Hyokoku

Hyokoku, officially the Republic of Hyokoku (Hyojin: Hyokoku kyōwakoku, Sakaian: Malo Awai i Hyokoku) is a sovereign state in Northern Balteca bordering Dunica to the south and Nauros to the east. Hyokoku's west coast sits on the Dunic Ocean, while the country's eastern border is dominated by the Ravenna Sea and the Three Lakes. Hyokoku's capital is Yamakyo, and it's largest city is Tochikyo, followed in population by Iwahama, Nakaihama, Kaisaki, and Yamakyo. Hyokoku is often referred to by its nicknames the "Leopard Republic" and the "Leopard Coast." The country is Mytas’s 14th largest economy, with a GDP of $258 billion in 1955.

Etymology
The name "Hyokoku" is a combination of the ancient Seke characters "豹," meaning Leopard, and "国" meaning country. Thus, the full transliteration of the name can be equated to "Leopard Country," or "Land of the Leopards." The term "Hyojin," used to refer to the country's predominant Seke ethnic group, comes from the characters for "豹" and "人," meaning person or people. Hyokoku takes its name from the Great Northern Leopard, the country's national animal and an apex predator in the Ryukiba Mountains with a significant presence in Huascan animism and other indigenous religions.

Pre-history
Evidence of human civilization in Hyokoku dates back to the year 25,000 BT. The continent's first inhabitants likely arrived over a land bridge that may have once linked Balteca to East Artopa, and the earliest example of the agricultural revolution can be traced to the Nakei Valley, where the Proto-Huascans began growing maize around 23,000 BT.

The Huascan Empire and Pre-Seiryo Hyokoku
By the time of the arrival of the Seiryo Expedition in 1645, the Huascan peoples of Hyokoku's west coast had risen to become the most prominant state in northern Balteca, ruling from their capital Ahmor in the Ryukiba Mountains. Huascan civilization was advanced for it's time, with Ahmor existing has a highly developed and advanced city of about 500,000 inhabitants. At the height of it's power, the Huascan Empire stretched throughout the mountainous regions of Hyokoku, and was beginning to exert it's influence over the Southern Plains. Huascan civilization, and that of the surrounding Naholan and Tipetlan peoples, was based around ritual sacrifice to animalistic spirits, and most cultures in the region were known for their martial prowess.

The Seiryo Expedition
In October of 1645, ethnic Seke Theodorians fleeing religious persecution in Sakaro boarded three ships and led an expedition that would reach the west coast of Hyokoku in the spring of that year. The expedition founded the city of Iwahama near the northern edge of Ascira Bay, and they quickly established relations with the native Huascans. Subsequent expeditions rapidly increased the population of Iwahama and led to the development of further Theodaric settlements across the region. This early period was marked by tense relations with the natives, who suffered greatly from Sakaian diseases brought to the continent by the Theodaric colonists. As well, missionaries established to convert local populations angered the Huascan King Amman Kahwei, who burned several missions and massacred Theodaric priests in October of 1657.

In 1658, the Shingan Constitution was signed in the city of Yamakyo, declaring Hyokoku to be an independent republic for the first time. The anti-native militarist Yamauchi Ihaia won the first elections for Chancellor in 1659. Yamauchi lead the Hyojins against the Huascans at the Battle of Nahualac in 1663, where the Huascan army was annihilated at the hands of a smaller Hyojin force armed with muskets. Small-scale clashes between the Huascans and the Hyojin continued throughout the 1670s and 1680s, with the Huascans gradually being pushed north as their population was decimated by outbreaks of Typhoid and Syphilis. When a Hyojin army laid siege to Ahmor in 1683, the empire's population had fallen from about 3,500,000 people to just 500,000.

During the Sacking of Ahmor, the settlers and their Noholan and Tipetlan allies pillaged the Huascan capital and stole millions of dollars worth of gold and jewels, killing almost the entire population and leveling the city. The Huascan peoples were subsequently scattered across Hyokoku, fighting bloody skirmishes with their indigenous rivals in the east and being forced into reservations in the west.

