Sakushi

Sakushi (: 朔志), officially the Republic of Sakushi (: 朔志民国), is a nation in North Bangju, within the cultural spheres of Aenu-sphere and Northeast Sinju. It borders Wamu to the north and Tosan to the south, while facing the East Sea to its west. Sakushi is divided into 7 administrative divisions, comprising 6 provinces (県) and the Kiohin metropolitan area (京濱都).

Sakushi was first settled by Aenuic migrants from Kaisa and Wamu in search of warmer lands. Later, Fusenic migrants arrived, introducing advanced agricultural and metallurgical techniques but also competition and conflict, ending with the admixture of the Fusenic and Aenuic peoples through intermarriage, and producing the direct ancestors of the modern Sakushin people. In the centuries that followed, Sakushi remained a loose confederation of clans that was variously forced to submit to Wamu and Tosan, but maintained a modicum of autonomy and its distinct culture. With the advent of, a Sakushin national identity developed, culminating in its declaration of independence in 1894. Having fallen behind in industrialisation during Tosanese domination, newly independent Sakushin looked to Fusen to learn how to modernise.

Today, Sakushi is an unitary parliamentary republic and developed country, with a high-income economy built on a balanced mix of manufacturing 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 Kaisa and Wamu, from which Aenuic settlers arrived.

Prehistoric to classical era
Sakushi is believed to have been first settled by Aenuic peoples migrating south from Kaisa and Wamu, in search of warmer lands. Around 1000 BCE, Fusenic migrants arrived on the coasts of Sakushi, bringing with them relatively advanced agricultural and metallurgical techniques, and expanding inland. This created competition with the Aenuic peoples for resources and thus conflict, which eventually ended with the admixture of the Aenuic and Fusenic peoples through intermarriage. These Aenuic-Fusenic people were the direct ancestors of the modern Sakushin people.

Around 100 BCE, the disparate villages throughout Sakushi had evolved into noble clans controlling multiple villages, which routinely fought against each other for resources. Combat during this period was ritualistic with a restrictive code of honour, limiting the duration and intensity of these clashes, which rarely resulted in the destruction of one clan by another.

By 200 AD, the clans had stabilised into an informal confederation, whose clan leaders would routinely meet to discuss regional issues and resolve inter-clan disputes. Conflict declined and trade flourished, causing language and culture to circulate throughout the region and align. During this period, Cheonje traders arrived in Sakushi and opened up trade, introducing Cheonje cultural influence. However, the take-up of Cheonje culture would be largely limited to the nobility and traders, who eagerly adopted Cheonje writing with an eye to benefiting from Cheonje's ascendancy.

Modern era
During the late 19th century, the spread of ideas reached Sakushi through Sakushins fluent in Tosanese, where it found fertile ground in the shared language and culture of the area. A Sakushin national identity emerged, and seeing how Sakushi had fallen behind much of Sinju in industrialisation under Tosanese suzerainty, Sakushins began to organise and agitate for independence. As the Tosanese empire was weakened and distracted towards the end of the 19th century due to X, Sakushin nationalists saw an opportunity and declared independence in 1894.

Geography
Sakushi has a total land area of 160,816 km2 including water bodies, and straddles the 45th parallel north. It stretches over 650 km from the northernmost to southernmost points of its borders.

Climate
The climate of Sakushi is temperate.

Politics
Sakushi has been an unitary state and parliamentary republic since its current constitution entered into force on 5 January 1915. Ri Utarian (李 ウタリアン) is the current President (元首) and head of state, who performs a ceremonial role and wields limited, custodial executive powers. The President is elected for a lifetime term by the 11-member Council of Elders (元老會), composed of individuals of good reputation from different sectors of society. Legislative power is vested in the Parliament (国會), an unicameral legislature with 339 seats, 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 tax contribution requirements.

The elected Members of Parliament (国會議員) recommend candidates from among themselves to the President for the office of Prime Minister (首相). The President is not constitutionally required to appoint the candidate who has the most support, but in practice every Prime Minister appointed in history had enjoyed majority support. The Prime Minister, currently Kinatuipa Eraragur (草刈 エララグㇽ) who was elected in the 2020 General Elections, is the head of government and has the power to appoint ministers to the cabinet, which collectively holds executive power.

Administrative divisions
Sakushi is divided into 7 administrative divisions, comprising 6 provinces (県) and the Kiohin metropolitan area (京濱都), each of which is overseen by an elected Governor (知事) and Provincial Assembly (県議會) or Metropolitan Assembly (都議會). The provinces are further divided into cities (市), towns (町), and villages (村), while the Kiohin metropolitan area is further divided into Ukot-pet capital (合川京), Pis-oika city (濱越市), and a number of wards (区).

Foreign relations
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 its founding in 1894, and the Sakushin economy since the end of the Great Eulhae War has continuously grown more open and dependent on international trade. Sakushi presently conducts foreign policy on the basis of three principles: upholding international law, cooperation within Sinju, and supporting peace throughout the world.

Military
Sakushi had maintained a policy of from independence to X, for which its current constitution of 1915 stipulated that all fit males over the age of 20 were liable for conscription. However, as the security environment in Sinju grew more benign from the end of the Great Eulhae War, conscription obligations were reduced in 1944 and 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:
 * Sakushi Army (朔志陸軍)
 * Sakushi Navy (朔志海軍)
 * Sakushi Air Force (朔志空軍)
 * Sakushi Reserve Force (朔志後備軍)

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, disaster relief, and peacekeeping.