Yamataian Stratocracy

The Greater Empire of Yamatai was under a military government from April 1839 to July 1957, a period of time referred to as the Yamataian Stratocracy. This period of Yamataian history is also known as Imperialist Yamatai in some academic contexts. During this era, Yamatai came under the control of a military-led, fascist and ultranationalistic regime. At the same time, the absolute monarchy and the role of the Empress of Yamatai in the government was vastly expanded.

Beginnings and development (1839-1863)
The period of military rule in Yamatai began on 13 April 1839 following the April 13 Coup. This coup was part of the wider ultranationalist Sakura Revolution, which had the support of Empress Kayako, who also encouraged and approved of the April 13 Coup. During the coup, high-ranking military officers led by the Grand Admiral Sakamoto Masayuki arrested the Second Imperial Court and established a new government entirely staffed by military officers, the Yamataian Imperial High Council. Sakamoto was installed as the first Imperial Grand Marshal of Yamatai, the autocratic head of government. Under the Sakura Constitution, the Imperial Grand Marshal answered only to the Empress of Yamatai, who retained absolute power over the nation.

Yamatai's new military regime moved to consolidate its control over the nation in a bid to wipe out foreign influence and increase national productivity to compete with other colonial powers. Large trade conglomerates were forcibly nationalised, and various strategic industries such as shipbuilding and vehicle manufacturing were placed under military control. Between 1839 and 1845, Yamatai's colonies in Kita Imoshima and the former Song Empire were forcibly nationalised and placed under direct military governorship in a bid to increase resource extraction in those regions, replacing the client partnership that the preceding Yamataian government had established with local leaders.

With robust supply lines and central planning in place, Yamatai began to industrialise and militarise rapidly, with the Yamatai Imperial Navy quickly becoming the second-largest naval force in Escar by 1850. A distinctive radical nationalistic ideology, known as Kayakoism after the Empress Kayako, came to dominate Yamataian society, even affecting the national religion, which was transformed into Imperial Michi.

Expansion period (1863-1935)
Yamatai's involvement in the Second Northern War against Arshavat in 1863 marked a peak in Yamatai's militarisation, and the nation began to embark on a series of wars to establish itself as a great power in the global community. In 1867, the Treaty of Fujishima was signed between Yamatai and the Third Shogunate of Hinomoto, absorbing Hinomoto into the Yamataian empire. This move was met with great alarm amongst the western Escaric states, and Chisei and Chanha began taking steps to contain Yamataian expansion. The subsequent defeat of Chanha in the First Chan-Yamataian War of 1868, which saw Yamatai seize the islands of Huangwan and Wodao, further cemented Yamatai as a military force to be reckoned with.

Emboldened by this series of conquests against traditionally superior mainland Escaric states, Yamataian nationalist rhetoric began developing even further to include racialist ideas and the increasingly prevalent idea that Yamatai was divinely destined to unify the peoples of the Yashiman race, which included Chisei and occasionally Yeongseon. As a symbol of Yamatai's mass development, the capital city was shifted from Yamato to the planned city of Heian, built near the culturally significant Mount Aozora, in 1873.

By the 20th century, the intensifying colonial competition between Yamatai and Chisei in Valeya and the ever-increasing militarisation of Yamatai eventually led to a direct clash between the two powers in 1918, beginning the First Escar-Varunan War. The unexpected Yamataian victory in the conflict, which saw Yamatai directly invade mainland Chisei and occupy much of its western coast as the New Territories, saw a dramatic shift in the regional power structure in favour of Yamatai.

Decline (1935-1949)
During the interbellum years, Yamatai experienced massive economic growth, bolstered by the large amounts of resources and manpower its colonial empire provided it, as well as international trade shifting from Chisei to Yamatai, as the new superior nation in Escar. This economic growth led to an uncontrolled asset bubble, which burst in 1935 and caused the 1935 Escaric economic crisis, which the Yamataian government struggled to deal with due to their reliance on central planning. With Yamatai perceived to be in a vulnerable state, in 1937 Chisei launched an attempt to reclaim its lost territories, beginning the Second Escar-Varunan War. Drawn into overextending its forces across a large colonial empire and multiple fronts against both the Escaric Allies and Arshavat, Yamatai signed a ceasefire with the Escaric Allies in 1944 in order for the two enemies to focus on containing the thread of Arshavat-led communist expansion. Yamatai ended its war with Arshavat in 1945 with the Treaty of Haiphong, and officially ended the war with the Escaric Allies at the 1949 Treaty of Eito.

Despite avoiding major war damage due to the sea-protected geography of the Naichi archipelago, post-war Yamatai was still in a poor state due to the several million deaths and casualties, the total loss of its colonial empire and Hinomoto, -configured industries in disarray, and large amounts of war reparations and repatriation of citizenry demanded by the Escaric Allies. These problems were compounded by a series of power struggles in the Imperial High Council and confused leadership that resulted in poor attempts at revitalisation.

Okabe Regime (1949-1957)
In 1949, a succession crisis for the position of Imperial Grand Marshal led to a coup attempt that enabled Imperial Army Kenpeitai leader General Okabe Nariakira to manoeuvrer himself into seizing the position of leadership. Once in control, Okabe endeavoured to end the military control over the government in order to enable Yamatai to recover from the war and rejoin the global post-war order.

By carrying out privatisation, removing the ban on political parties, empowering local governments and the Teikoku Gikai, and bringing civilians into the Imperial High Council, Okabe set the stage for a successful handover of power to a civilian regime. With his plan supported by Empress Kiyono, on 1 July 1957 Okabe stepped down as Imperial Grand Marshal and retired from the military, and was immediately appointed as the first Prime Minister of Yamatai. With the formation of the first Cabinet of Yamatai the same day, the era of stratocratic rule in Yamatai came to an end.

Government
The nation was led by the Imperial High Council of Yamatai, which was led by the Imperial Grand Marshal of Yamatai. The Imperial Grand Marshal answered directly to the Empress of Yamatai, who held absolute power over the nation and could overrule the Grand Marshal and the High Council in any matter.

Administrative Divisions
From 1876 onwards, military districts were formed across Yamatai and the colonies, superseding the civilian-led provincial governments and further stripping them of any relevance. Military governors were directly responsible for these areas and directed production and other matters of their assigned areas. Though provincial representatives continued to convene at the Teikoku Gikai, it was largely meaningless and could only discuss or raise issues for the High Council to deal with, and had no power at all.

Military
Banzai