Sakushi

Sakushi (: 朔志), officially the Republic of Sakushi (Cheonja: 朔志民國), is a nation in central Bangju, within the cultural spheres of Aenu-sphere and Sinju. It borders Wamu to the north, while facing the East Sea to its west. Sakushi is divided into 20 administrative divisions, comprising 18 provinces (州), the Poro-hura Prefecture (大阪府) and the Kiohin Metropolis (京濱都).

Sakushi was first settled by Aenuic migrants from Wamu in search of warmer lands. Later around X CE, Fusenic migrants arrived introducing advanced agricultural and artisanal techniques, but also competition and conflict, which ended with the admixture of the Fusenic and Aenuic peoples through intermarriage. A culture distinct from Wamu formed, leading to the establishment of a confederation of feudal clans in 1453 to assert autonomy. Then, with Fusenese imperial expansion into Bangju in the 16th century, the Sakushin Confederation broke away from Wamu, aligning with Fusen. This lasted until the late 17th century, when the Fusen-led coalition including Sakushi was defeated in the Bonghwang Wars by the Jeongmi-led coalition. Subsequently, Sakushi fell behind the rest of Sinju in and was subject to many unequal treaties by the Sinjuan industrial powers, while  ideas spread to Sakushi through Fusen. Sakushins developed a national identity and grew discontent with deteriorating economic conditions under the feudal confederation, starting a revolution in 1891 which ended 3 years later with the establishment of a republic.

Today, Sakushi is an unitary parliamentary republic and developed country, with a high-income economy built on a balanced mix of industry and services. It is also an active participant in international diplomacy, as a member of the Congress of Nations and Sinju Union.

Etymology
Sakushi's name comes from the Aenuic words 'sak' (summer) and 'ushi' (place), describing how the lands of Sakushi were warmer than the lands of modern-day Wamu, from which Aenuic settlers arrived.

Prehistoric to classical era
Sakushi is believed to have been first settled by Aenuic peoples migrating south from modern Wamu, in search of warmer lands. These Aenuic migrants primarily practiced alongside rudimentary, and lived in villages of around 5-10 households.

Around 200 CE, Cheonjean traders arrived in Sakushi and found its inhabitants in much the same condition. They observed that villages appointed prominent males as headmen or Ekashi (エカシ), who were responsible for leading religious rituals, mediating disputes, and representing the village to other villages. While Sakushi was not qualified to participate in the Cheonjean tributary trade system, there was considerable private trade with visiting Cheonjean traders, with Sakushi exchanging dried meat and seafood, furs, and wild herbs for alcohol, iron, lacquerware, silk and rice.

By 400 CE, under the influence of Cheonjean ideas of social class and centralisation, the villages throughout Sakushi had evolved into led by hereditary chieftains called Nispa (ニㇱパ) who controlled multiple villages. A rudimentary system of 3 social classes had developed, consisting of nobility, commoners, and slaves. Slaves known as Utare (ウタレ) were drawn from those who had committed serious crimes, or captives taken in battle. The chiefdoms routinely fought against each other over resources, but combat during this period was ritualistic and limited in duration and intensity, rarely resulting in the destruction of chiefdoms.

Around 800 CE, the Aenuic peoples residing in modern Wamu united under the Kingdom of Iwankotan, and subjugated the chiefdoms of Sakushi as vassals. Iwankotan was a centralised, bureaucratic state in the mold of Cheonje that predominantly practiced agriculture. However, the Aenuic people of Sakushi continued to specialise in procuring natural resources through hunting-gathering for trade with and tribute to Iwankotan.

From about X CE, Fusenic migrants began to arrive on the coasts of Sakushi bringing with them advanced agricultural and artisanal techniques, such as wet rice cultivation and iron smelting. This created competition with the Aenuic people for resources and thus conflict, which ended with the admixture of the Aenuic and Fusenic peoples through intermarriage. These Aenuic-Fusenic people shifted to agriculture as the primary means of subsistence while continuing to practice some hunting-gathering, giving rise to an increase in village sizes to over 100 persons on average. During this period the first towns also developed along the coast and at the confluence of rivers, where distinct classes of and  specialising in the processing of raw resources and trade respectively emerged.