The Industrial Revolution and Machok's Rebellion
Hyokoku's mining and textile industries rapidly began to expand against the backdrop of the industrial revolution in the 1840s. The country's first railroad, which ran from Yamakyo to Nakaihama, opened in 1856, and this period of widespread economic growth was accompanied by the adoption of many western fashions and ideas due to the influences of Dunica and Almeria. Even so, the Hyojin remained steadfast in preserving key aspects of their heritage and identity.

While this was occurring, the plight of native peoples triggered widespread outrage across the indigenous community, as tribes in the east were increasingly forced onto reservations while their populations were decimated by disease and violence. The Tipetlan chief Machok was able to unify the Tipetlan, Naholan, and remaining Huascan tribes in the Southern Plains region in 1878, and he led a violent revolt against Hyojin authority throughout the summer of that year. Machok inflicted devastating defeats against the Leopard Army at the battles of Mount Shoho and Broken Wing, triggering a crisis for the Hyojin government. Before his defeat at the Battle of Katsuso Pass, Machok had killed an estimated 1,500 Hyojin soldiers and 3,000 preachers, though he was known for sparing the lives of civilians and leaving Hyojin settlements unharmed.

Following Machok's defeat, the last bastions of indigenous resistance were crushed by the Hyojin government, who forced the remaining tribes onto reservations and relocated tens of thousands of indigenous children to Theodaric "residential schools." An unknown number of children were subject to widespread acts of physical and sexual violence, though the Hyojin government has never investigated the allegations.

The World War and Foundation of DOTO
Hyokoku remained a neutral power during the World War, and was a founding member of the Dunican Ocean Treaty Organization in 1942.

Culture
Many aspects of Hyojin culture and society are inherited from Sakaro. Even so, the Hyojin people have developed their own customs and traditions, and unlike the Sakaians, are largely Theodaric.

Religion
Peteran Theodarity is the largest religion in Hyokoku, and is practiced by about 73% of the population. Some scholars consider Hyojin Theodorian practices to be distinct enough to constitute a unique sect of Theodarity. Hyojin Theodarity features a number of it's own states, and prescribes unique funerary and wedding practices inherited from Seke culture. There is no central Peteran Church in Hyokoku, nor are there dioceses or other administrative divisions. Churches are independent, and congregations meet on Sundays and on religious holidays.

Church congregations, along with workplace relations, form the backbone of many Hyojin communities. They are regularly a place where important community events and social functions are hosted, and pastors play an important role as spiritual guides and community leaders—most especially in small towns.

Familial Relations
The average Hyojin household consists of between four to six people, centered around a married couple with one or two children, and occasionally including maternal or paternal grandparents. Good behavior is held in high regard in Hyojin culture, and a persons actions often influence how their family members are judged by their community. Women are often perceived as homemakers, responsible for preparing meals and raising children, while men are expected to spend most of their time at work in order to provide for their family. Grandparents and elders have historically lived with their adult children, contributing to the care of young family members and taking part in house chores. That has become less common, however, with the rise of the suburban family home, as opposed to more traditional, multi-generational family farms.

Education
Hyokoku's public education system advanced rapidly through the mid 20th century due to an influx of funding in the late 1940s—1950s. As a result, the country's literacy rate quickly became one of the highest in Baltic. Primary education—from kindergarten to 12th grade—has been mandatory since 1920. Hyojin schools are expected to teach students the importance of being responsible as adults, and children are expected to function with a high degree of maturity and independence from an early age. Rather than hiring cleaning or kitchen staff, Hyojin students begin cleaning their own schools in 2nd grade, and begin helping teachers prepare meals in grade 4. Despite the strong presence of gender roles across Hyojin society, boys are girls are expected to share these responsibilities equally. Public school is completely free in Hyokoku, while the Seifu regularly covers between 70—80% of the costs of a college education.

Modern Hyokoku
In the past 50 years, Hyokoku has undergone a period of dramatic social and economic change. The country's urban landscape has exploded as younger generations leave their rural homes and look for economic opportunities in the major city. Big band jazz, introduced to Hyokoku by Dunic musicians in the 1910s, has phased out ballad-style songs. Jazz has taken on it's own life in Hyokoku too, integrating with ballad music and traditional melodies to become "koku swing." The genre has been pioneered by musical giants like Miyamoto Kora and Hatanaka Katzuhiko.

