Shihaisha

Shihaisha, or the Republic of Shihaisha (支配者の共和国), is an Asian country on the island of Hokkaido. The country is bordered by Japan to the west, for Shihaisha owns up to 75% of the land on Hokkaido. The country is made up of 3 dense and highly populated cities, and most of the country is undeveloped. Currently plans on green master-planned communities are being started to help with expansion.

About 3.1 million people reside in Shihaisha, many are of American or Japanese descent. Shihaisha's official languages are Japanese and English. Most signs are required to have Japanese translations for better understanding. Shihaisha is a member of the AIN and UN.

Shihaisha is a great industrial country, exporting hundreds of thousands of domestic products to foreign countries every week. Nashi Electronics is the key to Shihaisha's economy, selling about 820,000 portable electronics to Shihaishans every year. Local farms and greenhouses also make Shihaisha an Asian breadbasket.

History
Shihaisha's history is quite shorter than most other nations' histories. Although it's short, it has a haunting history. It's founding and disappearance had to do with destruction, natural and human.

World War II
After the bombing of Pearl Harbor in the US in 1941, the US was brought into World War II. The bombings on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki forced Japan to surrender and lose the war. Soon, the US started taking land on the island of Hokkaido to start a new territory. Residents were allowed to stay, although they would have to follow US Customs and Government. The territory continued to grow and grow until Japan gave up most of the island to the US.

Freedom and Growth
Population in the territory reached 5 million in 1952. It was only a matter of time until the US had no interest in it anymore and gave it up. Japan did not take the offer to reclaim the country. Instead, the residents chose certain people to make up the government of a new country, Shihaisha. The capital city, Jiyu (自由), consisted of thousands of tiny village houses and apartments.

Typhoons of 1972
In November 1972, a series of strong typhoons swept through Shihaisha. Trees were knocked over, causing roof damage on many houses. Power poles fell and caused blackouts for weeks. The Heiwana River's (now Hanako River) water levels rose to 7.5 feet, flooding the area completely. The death toll was estimated to be around 39.3 thousand. Damages were estimated to cost around ¥190,439,130,563.

Abandonment
Countries from around the world assisted in helping with the recovery. Shihaishans were grateful for all the help they had gotten. Although residents were thinking optimistic-wise, the government was worried on how to pay for clearing and supplies. The government paid for the recovery, although this left Shihaisha bankrupt. Some residents moved out because of how Shihaisha was failing, while others left fearing more typhoons to come. In February of 1973, Shihaisha was abandoned and no longer a country. All that was left in its area was debris and barren land.

Modern Shihaisha
On April 18, 1991, Shihaisha was brought back to life. Empty land and abandoned campgrounds started to turn into a developed area. Unlike the old Shihaisha, the new version of the country planned to be more green, and more efficient. Big parks and trees were to be kept in certain areas of the city and more ways of transportation besides car were to be developed. It turned out well, many decided to walk to their jobs after taking trains or subways in certain places. Cars still zoom past buildings on the roads, although only 45%-65% of the population drive.

Geography
Shihaisha is located on the huge island of Hokkaido. Japan borders Shihaisha to the west and south. It takes up 75% of the land in Hokkaido, and has islands off the eastern coast of the country. Although land area is great, 70% of it is still undeveloped. The Tsugaru Strait separates Shihaisha and Japan's part of the island from Honshu, Japan's mainland. The Honkaido Expressway connects Shihaisha and Japan to Honshu via a bridge and borders.

Hanako River is the main river that flows right next to Shihaisha's main cities of Shisaido, Shiroku, and Nochi. It has no boat traffic for it is very narrow and shallow. There are plans on widening the river for ferries or small cargo boats. It has an important role in Shihaisha's utility system. Plenty of hydro power plants generate green energy from water of Hanako River and some purification plants clean the water for residents to use and drink.

Climate
Shihaisha has a mild climate. The entire country fits in the humid continental climate zone. It has warm summers, with many sunny days and clouds occasionally. Fall and winters are very chilly and snowfall occurs a lot during December and January. Typhoons sweep through the country during October and November. Most of the typhoons are usually small although strong typhoons can happen once in a while. Typhoon Nohakai is a great example of unexpected, strong typhoons that damage the area. Rivers see some drift ice during the winter.