Confederation
Admixture with Fusenic people and Fusenic cultural influence led to the development of a culture and language distinct from the rest of Wamu. Coupled with the increasing population and strength of Sakushi, this led to demands for greater recognition from the early 14th century onwards. In response, Wamu appointed prominent chieftains of Sakushi as dukes (公), granting them recognition and support to rule over other chieftains in exchange for their loyalty as vassals.

Subsequently, 6 of the dukes formed the Sakushin Confederation in 1453 to collectively assert themselves against Wamese hegemony. As the Fusenese Empire expanded into Bangju in the 16th century, the Sakushin Confederation became formally independent from Wamu with Fusenese support, gaining territory from Wamu in the process. Sakushi was to be a close ally of Fusen from then on, until the defeat of the Fusen-led coalition including Sakushi by the Jeongmi-led coalition in the Bonghwang Wars from 1640-1680. The wars ended Fusenese influence in Bangju, and saw Sakushi cede most of the territories that it had gained during Fusenese imperial expansion to its neighbours.

By the mid 19th century, Sakushi had fallen behind other states of Sinju, with the nobles of the confederation unable to come to an agreement as to how they should react to. Many chieftains advocated for modernisation by learning from the Sinjuan industrial powers, while most dukes feared that doing so would invite foreign influence and undermine their rule. Thus, industrial development was limited to the private efforts of some merchants and nobles, and Sakushi was forced to accept many unequal treaties imposed by Sinjuan industrial powers. Economic conditions in Sakushi declined as the economy grew increasingly uncompetitive, while the government transferred the costs of the unequal treaties to the population by raising taxes. Simultaneously, ideas began to circulate in Sakushi through translations of Fusenese texts by Sakushins fluent in Fusenese. Consequently, Sakushins developed a national identity and became disgruntled with the rule of the feudal confederation, agitating for the establishment of a republic. Numerous chieftains who were in favour of modernisation sided with them, believing that they could achieve a dominant position in the new republic. They were opposed by the more conservative nobles including most of the dukes who sought to preserve the feudal confederal system, and tensions came to a head in 1891 with the outbreak of the Sakushin Revolution.

Republic
In 1894 the last of the confederate lords surrendered to the republicans, and a republic was promulgated on 15 Guwol, which is celebrated to this day as National Day (国庆日).

Great Eulhae War
Sakushi's involvement in the Great Eulhae War began in X, when Sakushi jointly invaded Wamu with Fusen. Fusen sought to eliminate an independent state aligned to Jeongmi in its neighbourhood, while Sakushi sought to realise its territorial claims against Wamu. They partitioned the country, with Fusen responsible for and entitled to most of Wamu, while Sakushi was given a relatively small stretch of Wamu's south.

Geography
Sakushi has a total land area of 160,816 km2 including about 2,187km2 of water bodies, and straddles the 45th parallel north. It stretches over 650 km from Wamu in the north to X in the south. Terrain along the west coast is predominantly flat, while the interior to the northeast and southeast is mountainous.

Climate
The climate of Sakushi is temperate; most of the country has an with mild summers and cool winters, while the highlands in the northeast have an  and are cool to cold year-round.

Environment
In the aftermath of the Great Eulhae War, Sakushi focused on economic recovery and experienced a period of rapid growth, during which environmental issues were neglected by the government. Worsening pollution and increasing pluralism in politics led to a stronger emphasis on environmental regulation from the 80s onwards, with Sakushi today having some of the most extensive environmental protections in Sinju.

Since the introduction of nuclear power in 1993, coal-fired power plants have been progressively replaced by nuclear power plants, with the country completely phasing out coal by 2016. Subsequently, Sakushi aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2044, on the 150th anniversary of the country's founding.

