JAPAN

Capital: Tokyo

Population: 142,449,703

Literacy: 99%

Currency: yen (¥)

Climate: Varies from tropical in south to cool temperate in north.

Maritime claims: 12 nm; 3 nm in the international straits - La Perouse or Soya, Tsugaru, Osumi, and Eastern and Western Channels of the Korea or Tsushima Strait

Defense Branches: Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (Army), Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (Navy), Japan Air Self-Defense Force (Air Force)
 
 

OVERVIEW
By 2029, Asia has become the most important and most powerful economic region in the entire world, and at the helm of all the prosperity in the Pacific-Rim is none other than Japan. Home to the biggest and most technologically advanced cites in the world, Japan is at the forefront of scientific research and industry. Although Japan is mostly mono-racial, ratios of Koreans, South Americans, and Europeans have gone up in recent years.
 
 

ECONOMY
Government-industry cooperation, a strong work ethic, mastery of high technology, and a comparatively small defense allocation (roughly 1% of GDP) have helped Japan advance with extraordinary rapidity to the rank of the most powerful economy in the world. One notable characteristic of the economy is the working together of manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors in closely knit groups called keiretsu. Industry, the most important sector of the economy, is heavily dependent on imported raw materials and fuels. The much smaller agricultural sector is highly subsidized and protected, with crop yields among the highest in the world. Usually self-sufficient in rice, Japan must import about 70% of its requirements of other grain and fodder crops. Japan maintains one of the world's largest fishing fleets and accounts for nearly 25% of the global catch. The crowding of the habitable land area has been Japan's major long-run problem.
 
 

GOVERNMENT
Japan's governmental system in 2029 is heavily influenced by the English Parliamentary system. It is divided into three branches, the bicameral Diet (legislative), The Judicial and the Administrative. The public elects the members of the Diet, who then elect a Prime Minister. The Prime Minister then appoints the heads of the Ministries.

IMPORTANT MINISTRIES

Ministry of Justice:
Judicial affairs, including the courts (which are not a jury system).

Ministry of Internal Affairs:
National affairs including public works and police.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs:
Also known as MOFA, this ministry is responsible for all maters of international diplomacy.

Ministry of National Defense:
Responsible for defense matters involving the SDF.

PUBLIC SECURITY BUREAU
The Public Security Bureau is a national police force used by the Ministries. It is almost military in nature and often engages in espionage and special operations. There are 9 distinct sections, each of which answers to one Ministry or another.
Note: Due to lack of information, I only know the function of three sections, sorry!

Section 1:
Section 1 is in charge of drug enforcement, and is similar in scope to the US' DEA. Section one utilizes combat trained personnel and investigations personnel in its operations. Since all agents are cross-trained, they can engage in either activity. Section 1 answers to the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Section 6:
Section 6 contains all investigations, combat and special operations personnel used by The Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This section is highly secretive and is deeply rooted in espionage and covert operations. Comparative to the US' CIA or the British MI-6. There are no (official) full-cyborgs in S-6. Section 6 answers directly to the Prime Minister.

Section 9:
Section 9 is the Ministry of Internal Affairs counter-terrorist, cyborg crimes, and assassination squad. It is a paramilitary organization, and most of its members are full cyborgs. It is no coincidence that Section 9 resembles the German GSG9 (Without a doubt, the most extensively trained and equipped counter-terrorist squad on the planet), and like each GSG9 agent, each S-9 member is extensively trained in combat, anti-terrorism and investigations. When a terrorist incident occurs it is S-9's job to either stop it, or investigate the aftermath and find those responsible. This unit is cleverly headed by Daisuke Aramaki while tactical command was once the responsibility of the very talented Motoko Kusanagi. Unfortunately she was forced to flee the country. Her whereabouts are unknown.

Recruitment
Recruitment for S-9 is mostly done from the special forces of the GSDF. Typically the most talented full borgs with tactical and investigations training are offered positions in Section 9. Occasionally S-9 will recruit from the police, which is where Togusa came from.

