations.
- Giving policing and internal security assistance in conjunction with the Takamaiku Police Force.
- To engage on peacekeeping mission within or outside the state's borders with the Shomin-in's approval.
- To engage on humanitarian relief operations within or outside the state's borders.
- To engage on other civil contingency duties requested by one party such as Search and Rescue, secure Air Transport for any ministers or foreign delegates, and other desirements.
Until 1943, male Takamaikan citizens are constitutionally required to serve in the military at age 18 and above, during a time where Japanese Militarianism is considered a grave threat to the nation and soldiers are needed to initiate defence and counter-attack if time is needed. These days, the current constitution has made miltary service voluntary with enlistments can be carried at the age of 18. Though, a citizen within the age of 16 or 17 can join the Reserve and enter military colleges with parental consent.
Despite having a semi-neutrality status, the Takamaikan Army has over 13,200 utility vehicles and field main tanks in operation including the TA Tsunesaburo, one of the army's main battle tank that was produced jointly with Takamaiku's Seison Heavy Industries and Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. The decision made in 1983 to produce tank artillery was brought upon to provide additional fire, reconnaissance, and support in an event a direct attack occured in the homeland.
The Takamaiku Maritime Defense Force, one of Asia's middle-sized naval army, has operated numerous Helicopter carrier, cruisers, patrol boats, and a decently-sized attack submarine in an effort to ramp up its oceanic naval presence in East Asia. These equipments including the notable TN Otanuki are equipped with an Aegis fleet-defense system obtained from the US, making the nation's navy force leaning towards a Blue-water navy.
Ranked as the "30th World's Largest Air force" in terms of fleet size, the Takamaikan Air Force operates over 368 aircraft that includes a variety of advanced and well mainted fighters such as the T-15QP, a Takamaikan-made air superiority fighter jet based on McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle and licensed by Seison Heavy Industries.
Takamaiku is a signatory member of the AIN's Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.
Administrative divisions[edit | edit source]
Takamaiku is divided into six regions: Minami (南地域), Nishi (南端), Chūshin (中心), Tōmen (刀剣), Hokutō (北斗), and Hokusei (北西地方). Within these regions, they are divided into 20 prefectures and are furthered divided into cities, towns, and villages within their borders. All prefectures are overseen by an elected prefectural governor, legislature, and administrative system. Notable cities such as Senkaido, Ryoko, and Otanuki are indepedent from their respected prefectures as a Higly Urbanized Independent Cities (HUIC), with Senkaido itself classified as a National Capital Region. Before 1962, Senkaido is part of the former Tsukigata Prefecture until the Congress approved the abolishment of the City of Senkaido, and making Senkaido as a special city under the specified designation which composed most of Tsukigata with its remaining bit abosorbed by surrounding prefectures.
Geography and enviroment[edit | edit source]
General characteristics[edit | edit source]
The island of Takamaiku extends over an area of 84,410.02 km2 (32,590.89 sq mi) and is bounded to the north by the Sea of Okhotsk, Sea of Japan to the west, the Asakanai Strait that seperates Takamaiku from the island of Honshu to the south, and the vast Pacific Ocean to the east.
With most of the island is consisted of rugged mountains and volcanic plateaux, it renders most areas of the nation unsuitable for agricultural, industrial or residential zoning use. Despite that, several flatlands and valleys such as the Tōbu Teichi (Eastern Lowlands), Senkaido Plains, and the Takagushi Valley is home of over 3/4 of the nation's population and creating the most densiliest region in Takamaiku. Because of this, these populations are mostly situated in the coastal regions. The highest point in the Takamaiku is Mount Asahi, located on Kunagami, the most mountainous of the nation.
Along with its East Asian neighbours, Takamaiku is located in a volcanic region of the Ring of Fire, making the nation substantially prone to eartquakes, tsunami, and volcanoes disaster. The 20th century saw the most destructive earthquakes ever to struck the island nation such as 1993 Takamaikan earthquake that killed over 230 inhabitants of the Yakushihoro Island and the recent 2018 Shinotagawa earthquake.