Politics
Sakushi has been an unitary state and parliamentary republic since its first constitution entered into force on 5 Irwol 1915. Ri Utarian (李 ウタリアン) is the current President (元首) and, who performs a ceremonial role and wields limited, custodial executive powers. The President is elected for a lifetime term by the 31-seat upper house, the House of Elders (元老院), whose members are elected for 5-year terms by voters belonging to one of 31.

The House of Elders itself has limited, custodial legislative powers - it is not able to initiate legislation, and is only able to veto legislation (excepting those pertaining to budget or international treaties), sending them back to the lower house where it must gain a two-thirds majority to be passed. Legislative power is primarily vested in the lower house, the 339-seat House of Representatives (衆議院), whose members are elected by popular vote for 5-year terms. There is universal suffrage for all citizens 20 years of age and above, subject to household tax contribution requirements.

The elected Representatives (衆議員) recommend candidates from among themselves to the President for the office of Prime Minister (首相). The President is constitutionally required to appoint the candidate whom they consider most likely to secure majority support, rather than the candidate with the most recommendations. The Prime Minister, currently Kinatuipa Eraragur (草刈 エララグㇽ) who was appointed after the 2020 General Elections, is the head of government and has the ability to appoint ministers to the cabinet, which collectively holds executive power.

Administrative divisions
Sakushi is divided into 20 administrative divisions, comprising 18 provinces, the Poro-hura Prefecture, and the Kiohin Metropolis, each of which is overseen by an elected Governor (知事) and Assembly (議會). The provinces are further divided into counties (郡), while the Poro-hura Prefecture and Kiohin Metropolis are further divided into wards (区).

Alternatively, Sakushi can also be divided into 7 traditional regions, based on the boundaries of the feudal clans that made up the Sakushin Confederation. These regions no longer have official status outside of the judicial system, which has a High Court serving each of these regions. The government also continues to use these regions for some statistical, geographic and meteorological purposes.

Foreign relations and military
Sakushi has been a member of the Congress of Nations since X, and the Sinju Union since X. Its foreign relations have been characterised by since the end of the Great Eulhae War, while the Sakushin economy has continuously grown more open and dependent on international trade. Sakushi presently conducts foreign policy on the basis of three principles: upholding international law, promoting international cooperation, and maintaining peace throughout the world.

Historically, Sakushi had maintained a policy of from 1944 to X, supported by conscription for all fit males over the age of 20. However, as the security environment in Bangju grew more benign, conscription obligations were reduced in X, before being suspended in X.

The country's military, the Sakushi National Armed Forces (朔志国軍), is currently an all-volunteer force composed of four branches, in order of seniority:
 * Sakushi Army (朔志陸軍)
 * Sakushi Navy (朔志海軍)
 * Sakushi Air Force (朔志空軍)
 * Sakushi Cyber Force (朔志網軍)

Sakushi's military employs about 63,000 active and 12,000 reserve military personnel, and is actively involved in around the world, including anti-piracy, counter-terrorism, humanitarian assistance, and peacekeeping. The nominal Commander-in-Chief of the military is the President, while the de facto commander is the Minister of Defence (防務相).

Law
Domestic security is provided by the Sakushi National Police (朔志國家警察), which is overseen by the Ministry of Internal Affairs (内務部). At sea, a component of the Sakushi National Police, the Maritime Security Bureau (海安局) is responsible for deterring a wide range of threats in the country's and, such as illegal immigration, marine pollution, smuggling, terrorism, and unauthorised fishing.

The Firearms Regulatory Law (銃器管制法) restricts civilian ownership of firearms, banning the possession of automatic firearms and limiting the ownership of pistols to security companies and operators of shooting clubs. Residents who are at least 20 years of age with no criminal record and of sound mind may obtain a firearms license from the police, allowing them to own up to 5 shotguns. After holding a license for 5 years, one gains the ability to own up to 5 rifles as well. Should the holder of a license be found guilty of a crime or diagnosed with serious mental illness, their license is revoked and their firearms impounded.