Hyokoku is also in the midst of a cinematic revolution; beginning in the 1930s, the development of talking films has captured the imagination of the Hyojin public and led to the development of a prominent and rapidly growing film scene. Such cinematic masterpieces as Tanji Akahata's Memories of the Forbidden Country and Nakao Toshiyuki's Haji have won widespread acclaim for their dramatic and immense settings, epic battle scenes, and smoldering romances.

Though Hyokoku is a rapidly developing country—culturally as much as economically—strict adherence to traditional concepts of morality and public order are maintained by the Tokko, a policing agency responsible for preventing the spread of radicalism and preserving the country's social and political foundations.

The indigenous community of Hyokoku, meanwhile, has become increasingly vocal in their opposition to the Indigenous Rights Act, a law that counts all native peoples seen by the government as "uncivilized"  as half a Hyojin when tallying votes in national elections. The standard of living for the rural poor, and especially the rural indigenous, remains far behind that of Hyokoku's urban and suburban population, and increasing economic prosperity has yet to reach the vast country's distant frontiers.

Government and Politics
The Hyojin government functions as a parliamentary democracy. The Seifu, or state, is divided between three branches—a Chancellor, who serves as the head of state, a parliamentary Kokkai, and a Supreme Court. The two largest parties in Hyokoku are the centrist Liberal Party and the more conservative National Party. Political extremism, be it towards the far right or far left, is unpopular in Hyokoku, and centrism has become a defining feature of the country’s government. Though it is a democracy in name, the dominance of the country’s moderates has created a political environment where opposition is quickly stifled by allegations of radicalism.

The Kokkai
The Kokkai, or parliament, is the unicameral legislative body of Hyokoku. Based in Yamakyo, the Kokkai consists of 100 representatives, with 10 representing each of the country's 10 provinces. It is led by the Premier, who is nominated by the Chancellor, approved by a simple majority vote, and second in the line of succession. National elections occur every five years on June 31st, when Hyojin citizens directly elect a representative to serve on behalf of their electoral district and a candidate to serve as governor. The Kokkai is responsible for drafting and passing laws, voting to appoint half of the Supreme Court's eight justices, and electing the Chancellor. If the Chancellor vetos a law passed in the Kokkai, the assembly can vote to overrule that veto by a 3/4s majority.

Kokkai Committees
The Kokkai is divided into various committees responsible for debating and approving relevant bills that are then moved up for a vote in the entire parliament. A committee can also block and reject a relevant bill by simple majority vote. Committee appointments are submitted through a negotiation of the ruling parties, or, if the ruling party possesses a sufficient majority, the majority can simply ram it's own appointments through for a formal approval from the Premier. However, Hyojin law requires that at least one member of the largest opposition party or coalition of parties be included on all committees.


 * Kokkai Agricultural Committee
 * Kokkai Financial Affairs Committee
 * Kokkai Defense Affairs Committee
 * Kokkai Workforce and Education Committee
 * Kokkai Commerce and Industries Committee
 * Kokkai Ethics Committee
 * Kokkai National Intelligence Committee
 * Kokkai Oversight and Judicial Affairs Committee
 * Kokkai Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs Committee

The Chancellor
The Chancellor is the elected head of state and supreme commander of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Hyokoku. Chancellors are elected by a majority vote in the Kokkai every five years on July 2nd following the completion of a general election, and can serve an unlimited number of terms. Chancellors are often—but not always—the heads of their party, though some have served as independents or have lost the position of party leader shortly before being removed from office by a vote of no confidence. Votes of no confidence are similar to an impeachment in other countries in that they are a last-ditch failsafe embedded in the Shingan Constitution to prevent an authoritarian leader from seizing power. Votes of no confidence require a 3/4s majority in the Kokkai to pass. The Chancellor is also responsible for nominating half of the Kokkai’s eight justices, though their nominations can be rejected by the Kokkai, and they can reject the Kokkai’s own nominees for the other half through the use of a veto.

The Cabinet
The Chancellor's cabinet is an advisory body consisting of the ranking heads of each of the Hyojin government's ministries. Cabinet ministers are appointed by the Chancellor, and serve at their pleasure.

