Ch.272New Japan

* * *

I seriously just want to let it all go and have fun now. Of course, I can have fun here too, but you know how it is.

“No matter what, I wonder if this is really the right thing to do.”

“Unless the Reds take power, it’s impossible, right? Though those Reds don’t even exist anymore. You’ve won every war you’ve fought and unified all the way to Europe.”

Right. When you put it that way, I have nothing to say.

Certainly, having unified Europe under the Constantinople Treaty Organization, I’ll admit that.

No matter how I look at it, this isn’t an environment where I can abdicate.

If I had known it would be like this, I should have abdicated to Vladimir earlier and pulled strings from behind the scenes—though that would have been difficult too.

No, wait, speaking of Reds, something just came to mind.

“Ah, right. That’s it.”

“Pardon?”

“I need to figure out what to do with Trotsky.”

I need to find some use for Trotsky.

Honestly, I no longer have any intention of killing him. Rather, I just want to use him somewhere until he dies.

After all, thanks to him, America has become a complete mess.

“Should I contact the Siberian prison camp?”

“Hmm, no. I’ll use him later.”

I’ve found a place to use him.

If I show Trotsky how the world has changed, he’ll realize that his revolution has failed.

Because even without revolution, the world is functioning just fine.

What happens when you take away the purpose of revolution from a revolutionary?

Of course, there are still places like Latin America where he could potentially start a revolution.

With colonies now gaining independence, he could establish communist regimes there. But I’ll keep him on ice a bit longer, then show him after the world has stabilized.

But you know what? East Japan is going to be in chaos from now on, and if I drop Trotsky into East Japan, which is American territory? That could be interesting.

Right. Anyway.

So the abdication matter has fallen through one way or another.

“Your Majesty. This letter has arrived from West Japan.”

It seems a letter has come from Japan as well.

Is Renya Mutaguchi also telling me not to abdicate, belatedly?

“It’s really from Master Mozengu.”

I wonder why Renya Mutaguchi suddenly sent me a letter.

When I read it, the content was quite absurd.

It seems West Japan has chosen to become a monarchy rather than a republic.

The letter says that while a republic wouldn’t be bad, they’ve served the Emperor as a living god for so long that a sudden transition to a republic would be difficult, so they must choose monarchy.

Of course, they don’t need my permission for this, but looking at the letter’s content, since I’ve become the Emperor of Eastern Rome, and considering that Russia has claimed to be Rome’s descendant, it seems Renya wants to establish a royal family related to the Japanese imperial family as the new ruling dynasty.

So let’s look at the candidates that have been proposed.

“The Toyota family and Queen Masako.”

Is this the Toyota I know? I’m not sure. Establishing the Toyota family as the royal family essentially means establishing a Baekje-descended line to create a new Baekje.

Hmm. When Goguryeo defeated Baekje and when it fell, a tremendous number of Baekje people did flow into Japan. If they establish Toyota, a collateral branch of the Ouchi family descended from Crown Prince Imseong, as the royal family, wouldn’t that be like creating a new Baekje?

Certainly, during the Ouchi era, they had an extremely good relationship with Joseon.

There are even claims that they monopolized trade with Joseon.

But isn’t that too long ago?

For improving relations with Korea, Yi Eun and Queen Masako seem more appropriate.

Especially since Yi Eun apparently has a good relationship with Renya Mutaguchi and is quite popular.

Even though the real power would be with Renya, Baekje is too ancient. Even if the imperial family has mixed blood with the Baekje royal family. Anyway, it’s too long ago.

No matter how you try to connect it through relationships, Eastern Rome at least lasted a long time. Baekje fell in 660, which was a very long time ago.

“Hmm. Then wouldn’t Yi Eun be better?”

If Yi Eun becomes co-Emperor with Queen Masako, it would greatly help improve relations with current Korea.

Toyota’s Baekje connection might also lead to good relations, but there are complications with that approach.

But if you ask me if this is right, it’s ambiguous.

So, it comes down to Yi Eun and Queen Masako.

As far as I know, Yi Eun has consistently wanted to return to Korea.

But becoming the Japanese Emperor doesn’t mean he can’t go to Korea. If he becomes co-Emperor, Yi Eun would be there for his name value, while Queen Masako would hold the legitimacy.

So traveling to and from Korea should be fine.

Then, I’ll subtly reply that I think Yi Eun is the better choice.

If Renya has already made up his mind about Toyota, it’s not my business, but since he asked for advice, I’ve given it.

The choice is Renya’s.