The Narcotics Countermeasures Law (麻薬対策法) strictly prohibits the cultivation, dealing, import, and export of drugs, with harsh penalties comparable to those for violent crimes. However, the possession or consumption of drugs is not illegal, with drug abuse regarded as a health problem and drug abusers encouraged to seek treatment. Nevertheless, the law provides for the remand of drug abusers who pose a threat to themselves or others for compulsory treatment. In practice, the legality of drug possession has made it easier for drug producers and traffickers to avoid detection and prosecution, making Sakushi a hub for such activities.

Economy
As of 2020, Sakushi had a high-income which was the 51st largest in the world in terms of nominal GDP, and the 58th largest in terms of PPP GDP. Throughout 2020, Sakushi had a labour force of about 9.369 million workers, and a low unemployment rate of 3.43%. Around 6.5% of the population was below the poverty line in 2020. Sakushin capitalism's distinctive characteristics include the dominance of in the manufacturing industry, strong, and a high proportion of.

Sakushi's economy is highly internationalised, with exports and imports making up 65.4% and 59.6% of GDP respectively in 2020. Top exports are electrical machinery, industrial machinery, plastics, oil and mineral fuels, and iron and steel, while top imports are electrical machinery, industrial machinery, oil and mineral fuels, vehicles, and ores, slag and ash. Major trading partners include Basanreseri, Fusen, Jeongmi, Kaisa, Kinshū, Meisaan, and Wamu.

The currency of Sakushi is the Sakushin En (朔志円) issued by the country's central bank, the Bank of Sakushi (朔志銀行). It is kept on a within an undisclosed range, to maintain the stability of the highly trade-dependent Sakushin economy.

Primary sector
Sakushi's accounted for 2.3% of GDP and 6.0% of employment in 2020. It is dominated by the agriculture and fishery subsectors, which are mostly composed of cooperatives at the locality level, allowing farmers and fishermen to achieve economies of scale in purchasing supplies and making investments. The sector is well-supported by government grants to insulate it from shocks and encourage investment in enhancing productivity, with the goal of maintaining a degree of food independence.

Secondary sector
The Sakushin made up 41.8% of GDP and 29.5% of employment in 2020. It is dominated by the manufacturing subsector which made up 31.4% of GDP alone, and is notable for the production of electronics, heavy machinery, petrochemicals, steel, automobiles and parts thereof, and organic chemicals. Cartels are extremely prevalent in the subsector, with the vast majority of manufacturing companies participating in one. These cartels are primarily, but the most powerful cartels also exhibit with companies in the banking, retail, and transportation subsectors.

Tertiary sector
In 2020, the made up 45.9% of GDP and 64.5% of employment in Sakushi. Major subsectors are banking, retail, telecommunications, tourism, and transportation. based around localities are common in the retail subsector, providing groceries, medicine, and household essentials at near cost.

Sakushi attracted about 10.196 million international tourists in 2020, with the top countries of origin being Fusen, Jeongmi, and Kaisa. Relative to those countries, Sakushi has a more temperate climate, slower pace of life, and lower costs of living.

Energy
In 2020, Sakushi consumed 111,288 gWh of energy, amounting to an average of 5,384 kWh per person.

Sakushi produced 119,327 gWh of energy throughout 2020, of which 67.5% was produced by nuclear power, 18.3% by hydropower, 9.2% by fossil fuels, and 4.0% by renewables excluding hydropower. Sakushi has no oil reserves, making it dependent on imported fuel. This drove its adoption of nuclear power from 1993 onwards to insulate itself from the volatility of oil, alongside a desire to shift away from fossil fuels due to growing emission concerns.

Its nuclear power sector, which has one of the highest shares of national electricity generation in the world, is almost entirely owned by the Sakushi Atomic Energy Corporation (朔志原子力公社). Other forms of power generation are privatised, with the hydropower and fossil fuels markets dominated by 3 oligopolistic companies split along geographic lines, while the renewables excluding hydropower market is highly competitive with numerous firms.

Transport
Sakushi's transport network is composed of air routes, highways, railways, and waterways. Due to the high share of rail transport, Sakushi's transport system is relatively energy-efficient, consuming less energy per person or unit mass than many other countries.

