Hiryuko

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The Most Serene Principality of Hiryuko
飛竜コ
Flag
Motto: "Onward Hiryuko"
Anthem: [[]]
"Onward Hiryuko"

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Royal anthem[[]]
"Siren"

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Capital
and largest city
Hiryuko
Official languages Darohai, Ratana
Ethnic groups Human, Chrystian
Demonym Hiryukoans
Government Parliamentary Constitutional Monarchy
 -  Princess Amiria Akishino
 -  Prime Minister Hayato Watanabe
Legislature Parliament
 -  Upper house The House of Nobles
 -  Lower house The House of Commons
Establishment
 -  Formation of the Kingdom of Hiryuko 1682 
 -  Foreign Occupied Territory 1824-1918 
 -  Formation of the Most Serene Principality of Hiryuko 1918-Present 
Area
 -  10,556.31674 km2
4,076 sq mi
Population
 -  estimate 4,000,000
 -  census 4,100,314
 -  Density 388.42279/km2
1,006/sq mi
GDP (PPP) estimate
 -  Total 390.9 billion
 -  Per capita 95,340
Gini0.43
low
HDI 0.932
very high
Currency yen (¥‎)
Date format MM/DD/YYYY
Drives on the left

Hiryuko, officially the Most Serene Principality of Hiryuko, is a parliamentary constitutional monarchy. It is a microstate and city-state which consists of three islands and one single metropolitan area. The main island is known simply as Hiryuko Island and it naturally contains the capital city of Hiryuko. The largest island, Marina Island, is nowadays a nature reserve, with some bioagriculture facilities operated by the government or with government approval and supervision. The third and smallest island is [TBD]. With 4,100,314 inhabitants, Hiryuko is one of the most populous cities in the world. With a GDP of 390.9 billion, a GDP per capita of 95,340, and a HDI of .932, Hiryuko's citizens enjoy one of, if not the highest standard of living on Viranos.

Etymology[edit | edit source]

The origin of Hiryuko comes from the family crest of the founding royal family, Hiryu, which displayed a white dragon on a red field. This crest has since been modified and is now the official flag of Hiryuko. The red of the Hiryu dynasty was changed to an orange and paired with yellow to represent the multiethnic peoples of Hiryuko. The current Akishino ruling family arose shortly before foreign occupation and colonization of Hiryuko. Hiryuko is often referred to as the "Garden City" for its tree-lined streets, greening efforts, and meticulously maintained nature reserves.

History[edit | edit source]

Imperial Hiryuko[edit | edit source]

Though much of the founding history of Hiryuko has been lost throughout past wars, dynastic changes, and foreign occupation, the official year of the founding of Hiryuko by the Hiryu family has been preserved. The Kingdom of Hiryuko was founded in 1682 by the Hiryu family, which led a group of refugees from Chrystia, fleeing The Dragon's Wrath. Details about the family itself are rare, though historical texts point to the implication of divinity or divine mandate. Post-founding, little is known about the history of Hiryuko as a result of cultural extermination during foreign occupation until the years leading up to the rise of the Akishino dynasty. The ruling dynasty before the Akishino clan was the Yuan, originally a pirate clan who defeated the previous ruling dynasty and established the Yuan dynasty. As foreign influence grew, the Yuan dynasty ferociously opposed the foreigners and attempted to shut out the much more powerful and technologically advanced outsiders. However, they were already too late and domestic support of the Yuan had decayed over the years. The foreign power initiated a bloodless coup and installed the Akishino dynasty as puppets following the abdication and exile of the Yuan family in 1824.

Colonial Hiryuko[edit | edit source]

The foreign occupation period of Hiryuko was surprisingly a relatively bloodless era as a result of rapid escalation of quality of life in Hiryuko and shrewd negotiations by the Akishino dynasty leading to a system of yearly tributes given to the foreign occupiers. Through the manipulation of information, the tributes provided each year remained constant despite foreign improvements to Hiryukoan infrastructure and technology. As a result, Hiryuko experienced immense prosperity, which was shrewdly invested into education and infrastructure, particularly naval infrastructure. Towards the end of the colonial era, the foreign occupying power had diminished greatly and Hiryuko was only a colony in name. During this time, Hiryuko also opened up to the world, using its highly skilled workforce, advanced infrastructure, and peculiar culture to establish itself in the world economy. In 1918, Hiryuko was officially liberated by the failing foreign power and after a referendum, the autonomous Akishino dynasty officially began and the Most Serene Principality of Hiryuko was established as a democratic constitutional monarchy.