* * *

West Japan Provisional Government, Nagasaki

West Japan was still under Renya Mutaguchi’s military government with the help of the treaty forces.

But such military rule couldn’t be maintained forever, and it was time to establish a royal family and officially launch a government.

That’s when Renya received the Tsar’s reply.

“The Tsar suggested Prince Yi and Queen Masako would be good choices.”

“But is it appropriate to install someone of Korean descent as Emperor?”

Tsuji Masanobu, who had been enjoying wealth and glory as Renya’s aide, muttered with a worried expression.

Although he had suggested it himself, now that he actually considered the possibility of Prince Yi becoming Emperor, his feelings were mixed.

Renya had also considered this point.

Even as Japan’s last remaining light and great general, he had given it much thought, but Prince Yi wasn’t a bad candidate for Emperor.

In Balhae proper, the imperial family of the Korean Empire remained only nominally, and the head of the imperial family had recognized Balhae as a federal state succeeding the Korean Empire and relinquished all authority.

East Japan had all its legal systems changed to American-style by the United States, and West Japan, mindful of America, had abolished all existing aristocratic and royal systems, leaving only Prince Yi’s position intact.

From the beginning, Prince Yi wasn’t a member of the Japanese imperial family but rather the Prince of Changdeokgung Palace, which put him in a somewhat detached position.

In West Japan, being Queen Masako’s husband, there weren’t many other options.

“Prince Yi is capable enough to have been entrusted with the command of the mainland air force, and he has a strong reputation. It would be somewhat inappropriate to suddenly establish a collateral branch that isn’t even from the Ouchi main line and may not even have blood ties to the imperial family.”

After all, Yi Eun, who had held high positions in the Japanese military, was more relatable in that respect.

Above all, the joint enthronement of Prince Yi and Queen Masako as co-Emperors was also intended to shield Queen Masako from the American condition of abolishing the current imperial family.

“True, I understand that European countries, though numerous, all have interconnected royal families, but will Prince Yi accept?”

“If he has the Tsar’s support, that’s a different story. I’ll go personally.”

All they needed to do was create a situation where he had no choice but to accept.

Create an atmosphere where refusal was absolutely impossible.

Renya Mutaguchi, along with his staff who had been with him since the Southern Manchuria days, visited Yi Eun’s residence in Nagasaki.

And at the door, Renya knelt down.

Having found that pretending to be drunk and collapsing had been quite effective before, he decided to use this tactic again.

“Prince Yi! Queen! Please become the new heaven of this divine land!”

“Please ascend to the throne and embrace our impoverished divine land!”

“Please usher in a new era!”

Renya’s Southern Manchurian Army staff knelt in front of Prince Yi’s (Prince Uichin’s) house and pleaded. It was similar to how ministers in Joseon would plead with their king.

Japanese citizens, busy rebuilding the city, also prostrated themselves when they saw Japan’s hero Renya Mutaguchi bow deeply.

“I, Renya Mutaguchi, will serve Your Majesties!”

With eyes more determined than anyone else’s, bright and clear, he pressed his head to the ground more desperately, just as ministers in Joseon would prostrate themselves before their king.

With eyes as confident as during Operation Imphal in the original world when he was certain of victory! He pressed his head to the ground with all his might.

Meanwhile, Prince Uichin, also known as Prince Yi, who was always preparing to return to his homeland, and who was close to the imperial family through his wife Masako (a Japanese imperial princess), frowned.

“What am I to do about this? I want to return to my homeland. Wife, what should we do about this?”

To become Emperor of the country that had annexed his homeland.

Of course, today’s Japan was somewhat different, but it was still Japan.

Moreover, he knew they were using him to put Masako (Yi Bangja) on the imperial throne.

“East Japan has become an American colony! The Empire has been cut in half! Please, I beg you to ascend to the throne and embrace what remains of our divine land!”

Outside, Japan’s hero Renya Mutaguchi was prostrating himself and desperately pleading for them to ascend to the throne, which was quite amusing.

“Lord Iwu has sent a letter.”

Queen Masako referred to Yi Wu, who had restored the Korean peninsula, with the honorific title of “Lord.”

Shortly before Renya started making a scene outside, she had received a letter from Yi Wu.

She passed this letter to Yi Eun, whose eyes hardened as he read its contents.

“He wants me to ascend to the throne of West Japan and increase Balhae’s influence within Japan?”

Yi Wu wanted Yi Eun to become Emperor and increase Balhae’s influence in Japan.

Of course, with the added note that if he truly didn’t want to, he could return to his homeland.