Air transport is the preferred means of international travel, but is not generally used for domestic travel with the exception of private chartered flights. The medium size of the country makes air transport uncompetitive with for domestic travel. Kiohin International Airport (京濱國際空港) on the outskirts of Kiohin in X Province is the largest and busiest airport, recording over 14.332 million passengers in 2020. Other major airports include Ukot-pet International Airport (合川國際空港) in Kiohin which recorded over 7.354 million passengers, and Poro-hura International Airport (大阪国際空港) in Poro-hura Prefecture which recorded over 1.490 million passengers.

The total length of the Sakushin highway network was 128,493 km in 2020, of which 2,548 km were. All expressways in operation today are, run by private companies on with the government. Cities and towns are served by local bus services, while regional bus services connect towns and most villages. Bus services with higher ridership as on most local routes are usually privatised, while regional routes with lower ridership are often operated by private companies on concessions from the government.

In 2020, Sakushi had 9,256 km of railway track. Rail is the preferred means of short and medium range transport in Sakushi, with railways linking cities and almost all towns, while subways serve all major cities. Medium range railways in Sakushi, such as the high-speed, interregional National Trunk Line (國家幹線) are usually operated by the state-owned Sakushi Electric Railways Corporation (朔志電鉄公社), whereas short range railways, such as regional lines or subways are usually privatised.

Sakushi has 3510 km of waterways, most of which are rivers. Its largest and busiest port is the Port of Pis-oika (濱越港), which handled over 2.105 million TEUs in 2020.

Demographics
According to the Statistics Bureau (統計局) of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Sakushi was estimated to have a population of 20,669,511 in 2020, of which 20,236,930 were citizens, making it the world's 71st most populous country. It also had a population density of 128 people per km2, making it the 67th most densely populated country. As of 2020 86.9% of the population lives in urban areas, with over 6.832 million or almost 33.1% living in Kiohin.

Sakushi's government does not collect information on ethnicity, but based on mother language and country of origin it is estimated that the 2020 population was 94.6% Sakushin, 3.1% Wamese, 1.2% X, and 1.1% other. The Wamese minority is concentrated in the north and the X minority in the south, while other minorities are predominantly foreign workers residing in major cities.

The (TFR) of Sakushi was slightly below replacement rate at 1.97 in 2020, a decline of 0.01 from the previous year. TFR has been stable since the 2010s at between 1.9 and 2.0, and is relatively high among developed countries. The high degree of work-life balance, generous subsidies for parents, and availability of quality part-time jobs have been cited as possible reasons.

Education
Sakushi's current system of elementary schools (小学校), junior high schools (中学校), vocational schools (専門学校), senior high schools (高等学校), and universities (大学) was introduced after the 1950 education reforms. All children are required to attend 9 years of basic education, comprising 6 years of elementary school and 3 years of junior high school, both of which are heavily subsidised. The vast majority go on to attend 3 years of vocational school or senior high school. The former prepares students to take up a skilled trade with the prospect of pursuing applied studies in university, while the later is purely academic and prepares students for university. As of 2020, the highest educational attainment of 25-34 year olds in Sakushi is approximately 30% university and 60% vocational school. Relative to other developed countries in Sinju, the rate of university attendance is low and the rate of vocational school attendance high, reflecting the country's balanced view of academic and vocational education, and the competitive job prospects of vocational education.

A year of pre-school prior to elementary school is optional, yet widely seen as integral to basic education today due to government subsidisation and encouragement.

is uncommon, with the only compulsory standardised test being the Junior High School Completion Examinations (中学校修了試験) at the end of junior high school, which determines the eligibility of students to enter different vocational schools or senior high schools. Students wishing to enter university must also take the University Entrance Examinations (大学入学試験) to determine their eligibility for different courses in different universities.

Health
Sakushi has a  system, provided through the National Health Insurance (國家健康保険). The National Health Insurance is primarily funded by compulsory monthly contributions from all residents, and supplemented by revenue from alcohol and tobacco taxes. It covers around 65-85% of the cost of most healthcare services depending on how frequently utilised and costly they are, and excludes new and high-cost technologies or treatment for rare diseases.