- Landscapes of Takamaiku
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Lake Tanafuji located in Yokogata -
The Ueda Hills, known for its lavender fields -
Mount Asahi located in Kunagami
Climate[edit | edit source]
Due to its northernmost location in East Asia, Takamaiku has a Humid continental climate that mostly corresponds to Central European weather conditions. The nation is shroudded with long, cold winters and very warm summer, although it varies alot region by region.
- On the Minami Region, the mountainous area acculmalates heavy snow while the urban area of Otanuki receive little or moderate snowfall.
- On the Chūō Region, despite Senkaido and its surrounding areas are relatively mild in summer, the western portion of the region received the heaviest snow and the eastern portion of the region on where the Pacific is closer receive lightest snowfall accumulation, especially areas in or around Tokomachi.
- On the Kita region, the area is notable for having the lowest average temperature reading of over −20 °C (−4.0 °F) and on January 2000, Hachimantei recorded the most lowest temperature in all East Asia, over −40 °C (−40.0 °F). Because of its location up north, the summer in the region is relatively cool.
Overall, Takamaiku enjoys four distinict seasons with no such rainy season and a cool, refreshing summer, with an annual mean temperature of around 10.0ºC.
Economy[edit | edit source]
Takamaiku is an advanced market economy, ranking 4th on the Index of Economic Freedom and 16th in the AIN Human Development Index category. The nation is also categorized as a high-income economy with a nominal gross domestic product (GDP) per capita of US$50,235. The Credit Suisse Research Institute has put Takamaiku as a nation with one of the highest median wealth and average wealth per adult in East Asia as of 2013. The Takamaikan Tsukon is the current currency for Takamaiku.
The nation is one of the most industrialized member nation in OECD along side with Teiko with companies such as Takeichi and Radion help garnered Takamaiku's reputation for its quality electronic and other manufactured items. This is due to the nation's massive investment towards education that advanced the country into a international technological powerhouse with Takamaiku's economy heaviliy benefiting from a highly skilled workface. It also helped made Takamaiku as one of the most educated countries in East Asia while holding the highest percentage of citizens holding an education degree.
Despite numerous multinational corporations domination in the country's export sector, it helps contribute significantly to the national income with its trade totalling over $986.51 billion. However because of its dependecy toward on international trade, it makes Takamaiku vulnerable to international commodity fluctuations. Automotive and Consumer electronics made up of 48% of its exports in 2014 , with agricultural and fisheries making up 19% of it. Takamaiku's main trading partners as of June 2019 were Japan (US$142.4b), the United States (US$117.3b), California (US$100.7b), Nakama (US$97.5b), Oka (US$91.1b), and Teiko (US$87.5b).
Although reeling to the minor side-effects of the 2009 Recession, Takamaiku was one of the East Asian nations to avoid a recession due to its conservative approach towards the economy on that time with its economic growth rate reached 4.3% in 2009, and 5.1% in 2010, a sharp contrast with its low growth rate of 2.9% and 0.6% in 1999 and 2000.
For several years, Takamaiku has been one of the few countries in the AIN to receive an AAA credit rating, due to the government efforts in attracting a significant amount of foreign investments with its strong stance on its workforce, low tax rates and zero-tolerance against any form of corruption. Same with its neighbour in the south, Takamaiku's variant of capitalism has many distinct features such as keiretsu enterprises, and lifetime and seniority based employment while ranking highly in the Ease of doing business index. Because of its strong agriculture, consumerism, and credit-union culture, the nation has the largest consumer cooperative, cooperative banking sector, and the largest agricultural cooperative in Asia.
Agriculture[edit | edit source]
Accounting over 3.2% of its national GDP, the agricultural sector was and still is a significant part of Takamaiku's economy as the 1,145 thousand hectar usuable cultivated island nation is ranked first in terms of a variety of agricultural products such as wheat, soybeans, potatoes, sugar beet, onions, pumpkins, corn, raw milk, beef and other exotic crops. This resulted a very high crop yields per unit area with a food self-sufficiency ratio of 185% in calorie-based category, and 207% in the output-based category. Because of its large area, many prefectures of Takamaiku have unique agricultural practices. For example, the Chūō region is mostly based on rice cultivation, vegetable, and other livestocks, while the Kita Region is based on a large-scale upland farming managment of wheat, soybeans, and sugar beets.