The Most Serene Principality of Hiryuko[edit | edit source]

Initially, Hiryuko managed to thrive economically based on its status as an entropôt port along with its skilled workers contributing to the global chain of labor by working on technological components on late-stage intermediate goods. However, the Akishino clan saw an opportunity which would utilize the re-emergent Hiryukoan culture and advanced infrastructure. Members of the clan formed various banks and conglomerates and with its low taxes, designed initially to encourage growth and capital investment, Hiryuko soon became an attractive centre for financial transactions and business holdings. As the volume of finance ballooned, Hiryuko shifted from a labor focus to a financial service focus, initiating projects such as beautification of the urban areas and encouragement of tourism. Over the course of two generations, Hiryuko has established itself as a hub of the business and finance worlds. Throughout this period of prosperity, education has continued to be a central focus of Hiryuko as high skilled labourers and white collar workers are the backbone of the Hiryukoan economy.

The Akishino Dynasty[edit | edit source]

Akishino Dynasty Family Tree

Prince Hiroto Akishino[edit | edit source]

"Those who calculate in terms of numbers alone make a big error. This is a country with verve, vitality. Never mind the numbers. What we have got, we make them good. And five years, ten years from now you will see what we can do."

"This is what it is all about: it is an exercise in survival. We will keep what we have got, improve on it, and defend it against all who want to destroy it.And in that way, we will show the light for all our friends in the region."

Prince Hiroto was born Crown Prince Hiroto Akishino in 1890 to King Katsuo Akishino, the last King of Puppeted Hiryuko under foreign control. He ascended the throne at the age of 23 after his father's death in 1913. Shortly after his accession to the throne, King Hiroto would guide Hiryuko to independence and oversee its transition from colony to a sovereign democratic nation. For the first 20 years of his reign, Prince Hiroto painstakingly dedicated his life to guaranteeing Hiryuko's successful transition. At the age of 40, recognizing the need for an heir, he married Noriko Obami, a woman more than 20 years his junior in order to ensure the possibility of children. Noriko adopted the Akishino family name, setting a tradition of Akishino surname supremacy in the royal family. Noriko was the second daughter of an esteemed doctor in Hiryuko, this also established the custom that spouses to royalty did not require noble blood of any kind. In 1938, Noriko gave birth to Lord Akito Akishino, Heir Apparent. In 1943, Noriko gave birth to the couple's second and last child, Lady Yuriko Akishino. Prince Hiroto continued to steadily lead Hiryuko even as Parliament established itself and reform and after reform stripped the crown of any real political power. Prince Hiroto offered up the vast wealth of his family to support the nascent Hiryuko. He passed away in 1963 and was succeeded by Prince Akito Akishino the same year.

Prince Akito Akishino[edit | edit source]

"I am sure that this, my Coronation, is not the symbol of a power and a splendour that are gone but a declaration of our hopes for the future, and for the years I may be given to reign and serve you as your Prince."

Prince Akito married Mari Watanabe, the second daughter of one of Hiryuko's wealthiest men, in 1961 in light of his father's poor health. He ascended the throne in 1963 and throughout his reign, he quietly worked to strengthen the traditions of the monarchy and its place in a modernizing Hiryuko. Mari gave birth to Lady Kiyomi Akishino, Heir Apparent, in 1965 and Lord Hiroki Akishino in 1970. Tragically, Mari passed away in childbirth. Prince Akito never remarried and continued to reign quietly but steadily until his death in 1991.

Princess Kiyomi Akishino[edit | edit source]

"I believe that the world will not always be full of hatred and conflict, if we're willing to see past our differences and our greed. That is what Hiryuko means to me. We wish ill on no one. We seek only to share the wonders we have to offer and experience those of our fellow global citizens. We have no shield but our honour, dignity, and decorum. But I don’t think anyone should have the right to crush happiness or beauty when they see it. In this enriching modern age, we have but to gain from mutual cooperation. Let us advance together and improve the lives of all our dedicated and diligent citizens by continuing to open doors rather than erecting barriers."