Healthcare is delivered through a combination of hospitals and clinics, most of which are private. Public hospitals are established to ensure sufficient capacity and access for emergency, intensive, obstetric, and paediatric medicine, while public clinics are established in rural areas to ensure availability of general care.

As at 2020 the average life expectancy at birth was 70.4 years, with women averaging 73.3 years and men averaging 68.4 years. This is relatively low compared to other developed countries, and has been attributed to the high prevalence of drinking and smoking among the Sakushin population, limited national health insurance coverage for cancers and heart disease, and low availability of advanced treatments for them.

Language
Sakushin is the national language of Sakushi and it is known domestically as the National Language (國語). The official scripts of Sakushin are Cheonja and, with a combination of both being the most common today, even though Sakushin was initially written in Cheonja only.

has a co-official status, and can be found alongside Sakushin on public signages, and in publications for international consumption. It is also taught from elementary school onwards, with the majority of Sakushins today having at least professional working proficiency.

Wamese and X are recognised regional languages in parts of the north and south, where their speakers are concentrated. There, local governments use the languages alongside Sakushin to communicate and provide government services.

Religion
The Sakushi government does not collect information on religion, but it is believed most Sakushins practice Kamui-ru (神道), a syncretic mix of Aenuic folk religion and Senkoto, with a minority also practicing. Aenuic folk religion and Senkoto are both rooted in the belief that supernatural beings known as Kamui (神) in Sakushin inhabit all things. Kamui with roots in Aenuic folk religion are believed to be either good or evil, whereas Kamui with roots in Senkoto are believed to be neither good nor evil.

The worship of Kamui was originally performed through rituals in Aenuic folk religion, but the influence of Senkoto which uses both shrines and rituals for worship has led to the introduction of shrines worshipping Kamui from Aenuic folk religion as well. Today, the distinctions between Aenuic folk religion and Senkoto are weak, with some similar Kamui from both religions combined, and shrines or rituals worshipping Kamui across both religions common.

Culture
Sakushin contemporary culture combines indigenous culture with Sinjuan influences, in particular from Fusen, Jeongmi, and Meisaan. The indigenous culture of Sakushi originates from the fusion of Aenuic and Fusenese culture when Fusenese migrants settled in Sakushi between X CE and 1300 CE, intermixing with the Aenuic natives.

Art
Historically, Sakushin art has been due to the belief that realistic depictions of things possess a Kamui, with the potential to become evil if not carefully managed. However, with increasing exposure to foreign and decreasing faith in traditional beliefs from the late 19th century onwards, realism has become an established part of the modern Sakushin art scene. Today, the vast majority of Sakushins are open to consuming realistic art, although some still have reservations about displaying realistic art in their properties.

Prominent Sakushin traditional arts include crafts such as blades, wood-carving, and textiles, performances of dance, storytelling, and theatre as well as practices of flower arrangement and martial arts. Contemporarily has been popular since its introduction from X in the early 20th century, with a sizeable domestic manga industry emerging in the mid 20th century to meet the local population's demand for manga that expressed Sakushin culture.

Cuisine
Traditional Sakushin cuisine combines the influences of Aenuic hunting-gathering with Fusenese agriculture, with a typical meal pairing staple food in the form of rice or wheat with Ohau (オハウ), an Aenuic hot pot dish. Ohau consists of fish, meat, and/or vegetables simmered in a pot of soup stock, and the evolution of its ingredients between the Xth and 14th centuries illustrates the transition from hunting-gathering to agriculture. The use of meat in general decreased as the population rapidly increased while hunting declined. Farmed meat, mainly chicken and pork largely replaced game meat like bear and deer, which became an occasional delicacy. Seasoning shifted away from the use of animal oils and fats to fermented condiments such as and. Subsequently, with the advent of Ohau was developed into "fast" Ohau (即席オハウ, commonly abbreviated to 即オ), where large pots of pre-cooked Ohau are kept on low heat, and single portions scooped out on demand.