Industry[edit | edit source]
Despite its small size in the international market, Takamaiku has a significant industrial capacity with its diversified economy from financial services, manufacturing, electronics, automotive, and biomedical sciences. The country's manufacturing output is one of the highest in Asia and the sector accounts over 29.1% of the Takamaiku's GDP. However, several home-grown companies are facing emerging rivals in East Asia.
The Motor Industry in the nation, while small compared to its southern neighbour, is one of the succesfull industries with significant shares in East Asia and Oceania nations. Radion is one the Takamaiku's multinational automotive manufacture based in Senkaido and also serves as the largest automotive component manufacturing due to its corss over to different sectors as some of them being a part of a keiretsu. In part of this diversification of the industry, electronics industry is considered one of the largest of the world due to its products' history of being durable and technological sophisicated.
Takamaiku is known for its strong biotechnological and pharmaceutical industry that actively developed new drugs especially in the the field of degenerative and geriatic diseas and lead to a exponential growth in Pharmaceutical production and placing the nation's biomedical industry 4th largest in terms of individual market in the world. Petrochemical industry has also seen an steady increase since 1990s as production of plastics and polypropylene helped the petrochemicals demand high in the newly developing economies of Asia.
These Industries are mostly concentrated on several populous regions across the country with the Senkaido-Ishikano industrial region (surrounding the Senkaido Capital Region), Nishi-Tokomachi industrial region (surrounding the Greater Ryoko), and Southern Asakanai industrial region (surrounding the Greater Otanuki) serving as the nation's main industrial centers.
Trade and services[edit | edit source]
Takamaiku's trade and service industries are the major contributor to the gross national income (GNI), making about 62.1% of the national total since 1999. Because of its diversified economy, the sectors covers a wide variety of industries from wholesale and retail, to the leisure and entertainment.
Since 1970s, small retailers and "mom and pop" stores were the dominant stores in Takamaiku and are major voter base of the Liberal Party with its strong stance towards government-business relations. Though by the late 70s, foreign business and firms were growing up in the nation in the wake of globalization and more international cooperation. During the 80s, catalog shopping were increasingly popular for consumers due to its greater selection and lower prices than those bought in physical stores. Department stores, supermarkets, and specialty stores were benefitting from the rise of catalog mail order as they are doing better than the overall industry. But by the late 90s, online shopping overtakes catalog mail order in the emerging commerce culture.
Banking, insurance, retailing, transportation, and telecommunications were the major contributors in the service industry with companies such as TakamaTel, Sakamoto Insurance, miniShop, Takashimoya, Takamaiku Rail, and Takamaikan Airlines.
Tourism[edit | edit source]
Tourism in Takamaiku is a major inudstry and also a major contributor to the economy, attracting over 18 million foreign tourists as of 2018, making the one of the most visited nations in Asia. These foreign tourists were mostly originated from other East Asian nations such as Japan, Oka, Nakama, and Teiko, but also to other non-asian nations such as California and the United States. Generally, the nation's tourism is driven by many factors such as its notable winter activies of skiing and other winter sports, and its midly cool summertimes that attarcts people from the more humid states in Asia. The rising prominence of Takamaikan pop culture also helps contributing in driving Takamaiku's tourism industry due to its direct impact in encouraging direct foreign investment of products.
Under the Takamaiku Tourism Board (TTB), a statutory board that are tasked in promoting the nation's tourism, had made numerous succesfull attempts to market Takamaiku internationally for tourism and businesses. As such, Senakaido's Tawarashibetsu Ward is considered to be the center of the Takamaikan Culture and a major shopping district for video games, anime, manga, electronics and computer-related goods. Other popular tourist attractions includes the Senkaido Odori Park, Goryokaku, Watagawa Canal, Senkaido Zoo, Sekifune National Park, and Mount Asahi.