Despite minor initial confusion among the populace regarding inheritance law, Princess Kiyomi ascended the throne in 1991 as the Most Serene Principality of Hiryuko's first Princess. She married Hakuto Muraki, a minor civil servant, in 1989. She gave birth to Lady Amiria Akishino, Heir Apparent, in 1993 and passed away in 1998 due to poor health. Despite her short reign, she took on a more active role in both the civil society and government of Hiryuko. She was a reformer and modernizer through and through and was particularly passionate about modernizing the culture and norms of Hiryukoan society. She garnered some backlash for the level of her involvement, possibly causing her health to deteriorate.

Princess Amiria Akishino[edit | edit source]

"13 years ago today, I became your monarch. Today, I not only celebrate my 18th birthday, I also celebrate becoming, truly, your Princess and all the responsibilities that honour entails. Onward Hiryuko! Thank you... thank you."

Princess Amiria Akishino ascended the throne at the young age of 5. Until 2011, her ceremonial duties were mainly covered by her father though it was not a regency. The young princess has done very little during her reign; since her accession, she has mainly focused on her education. She is extremely popular among young people in Hiryuko and as a result of continued modernization of the monarchy itself under Hakuto, the monarchy has found itself in an unprecedented position of cultural influence.

Lord Hiroki Akishino[edit | edit source]

"Hiryuko only grows stronger as we open ourselves up to other cultures."

Lord Hiroki Akishino is the 49 year old uncle of Princess Amiria Akishino and played a major role in overseeing the royal duties alongside Hakuto while Princess Amiria had not come of age. He married Kurumi Batsume, a peer in university, in 1990, and the couple soon welcomed a son, Lord Shinji Akishino, and a few years later, Lady Shinami Akishino. He is a world traveler and particularly enjoys traveling incognito to truly experience the culture of the locales.

Lord Shinji Akishino[edit | edit source]

"No comment."

Lord Shinki Akishino is a 27 year old former child prodigy who is a scientist working in the Ministry of Defence of Hiryuko. His work in the Ministry is highly confidential and as both a royal and an individual privy to confidential information, his safety is paramount to that of the Prime Minister.

Lady Shinami Akishino[edit | edit source]

"My name's Nami, how's it going?"

Lady Shinami Akishino is a 20 year old college student. She reportedly goes shopping often and is relatively studious. She often goes traveling with her father and also enjoys going everywhere incognito.

Lady Yuriko Akishino[edit | edit source]

"If you’re not learning, you’re falling behind. Somebody else is getting better as you’re becoming less valuable."

Turning to the non-ruling side of the Akishino family, the matriarch of the family is Lady Yuriko. At the age of 76, she is the most senior member of the royal family. While her brother, Prince Akito Akishino, focused on strengthening the crown, Lady Yuriko managed the royal household's significant wealth. She is the true mastermind behind Hiryuko's impressive financial service industry. She was at one time the Chairwoman of the Hiryuko Development Bank, one of the oldest and most esteemed banks Hiryuko is known for, and now sits on the boards of various corporations and financial entities. Lady Yuriko also founded the Akishino Conglomerate, a vast entity that dominates Hiryukoan politics, industry, and society. She, more than any other individual, has steered Hiryuko to its current financial success. A maverick in her personal life as well as in business, Lady Yuriko married her first husband in 1968 at the age of 25, an 18 year old banker named Shino Yoroko. Controversy swirled at the time that the marriage was as a result of an unplanned pregnancy, which were only strengthened after the birth of Lord Kyosuke Akishino later that same year. Shino passed away in 1973 after his plane crashed during a trip. Lady Yuriko married again in 1974, aged 31, to Endo Mikasa, a cook 10 years her junior. She gave birth to Lady Mito Akishino in 1975 and Lady Miko Akishino in 1978. Endo passed away in 1991 and Lady Yuriko again remarried in 1993 to Matoru Aburame, a professor and her child-hood friend. Today, the two pass their time doing ceremonial duties, though Lady Yuriko is still known to show her face at various economic summits as well as regularly attend board meetings.

Lord Kyosuke Akishino[edit | edit source]

"Hiryuko needs to strengthen its military first and foremost. What the women of this country don't understand is that all this frivolity must be built on a strong army, navy, and air force."

