Takanashi commandery

The Takanashi islands (: 高梨群島 Takanashi Guntō, : Takanasisir), also known as the Takanashi Commandery (高梨郡 Takanashigun, Takanasi un Kun), is an archipelago in the South Varunan ocean. It consists of six major islands - Kita Kirishima, Minami Kirishima, Takanashijima, Nobetsubojima, Kurotorishima and Ōfushima - as well as a handful of minor rocks and islets.

The islands are today are the southernmost overseas territory of Chisei, located 5,169 km from the Chiseian mainland. They are named for Shirakawan explorer and pirate Takanashi Chiasa, who supposedly founded the first settlement on the islands in 1701, as well as the island's famous shrine in 1706. It is unclear if Takanashi was the one who first discovered the islands however, as though they were uninhabited when Escarics first arrived, it is possible that Hyspanic or indigenous Valeyan sailors may have made landfall, intentionally or accidentally, in decades prior.

The islands have a population of 134,100, and are largely rural beyond the eponymous capital of Takanashi and the town of Kurotorigake. The Commandery elects one representative to the Heavenly Assembly of Chisei, and it's residents have full freedom of movement within Chisei. The affairs of the islands are managed largely by the Commandery Governor, appointed by the Ministry of Commanderies, though an elected Citizen's Assembly provides advice and guidance, and airs resident's grievances.

Politics
The Governor of the Commandery is responsible for most of the general governance of the islands, and delegates specific tasks to the Counselors of the 12 member Commandery Administrative Board. Legally, the islands are under Chiseian federal law, and the authority of the Governor and his Counselors mostly concern the direct affairs of the Commandery and issues such as transport, construction, tourism and local investment.

The Governor himself is appointed by the Ministry of Commanderies, and serves at the pleasure of the central government. The Citizen's Assembly, a 42 member advisory committee of island residents, exists to advise the local government and air residential grievances. The Assembly may also make petitions to the Ministry of Commanderies and the Tosatsuin in the event they feel their Governor or his counselors are incompetent, corrupt or abusing their authority, but otherwise have no direct powers.

Despite a population almost 1/6 of the average seat, the Commandery has one dedicated representative in the Heavenly Assembly of Chisei - currently an independent, Kataoka Raiden, first elected in 2001. In the 2016 Chiseian Chancellorial election, the islands voted 68% for Seikōjo Chika in the second round, while the most popular candidate in the first round was Tamanaha Ren of the Social Front, with 41% of the vote.

In 2015 the residents of the Commandery voted on a proposal to grant the islands a greater level of autonomy, in exchange for the abolition of their single Assembly seat (which would have reclassified Takanashi voters as Chiseians overseas). The proposal was defeated with 64% against, but the government of Prime Minister Kure Shuichi promised reforms would eventually have to be forced through, to account for the declining population within the constituency, already well below the mainland average. The new 2019 government of Nishioka Kyouka promised a full review of the current status quo.

The current governor is Nakagawa Toshiaki, appointed in 2017.

Law enforcement
Law enforcement duties on the islands are primarily carried out by the Chiseian Peaceguard, with two larger garrisons located in central Takanashi and Kurotorigake and many smaller stations, as well as a detachment at the Kita Kirishima airbase. The Takanashijima Machikeitai is a voluntary neighborhood watch that operates in the capital of Takanashi-shi and the surrounding regions, assisting Peaceguard activity.

The National Security Agency also maintains a single office on Takanashijima. Adachi Masanori is the current chief inspector of the detachment.

Military
The islands host a number of military installations, including a Chiseian Royal Air Force base on Kita Kirishima with a Royal Army detachment of 1,200 troops, and a radar station on Kirinushima.

The islands have been used as a staging ground for military exercises in the South Varunan, and are also a common stop for naval vessels sailing south of Valeya. Three patrol boats and two helicopters of the Maritime Peaceguard are permanently based on the islands, and used mainly for.

Energy
Until the 21st century the islands imported 80% of their energy needs, and most settlements relyed on coal and diesel - expensive given the remote location of both the islands and many settlements. With a growing awareness of environmental issues, and a desire to lower the cost of energy, in 1999 Governor Hamada Fuji launched a new initiative to greatly boost the usage of renewable energy through the extensive construction of offshore and onshore windfarms, as well as investment in geothermal and hydrothermal technologies. The policy has been continued under later governments, and today 72% of energy demand is met by wind, 23% by other green technologies, and only 5% from imported fossil fuels.

A survey was carried out on the islands by Funmyō Energy in 2003 to investigate the possibility of offshore oil extraction and other forms of mineral mining, but after fierce protests from locals and a lack of enthusiasm from the Governor's office it was decided the operation would not be profitable.

Transport
Ferries are the predominant form of travel in the Commandery, given that most settlements are coastal and there is a lack of road infrastructure in the interior of the larger islands. A ferry service runs between Takanashi and Kurotorigake several times a day. Both Takanashi and Kurotorigake have their own local bus networks, run by the Commandery government and free for all residents, which also serve more outlying communities.

Takanashi Royal Airport serves the entirety of the Commandery, and is the main link to the outside world. In 2019, the Governor's office unveiled plans for a $1 expansion and rennovation of the airport, to accomodate growing tourist demand.

Demographics
The 2016 census recorded the population of the islands as 134,102. By comparison, in 1990 the population was 251,070. Much of the difference was caused by mass emigration following the devastation caused by Typhoon Morioka in 1995, and the population has stabilised somewhat. However, though not as severely as in the period of 1995 - 2000, the population is still aging and declining, as many younger residents increasingly move to mainland Chisei or Valeya in search of education and better job prospects, and the average age of residents is now 50.3 years. The population drop has resulted in many villages and town neighborhoods becoming near-abandoned and empty. In an attempt to reverse this decline, in 2018 the Commandery government adopted the 5 Mon House Initiative, where it offered the sale of properties on the islands for a incredibly low price of 5 Chiseian Mon to mainland Chiseians and foreigners alike, providing the owners could also renovate the homes to a liveable standard and would live in the homes for at least 5 years after the completion of renovations. The scheme has thus far attracted 520 buyers, 27 of whom have migrated to the islands as of March 2020, and has been warmly recieved by residents.

The largest settlements are the port towns of Takanashi and Kurotorigake, with populations of 88,701 and 40,102 respectively. Beyond this, the islands are largely rural, consisting of a number of small villages and isolated homesteads.

Culture
Takanashi culture is based on the predominantly Yashiman culture of it's Shirakawan settlers, but has also been influenced by nearby Valeya and migrants from other Chiseian states. The island's dialect is generally close to Eito Shirakawan, but retains some antiquated vocabulary. Regular visits to the islands by Catamarqueño fishermen and commercial vessels have also imparted a few Hyspanic phrases.

The islands have two weekly newspapers: the Takanashi Shimbun and Niwatori Shimbun. Most television and radio programming is Chiseian in origin, and the Oho provides a tailored local news service. Local cuisine is typically Shirakawan in character with much use made of homegrown vegetables, local lamb, mutton, beef and fish.

Two notable breeds of chicken, the and the, stem from the island and are local cultural symbols. Takanashi shrine holds an annual chicken festival for farmers across the islands, which has been featured in several Chiseian mainland variety shows.

The 2001 television show Akayoko, set in a fictional small island town of the same name, was predominantly filmed in Kurotorigake. The islands have also been featured in the popular 2017 film Under the Stars And Over The Sea, where the real village of Asekimura, Nobetsubojima is the hometown of the main characters as well as the site of mysterious supernatural phenomena. Both productions were made with the cooperation of the Commandery government, and have been used to encourage the growth of local tourism.