Infrastructure[edit | edit source]
Transportation[edit | edit source]
Takamaiku has a highly developed and sophiscated transport network across the island that consisted of high-speed railways, highways, bus routes, and air routes. Its transportation sectors mostly focused out on encompassing both public and private network and its energy efficiency to maintain high share of rail transport and low overall travel distances. However, despite with this main energy efficiency, the Government issued a reports on the much worsened car congestion problem in its major cities due to the rise of demand of private cars since the 2000s.
Rail Transportation in Takamaiku are the major means of passenger and commuter transport between numerous metropolitan areas while being served by the Takamaiku Railways Group. During the late 1870 until to the later part of the 1920s, most Takamaikan people travelled on foot for leisure or work purposes. First railway network was built in 1921 between Senkaido's Grand Central Station (Senkai) and Otanuki's Otanuki-Nakamuragicho Station. Afterward, more railway network continued to develop across the island and made Takamaiku as one of East Asia's most developed transport network.
The nation is also known to have its own version of the Shinkansen, a high-speed rail trains that runs across Takamaiku. Due to its population mostly concerated on several cities, their Shinkansen only composed of 3 lines that criss-cross across the major cities in the South to the East. Despite its small size, their Shinkansen lines are also known for its high-standard of safety and punctuality to follow suit of its always-on time culture.
In addition to its sophisicated railway network, several cities in Takamaiku has long established its own extensive transportation network. The largest is the MetLink, Senkaido's major regional transporation network that serves the capital and other neighbouring prefectures such as Otatsukai, Nagahama, and Shobugawa. Created to consolidate the transportation system in the Nishi Region, it operates a number of transit types such as buses, a metro system. and passenger ferry services. Until 1982, Takamaiku Rail operates the commuter rail services of the Nishi Region before handing the operations over to MetLink as part of the metro system. Other extensive public transport agency in Takamaiku were also established during the late 70s to 80s such as the Ryoko Transpo, Otanuki Transit Service (OTS), and FujiHopper.
With its approximately 1.01 Million km of roads that mostly made up of primary route, general national, and national expressways, Takamaiku is home one of the most extensive road network in East Asia. While most vehicles tend to use the general national highways to travel across the country, the nation is riddled with high-speed, divided, limited-acress toll roads that connects major cities in the Minami, Chūō, and Kita region, and as well their-own metropolital toll roads to allow vehicles to go-around the area fast and efficiently. Because of the rise of road passenger volume overall in the country, bus companies such as TR Bus Company often operates long-distance services in small to large scale cities, especially in an area where rail or air network is limited in night or overall.
The country has over 53 airports as of 2017 with Senkaido International Airport (Serving the Senkaido Capital Region), Ryoko-Hokichi International Airport (Ryoko Area), and Otanuki International Airport serving as the main international gateway of Takamaiku. Other major traffic hubs include Ishihama Airport, Fujimoto Airport, Takamatsoi Airport, and Touhama Airport. In terms of airlines, international and domestic air travel are mostly dominated by its lone flag carrier, Takamaikan Airlines, but other passenger carriers such as Polaris Airlines, Air Maku, and Air Ezo served these routes with low fares as well to compete in a highly-competitive air industry in the country.
There are, at most, 178 km of waterways in Takamaiku, mostly serving as a connection to its smaller islands such as Yakushihoro Island in Takagushi and the Tanagata and Himagai Islands in Shichiro. These waterways are designted in the highway system as FXX to allow ease of transition of cars coming from a general or limited expressway. Takamaiku has once a frequent ferry service from [Otanuki Seaport]] to the Tsugaru Strait Ferry Terminal in Aomori Prefecture, Japan. It was then terminted after the completion of the Asakanai Strait Tunnel in 1999 that allows vehicle and trains to connect the two island nations from Otanuki to the Aomori Prefecture.
Utilities[edit | edit source]
Electricity in Takamaiku are mostly produced locally with its vast majority comes from petroluem that accounts over 23%, and coal of about 19% while the rest are imported from other countries. However, the use of Nuclear power in Takamaiku is steadily increasing and now accounts over 22% of the country's electricity production despite the small yet growing public opposition towards to it. Research towards nuclear power is mostly focused on small modular reactor to the high-temeprature hydrogen generation design. Takamaiku is part of the ITER project.