The 51 year old Lord Kyosuke Akishino is the current the Akishino Chief Executive Officer of the Akishino Conglomerate. When he took over from Lady Yuriko at the age of 26, Lord Kyosuke immediately set his sights on rapidly improving the minuscule and poorly equipped military of Hiryuko. While his cousin, Princess Kiyomi, pushed for friendlier relations and had an optimistic outlook on the world and the state of affairs, Lord Kyosuke embodied the realist sentiments. He funded legislation to improve the military and helped negotiate the purchase of military equipment. He married Kimi Nobuki, a Hiryukoan singer, in 1984 and she soon gave birth to their first and only child, Lord Haruhi Akishino. Today, Lord Kyosuke continues to push for the strengthening of Hiryuko in his own way while managing the Akishino Conglomerate with an iron fist.

(Lady) Mito Akishino[edit | edit source]

"Just call me Mito."

44 year old Mito Akishino is an artist and socialite. She has disassociated herself from the royal family since the age of 20. She maintains a very luxurious life, likely from an allowance from the Akishino Conglomerate, though she has also worked as a model and her pieces sell for a moderately steep price. She has not married and has no children, and she actively refuses to confirm or deny any rumours regarding her sexuality.

Lady Miko Akishino[edit | edit source]

"A nation's greatness is measured by how it treats its weakest members."

41 year old Lady Miko Akishino is also a socialite, but she has chosen to retain her association with the royal family as well as her title. She married Takeshi Suzuki, a Hiryukoan actor, in 1998 after a heated romance. Shortly after their hotly covered honeymoon, Lady Miko gave birth to twins Sakura and Tsubaki Akishino. Then in 2000 and in 2002, she gave birth to Shobu Akishino, the couples' only son, and Kikyo Akishino. The family is often photographed and published by high end magazines dressed in spectacular fashion. She has devoted her life to philanthropy and is the Chairwoman of Miko and Takeshi Akishino Foundation. All the proceeds of the photoshoots are given to charity and she donates a significant amount of her royal allowance to charity.

Lord Haruhi Akishino[edit | edit source]

"Bigotry has no place in Hiryuko. All are welcome here."

Lord Haruhi Akishino is the first openly gay member of the Akishino dynasty. He is an icon of the LGBT community in Hiryuko and is a member of the House of Lords, appointed by Lord Hiroki Akishino on behalf of Princess Amiria in 2009. He and his father have cut ties over idealogical differences and tends to spend his time with his uncle, Lord Hiroki. He married his husband, Komugi Park, an immigrant chef, in 2008, marking the first time a royal has married a first generation Hiryukoan.

Government and Politics[edit | edit source]

Hiryuko is a bicameral parliamentary constitutional monarchy meaning that the Head of State is the leading member of the royal family, currently Princess Amiria Akishino, while the Head of Government is the Prime Minister, currently Hayato Watanabe. The royal family is largely symbolic and legally holds no power over political decisions while the main legislative body of Hiryuko is Parliament, consisting of an Upper and Lower House.

The Monarchy[edit | edit source]

Prior to the establishment of the Most Serene Principality of Hiryuko, all sovereigns of Hiryuko styled themselves as His or Her Majesty, the King or Queen. With the referendum declaring Hiryuko a constitutional monarchy, the sovereign at the time, King Hiroto Akishino, Princess Amiria Akishino's great-grandfather, styled himself and all sovereigns who follow him as Most Serene Prince Akito Akishino. The blood relatives of the sovereign hold no titles, yet as members of the royal family, they hold exclusive status and therefore are entitled to style themselves as Lady or Lord, though the titles do not come with lands and are simply a sign of their royal blood.

The royal law of inheritance, codified in 1918 shortly after the establishment of the Most Serene Principality of Hiryuko, follows absolute primogeniture, in which the first child of the sovereign, male or female, inherits. Following the first born are any other children of the sovereign, then the next sibling, then his or her children, then following siblings, then cousins, ranked by proximity to the sovereign.

Though the royal family holds no political power, the Akishino dynastic clan holds tremendous power as a result of its members' various financial holdings and involvement in the Hiryukoan economy. Members of the royal family are known to either run for parliament themselves, or support members of parliament and policies in both the Upper and Lower Houses.