Ministries of the Hyojin Government

 * Ministry of State Affairs
 * Ministry of Home Affairs
 * Ministry of National Defense
 * Ministry of Commerce
 * Ministry of Finance
 * Ministry of Natural Resources and Industries
 * Ministry of Justice

The Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of Hyokoku is the highest court in the country, and is responsible for settling high-level legal matters and interpreting and protecting the Shingan Constitution. The court consists of eight justices, four of whom are appointed by the Kokkai and the other half nominated by the Chancellor. The court's justices serve ten year terms, being elected at the beginning of each new decade. In order to ensure no single political party can overrun the court, the Chancellor's nominees to replace old justices must be approved by the Kokkai, while the Kokkai's chosen justices can be vetoed by the Chancellor. The Chancellor's veto can, however, be overruled by the Kokkai with a 3/4ths vote.

Economic System
Hyokoku’s economy functions as a mix between textbook capitalism and state-controlled economics. Modern Hyojin financial policies measure success by three metrics—first and foremost, the wellbeing of the general public. Economic success must benefit a significant portion of the Hyojin people in order for it to be seen as useful. Secondly, financial policies must create an environment that fosters innovation and healthy competition. Large corporations must be given room to profit in the Hyojin market, so the market must be seen as business-friendly. And lastly, the stability of the market must be ensured. It is the duty of the Hyojin government to protect the general "health" of the domestic economy and actively intervene in the affairs of corporations whenever necessary to prevent financial catastrophes that put the broader market at risk.

Industries and the Zaibatsu
The country’s largest industries are focused around its mining and agricultural sectors, and the domestic market is divide up among the zaibatsus—massive, family-owned corporate empires which rose to power thanks to the support of the Hyojin government. Their ascendance has created a stable market, where prices are kept consistent and long-term employment is certain. The influence of major zaibatsus like Sumatsu and Nakai is present in all aspects of daily life--soccer clubs wear uniforms emblazoned with their logos, the country’s vast and booming movie industry is swamped with their sponsorships, and company representatives regularly act as judges at middle school science fairs and high school talent shows. The zaibatsu themselves are predominantly descended from ancient Seke noble bloodlines—a class of aristocrats that once controlled large feudal domains in the Hyojin homeland region of Nanoko, in modern day Sakaro. Until the mid 17th century, these aristocrats remained prominent landowners, and much of the population resided on their vast estates as servants. But by the 1850s, they had gradually fallen out of favor with the public, and their romantic image as noble defenders of the peasant class against indigenous tribes was forgotten. Many noble families went bankrupt as labor laws restricted the size of their land holdings and emancipated their servants and serfs. Those that remained, however, became the modern zaibatsu, and were able to maintain and expand their power as the founders of the new Hyojin market system. Approximately 40% of Hyokoku's economy is concentrated in the hands of the country's four largest zaibatsu—Nakai, Sumatsu, Sawada, and Matsuda.

Workplace Culture
Employers and their employees have an almost familial relationship in Hyokoku. Families bond through workplace connections, and company picnics and social functions are common. Most Hyojin men graduate from university and enter directly into the workforce. Colleges partner with companies to host national "employment conferences" in January every year. Across the country, young men travel to these conferences, where they’re given job offers and hired on the spot. From there, the men will stay with their company, often until they retire decades later. This culture of predictable stability and community has become a defining aspect of Hyojin society.

Consumer Culture and the "Purchase Patriotically" Movement
As consumers, the Hyojin people are encouraged to “purchase patriotically.” In school, the importance of buying domestically-produced goods is taught in financial courses. Essentially, Hyojins have a loyalty to their companies that is so extreme it could be considered odd elsewhere in the world. If a product made in Hyokoku costs more than a product made abroad, it is often assumed that the Hyojin product is superior, and it is purchased anyway. This has made the Hyojin economy difficult to enter for companies that might attempt to compete with domestic employers.

Women in the Workplace
In a society dominated by ideas of masculinity, women have traditionally been pushed to the back of the line. That’s been changing, however, since the women’s suffrage movement, which pushed the government to legalize a woman’s right to vote in 1920. Since then, women have been gradually entering the workplace in greater numbers, though they continue to face challenges to even their most basic freedoms. Women continue to be seen more as housewives and supporters for their hard working husbands, rather than being treated as individuals.