With numerous natural lakes and rivers that are mostly based from the mountain ranges, and accessible groundwater sources, Takamaiku does have a significant reliable source of fresh water with over 98% of the population receiving piped water supply from public utility works. The nation also achieved universal water access to water supply and sanitation while retaining the lowest levels of water distribution losses in Asia due to its own strict standards for the quality of drinking water and treated waste water.
The nation's internet and communication infrastructure are one of the most advanced communication networks in the world and provides high quality services to its population. This is due to the rapid rise of Internet with roughly equal numbers of users using computer and smartphones to access the internet. Takamaiku's has the third fastest average internet connection speed in the Alliance at 21.6MBits/s.
Demographics[edit | edit source]
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1921 | 5,213,891 | — |
| 1931 | 6,235,163 | +19.6% |
| 1941 | 7,001,536 | +12.3% |
| 1951 | 8,512,213 | +21.6% |
| 1961 | 10,505,649 | +23.4% |
| 1971 | 12,569,120 | +19.6% |
| 1981 | 16,234,882 | +29.2% |
| 1991 | 18,683,546 | +15.1% |
| 2001 | 21,543,195 | +15.3% |
| 2011 | 25,312,681 | +17.5% |
| 2021 | 27,121,586 | +7.1% |
| 2023 | 28,253,632 | +4.2% |
| Source: Statistics Takamaiku | ||
As of 2023, Takamaiku has an estimated population of 28,523,632 people, with 26,162,863 (92.60%) of it are citizens while the remaining 2,090,769 (7.40%) are permanent residents/international students/foreign workers/dependants. According to Statistics Takamaiku's recent census in 2023, nearly 5% of its citizens are foreign-born; if non-residents were counted, nearly 8.2% of the total population are foreign-born. The Takamaikan society, are mostly linguistically, ethnically and culturally heterogenous which is composed of 58.29% ethnic Rokaido (ethnically Takamaikan Yamato) and the remaining 41.71% are part of the primary and social minority groups like Ainu, Yamato, Ogatsugari, Korean, Chinese, and others.
Despite its low immigration rate, the government has relaxed its immigration year after year to allow people from other nations to be nominated or to immigrate for business purposes and, to a lesser extent, family reunification. The Takamaikan public, including those in the Congress, has a postive view towards its steadily increasing immigration rate. From early 2021 to late 2022, Takamaiku has admitted over 202,120 immigrants, mainly from Asia such as the Philippines, Japan, South Korea, and China. Most of its immigrants settle mostly in major cities such as Senkaido, Ryoko, and Otanuki.
Sporting one of East Asia's longest overall life expectancy at birth of 83.85 years, Takamaiku's population are expected to grow by 9.2% per year because of its relaxed immigration to other nations. Fortunately, unlike its neighbour Japan, the nation is not severly affected by rapid aging of its population due to the government actions in child-care benefits and other economic benefits for parents. Density-wise, at around 334.72 inhabitants per square kilometre (866.92/sq mi), is one of the most densest nation in the Alliance with the most densly populated part of the country is the Greater Senkaido Region, also known as Nishi Region that accounts 46.34% of the nation's population. An additonal 17.62% of the combined population live along the Tokomachi Midlands and the Southern Asakanai Lower Mainland.