Parliament[edit | edit source]

Parliament is bicameral, consisting of the House of Lords and the House of Commons.

The House of Lords is appointed by the sovereign and its powers are largely symbolic. The appointments are made for life, but the seat can be stripped from an individual, though the occurrence is extremely rare. There are 100 seats available. The House of Lords has the power to amend bills passed by the House of Commons. Politically, the House of Lords is a glorified spell-checker. However, the House of Lords do have some decision-making power when it comes to issues of symbolism, royalty, and also religion and magic to a lesser degree.

The House of Commons is an elected chamber with elections to 100 single member constituencies held every five years under the first-past-the-post system. All government ministers, including the Prime Minister, are members of the House of Commons or the House of Lords. The House of Commons drafts all laws and is the highest governing body of Hiryuko, led by the Prime Minister and his or her Cabinet.

Law enforcement[edit | edit source]

Hiryuko has a small, but well-equipped, standing police force. Hiryuko compensates for the size of its police force with extensive surveillance technology in public areas and volunteers who undergo first aid, emergency protocol, and threat detection training to support the small, but effective police force. By law, possession, sale, or movement of firearms are all illegal and the punishment for all three can reach the death penalty. Furthermore, the usage of magic is categorically banned. As a result of the strict laws and effective enforcement, the crime rate of Hiryuko is incredibly low with practically all areas of the city being extremely safe.

Foreign relations[edit | edit source]

Hiryuko maintains a policy of neutrality with any and all foreign powers. However, Hiryuko is fiercely protective of its economic interests and goals including financial independence and of course its own sovereignty. Hiryuko maintains an open-door policy with all countries regardless of ideology, ethnicity, species, etc. guaranteeing free usage of its port as well as entry and exit from Hiryuko's borders.

Military[edit | edit source]

Hiryuko's military is at the pinnacle of technological advancement, mainly to make up for its lack of size at a combined 26,000 personnel. Hiryuko's military consists of the Army, Navy, and Air Force. The military of Hiryuko is purely a defensive force. Furthermore, Hiryuko is committed to a policy of non-recruitment and non-drafting even if a conflict should arise.

While the Army and Air Force are adequately equipped, the technology of the Hiryukoan Navy is the pride and joy of Hiryuko as well as the crowning jewel of the Hiryukoan military.

Army

The Hiryukoan Army comprises 10,000 active personnel and is equipped with top notch firearms ranging from small arms to missiles and artillery.

Air Force

The Air Force comprises 6,000 active personnel, though the Air Force is currently experiencing a shift from the usage of manned aircraft to unmanned drones and as a result, a significant portion of personnel are undergoing training.

Navy

The Navy comprises 10,000 active personnel and boasts 6 submarines, 6 frigates, 6 corvettes, 5 patrol boats, 4 amphibious warfare vessels, and 4 minesweepers.

Economy[edit | edit source]

The economy of Hiryuko is a highly developed free-market economy. Exports, particularly in electronics, chemicals and services including Hiryuko's position as the hub for wealth management provide the main source of revenue for the economy, which allows it to purchase natural resources and raw goods which it lacks. Hiryuko could be said to rely on an extended concept of intermediary trade to entrepôt trade, by purchasing raw goods and refining them for re-export. Hiryuko takes measures to promote innovation, encourage entrepreneurship and re-train its workforce consistently in order to remain competitive. The Akishino family has at least two sovereign wealth funds which are used to manage the royal family's reserves, accumulated over generations. Initially their role was oriented more toward managing industries for economic development, but in recent decades the objectives of the Akishino family sovereign wealth funds have shifted to a commercial basis. Akishino-linked corporations play a substantial role in Hiryuko's domestic economy. Royal investment is prominent in strategic sectors of the economy, including telecommunications, media, public transportation, defence, port, airport operations as well as banking, shipping, airline, infrastructure and real estate. Hiryuko is one of if not the world’s wealthiest country per capita, but its Gini coefficient is high relative to its GDP and GDP per capita meaning that Hiryuko still suffers from moderate income inequality.

Demographics[edit | edit source]

Culture[edit | edit source]

Religion[edit | edit source]

Names[edit | edit source]