“Since he said you could return home anytime even as Emperor, it’s not a bad condition. If you don’t ascend to the throne, America will swallow West Japan too, which is something not even the Tsarina who helped liberate the Balhae Federation would want.”

Yes. For the sake of his homeland Korea, for Balhae, he was willing to sacrifice himself.

If it was inevitable, perhaps it wouldn’t be so bad to ascend to the imperial throne as a member of the Korean Empire’s imperial family, which Japan had destroyed, and look down upon the Japanese people.

Then a decision had to be made.

Having steeled his resolve, Yi Eun, along with his wife Masako (Yi Bangja), went outside and raised Renya with both hands.

“I cannot bear to see Japan’s hero kneeling like this any longer. As a descendant of the Korean Empire’s imperial family and a royal, but also a member of Japan’s imperial family through my marriage to Masako, if you all desire it so strongly, I will accept.”

“Since he will join me, I too will follow your wishes.”

Having achieved his goal, Renya stood up with a grin.

And following him, his staff and the surrounding Japanese people who had been caught up in the moment also stood up.

“We are honored, Your Majesty! Long live the two Emperors! Long live the United States of Japan!”

“Long live the Emperors! Long live the United States of Japan!”

The monarch of the newly established United States of Japan used the title of Emperor from the Korean Empire instead of the title of Emperor (Tennō) that could no longer be used due to American restrictions. Like Goryeo, they adopted a system where externally he was called the King of Japan, but internally he was referred to as Emperor.

This marked the beginning of what some called the Mutaguchi Shogunate of the United States of Japan, and the dawn of the East-West States Era (or North-South States) between the Kanto Republic and the United States of Japan.

* * *

Japan was divided into three parts.

The Republic of Ezo, the Kanto Republic, and the United States of Japan.

However, the Republic of Ezo was considered a separate country from Japan as the land of the Ainu, officially recognized by the United States. Okinawa, not mentioned here, had already gained independence earlier as the Ryukyu Kingdom, so it wasn’t specifically addressed.

So what remained was the constitutional monarchy of the United States of Japan with Nagoya as its border with the Kanto Republic and Nagasaki as its capital, and the Kanto Republic of East Japan, which was essentially an American puppet state.

Dokdo and Tsushima Island, not mentioned in this process, later became Balhae’s territory, responsible for the Far Eastern seas, and Jeju Island was also officially returned to Balhae by the United States of Japan.

From the beginning, West Japan was in a position where it needed the treaty forces’ support to survive for a while, and as they were barely managing with the land they currently held, they had no territorial ambitions.

Taiwan and Okinawa, having been liberated by the treaty forces, naturally took on their planned role of preventing American expansion in the Pacific. Vietnam, Thailand, Laos, and other countries were classified as third countries, so at least on the surface, neither the treaty forces nor America would interfere with them.

Israel, though still in the process of establishing its national system, was officially registered as a country in the international community and procedures for its formal membership in the future United Nations were underway.

For the economic organization, Russia, Israel, Balhae, West Japan, Ryukyu, and Taiwan would be included.

Wang Jingwei and Mao Zedong had somehow heard about this and said they wanted to join too, but since that would mean having to include all other Chinese states given the federal autonomy system, it was firmly rejected as unmanageable.

“The name ‘Kanto Republic’ is really funny.”

It’s not even North-South Dynasties, let’s say. But East-West States? Come on. Since one side is a republic, they should just call it North-South States.

East-West States just sounds weird.

Of course, looking at Japan’s territory, East-West States is more accurate than North-South States, but isn’t the name really funny?

It seems Ahn Changho has become the president of the Balhae Federation, with Kim Gu as prime minister and Lee Beom-seok as defense minister. This side is also more stable than the original history, which I like.

“The Far East is settled. Now it’s India.”

Britain has withdrawn from India.

They really have withdrawn. They’ve openly separated it, divided it by religion to allow independence, and then essentially said, “Figure out your independence yourselves,” after only vaguely outlining how the government system should work.

Of course, this is because they no longer have the capacity to maintain India.

“We will give you the independence you desire.”

While they withdrew for various reasons, such as focusing on reorganizing Europe, unlike with other colonies, they simply pulled out.

Naturally, India is in chaos.

“India must be one!”

Gandhi, taking a “just do it” approach, broke his promise to me and desired a unified India. Chandra Bose, concerned about treaty force intervention, apparently tried to do something about the caste system, but that became the flashpoint.

Factions advocating for the abolition of the caste system, factions wanting to continue the old customs, and various religious groups including Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs are all competing, creating a strong movement for separate independence.

So what will happen?

Right. Civil war is the only answer.