| Largest cities or towns in Takamaiku Statistics Takamaiku (2024, Jnauary) | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Name | Cities or Towns | Pop. | Rank | Name | Cities or Towns | Pop. | ||
 Special Wards of Senkaido |
1 | Special Wards of Senkaido | Senkaido Metropolis | 5,420,102 | 11 | Amagi | Nagahama | 535,126 |  Otanuki |
| 2 | Ryoko | Tokomachi | 2,365,036 | 12 | Setsuko | Wanataba | 465,803 | ||
| 3 | Otanuki | Asakanai | 1,259,635 | 13 | Mejima | Shobugawa | 451,615 | ||
| 4 | Nanporo | Otatsukai | 832,515 | 14 | Kawauchi | Senkaido Metropolis | 439,050 | ||
| 5 | Hettonnai | Nagahama | 723,965 | 15 | Nonoichi | Senkaido Metropolis | 429,630 | ||
| 6 | Matsumoto | Otatsukai | 623,920 | 16 | Nichinan | Asakanai | 405,096 | ||
| 7 | Nakada | Senkaido Metropolis | 645,633 | 17 | Sugimoto | Senkaido Metropolis | 382,614 | ||
| 8 | Fujimoto | Yokogata | 569,353 | 18 | Inatafu | Senkaido Metropolis | 353,902 | ||
| 9 | Takamatsoi | Nuyamito | 569,090 | 19 | Nagoaka | Yokogata | 323,103 | ||
| 10 | Odaka | Senkaido Metropolis | 563,905 | 20 | Watagawa | Ichinoseki | 316,239 | ||
Religion[edit | edit source]
Religion Composition of Takamaiku, Statistics Takamaiku 2023
Buddhism and Shintoism is widely praticed in Takamaiku, with 59.7% of total population declaring themselves a supporter of the majority according the recent census. The next most-practised religion are indigenous Ainu folk religion and Christianity. Because of an intricately connected culture of the Takamaikan population and religion and being not necessary to individual's lives, 26.9% are not part of any religion. However most of them participate religious ceremonies as part of their cultural tradition with Takamaiku having one of the highest level of participation especially during festival and occassion such as Hatsumōde of the New Year.
Christianity was brought and introduced in the island during a Jesuit missions of Francis Xavier, Cosme de Torres and Juan Fernández, from Teiko since 1549. These missionaries were successful in converting large numbers of people in now-then prefectures of Asakanai, Kaito, and Takagushi as Christianity was spreaded from South to North. Despite the ban of the practices of Christianity during the Sengoku period, many converted christians continued to pratice in secret until the declaration of Takamaiku's Independence from Japan that secured religion freedom in The Takamaiku Act, 1881.
Due to its strong Ainu culture of the majority of its history, Ainu folk culture and its religion is still alive and well to numerous of its citizens. Despite numerous attempts of assimilation into the former-Japanese society, the practices of Iomante and a view of a "spherical ocean on which float many islands" is still being used on small and mid-sized communities with a significant Ainu population in the island.
A surge in Immigration and a significant demographic change in the recent decades has contributed to the growth of minority religous in Takamaiku, giving the major cities of Senkaido and Ryoko exihibiting the decent religion diversity, despite the majority of their population pratices Buddhism and Shintoism.
Language[edit | edit source]
The The Takamaiku Constitution, 1948 dictates that Hatanaka and English are two official languages of Takamaiku. During the entirety of its history, Hatanaka was the sole official language and the Lingua franca until in 1945 when the United States occupied the nation after the fall of the Imperial Japan in Takamaiku. As the majority of thenation are descendants of migrants from Japan and Russia's Kamchatka Krai, the vast majority can still speak standard Hatanaka or mixed Takamaikan Ainu as their first language, while still retaining English as their secondary language. But as immigration rates rose up, many foreign languages such as Korean, Chinese, Malay, Tagalog, and Bahasa Indonesia have a significant population in numerous communites around Takamaiku. Recently in 2009, Takamaiku Sign Language (TSL) has been designated as one of the nation's national language.
Under the brief United States military government, English became one of the official and de facto main language in Takamaiku and are widely used in the government, academic circles, business, and the courts since then. As a result, all road and government signs are bilingual with Hatanaka and English. After the occupation in 1952, English remains primarily a second lanugage to maximise economic benefits and over the time gained prestige in the public eyes. As of 2020, 36.8% of the population are reported being able to speak, write, and read the language and that are comparable with Hong Kong English and Singapore English.
Because of its strict policy in maintaining the Ainu culture and language in accordance to the The Ainu Treaty Act, 2007, the number of Ainu language speakers is steadily increasing over the years with 5.2% of the population can speak the language fluently in daily life.