Income Distribution and Rural Poverty
Since the late 19th century, economic growth and growing prosperity has been unevenly distributed. While Hyokoku remains a deeply agricultural state, the vast majority of the country's wealth has been concentrated in it's south, where a rising middle class and wealthy corporate elite reside. Vast tracks of the Hyojin countryside are largely unsettled and poorly funded, with limited infrastructure and a lack of access to education and electricity being particularly widespread problems for the indigenous community.

The Dōmei
A rapprochement between the Hyokoku and Sakaro began in the 1890s, when Sakaro apologized for its past discrimination against Theodaric worshippers. Since then, increased globalization expanded communications, trade, and military cooperation between the two states has led to a strong and amicable relationship between the two countries known informally as the “domei,” or alliance. Shared languages, culture, and histories have made Sakaro Hyokoku’s closest international partner, and the two countries cooperate to ensure maritime security in the Dunican Ocean, a potentially lucrative region where both states are working to exert their influence.

"Sekai ni hohoemu"
The phrase “Sekai ni hohoemu,” or “smiling at the world” was first used by former Chancellor Tsukamoto Shuji to describe Hyokoku’s foreign policy. The Seifu meets with leaders from post-colonial states in Kanta and nods its head in agreement when they speak of the harmful legacy of colonialism. At the same time, however, Hyokoku signs treaties with nations across Artopa. The country seeks to exert its  influence on the world through commerce rather than militarism.

The "Golden 10”
Hyokoku is a member of the AGES, the Association of Gold Exporting States. It's founding document, the International Agreement on the Extraction and Sale of Gold, was singed in Yamakyo in 1956.

Trade Relations and Economic Isolation
Due its vast reserves of raw materials and a large agricultural sector, Hyokoku was largely isolated from the global trade network until the early 20th century. As the country's exports rapidly rose in value and scale, it's imports remained relatively low. As of 1960, Hyokoku only imported goods from a single country: Sakaro. In 1956, the total value of the goods Hyokoku imported was only .48% of it's exports. The largest buyer of Hyojin goods is Sakaro, which spends almost $4 billion on Hyojin goods such as livestock, coal, and oil.

Geography
Hyokoku's territory is divided between ten provinces and the Yamakyo Metropolitan Area. In the north, the province of Kokishi straddles the Baltecan coast, while Kai dominates the western half. The two provinces are Hyokoku's most sparsely populated. To the south, Koshu spreads through the Three Lakes, while Sekiyama and Nayama divide the northern and southern halves of the Ryukiba range respectively. Nakei is the largest province by population, encompassing the city's of Iwahama and Tochikyo.

The largest city and financial center of Hyokoku is Tochikyo. The Port of Tochikyo is the largest in Hyokoku, and it is a central distribution hub for goods coming from Sakaro and raw materials and agricultural products being exported abroad. Most Hyojin zaibatsus place their headquarters in Tochikyo, in order to be in close proximity to the port—which processes millions of tons of cargo every year.

Yamakyo is the country's 5th largest city, with a population of around 320,000 in 1960. Despite its small size and geographically isolated location in the Ryukiba mountains, Yamakyo is the capital of Hyokoku. It was built over the remnants of the Huascan fortress of Tetzualan in the early 17th century. Most of modern Yamakyo was constructed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its development overseen by the architect Amari Kunio. Amari worked to keep the city's population density low and spread out, designing extensive parks and suburban residential districts that were unorthodox at the time. As a result, Yamakyo is often referred to as the "Garden City." Amari's programs also relocated much of the city's utilities, while the industrial district was scrapped entirely. This kept Yamakyo free of industrial pollution, while sewage treatment plants, garbage facilities, and similar complexes were moved outside of the view of the capital's residents. All of these features have made Yamakyo one of the most expensive places to live in the country. It's name literally translates to "Mountain Capital." Much of Hyokoku's heavy industry is located in Sekiyama along the Dunic coast. Kaisaki is a major industrial city and shipbuilding center. The Sumatsu Yosai, located in the city's northern districts, is the largest steel plant in Hyokoku, and one of the biggest industrial plants in Balteca by geographic extent. The plant, stretching across about 5 square miles of land, is by itself the single largest employer in the entire city.