Equipment
S-9 has access to a wide range of equipment. They are allowed to carry their choice of sidearm and a variety of SMGs and assault rifles are provided for them. S-9 also employs the use of therm-optic camouflage (as does S-6 of the PSB and S-4 of the Rangers) and also has access to Fuchikoma. See Technology of G.i.t.S.

MAJOR CITIES
Japan contains some of the biggest and most technologically advanced cities in the world. This section will contain general information about Newport City and Bertarve. Yes, Tokyo and Osaka are still important cities, but I think that the CP 2020 Pacific Rim Sourcebook goes into them with enough detail that I don't really need to mess with them.
 
 

NEWPORT CITY

Note: Due to an imperfection in the book, I am only about 89% sure of the location of Newport City. The Manga says it is off the Shinhama prefecture, only there is no Shinhama prefecture. I did some research and found out Shinhama is a ward of the Tokushima prefecture. If you look at the picture the geography matches the map.

Built in the port off of the Shinhama ward of the Tokushima Prefecture (Japan is subdivided into 47 administrative districts, known as prefectures), Newport City has become a major city for trade, international relations and foreign affairs. The city was built in the early part of the millennium when issues of space started arising. There was generally not much of an urban metropolis in the Tokushima area before the port was opened in the 1990s. The area prospered, and its residents grew exponentially. In the early 2000s work began on the floating metropolis that is now known as Newport City. The city has become one of the thriving new metropolises of the new millennium. Although Tokyo and Osaka are still very important cities in Japan, Newport City has become the significant international city. Major international corporations have their headquarters here, and many political conferences are now held here instead of in Tokyo.

As for the city's geography itself, it is built in an almost fortress-like fashion. The biggest corporate towers loom ominously in the center of the floating section, while thousands of smaller buildings surround them. There is an inner waterway which surrounds the middle section. This waterway branches off into smaller canals that wind around parts of the city. The second ring is made of up large shipping piers (which are equipped to handle the largest sectional cargo ships) and warehouses. The rest of Shinhama, which is on land, is known as "Old Town." There is still a Manhattan / HK feel to this part of the city, the buildings just aren't as new or automated as those on the floating section. The northern areas of Tokushima are more spread out, and it is here where you find large estates and traditional pagoda style architecture.

There are many mega-highways that lead to the floating section, unfortunately once you are on the island it is nothing more than a hindrance to drive a car. Newport City is very dense and heavily populated, so the best ways to get around are by the elevated train system, the electric busses or by boat (provided you are going somewhere on the canal).
 
 

BERTARVE

Bertarve is located at the southernmost tip of the island of Etorofu. Etorofu along with Kunashiri, Shikotan, and the Habomai island group were occupied by Russia from 1945 until the end of WW III. In those days Bertarve was a Russian city and the location of a Soviet sub base. When Russia withdrew and returned the Northern Islands to Japan they set demo charges and buried the sub base. In recent years Bertarve has grown up quite a bit. There are still many Russians that live in the area, but many Japanese have moved back in. Corporate Support for this area has been high due to its strategic northern location, and most major corporations have branch offices in the area. The city's major problem is crime. With little time to change over police forces and to get an adequate system in place, Bertarve has fallen victim to a skyrocketing crime rate. The city has become a haven for wanted criminals, gangs and spies working on Russian targets. A thriving black market operates here, and due to the corruptibility of local police, it goes on in plain view in a large street market style setting. If it is illegal, and you want it, you can find it here.

The geography of Bertarve is quite interesting. The city is built at and around the base of Mt. Bertarve, which is about 4,500 meters high. As you can see, the skyscrapers block out a lot of the view of the mountain because they are quite tall. Some of the larger buildings are over 2 kilometers tall! From the center the city sprawls out in 11-12 kilometers each direction. There are major shipping ports situated on all sides of the city making it a major Japanese port. Etorofu is connected to the other islands and the mainland by the Tohoku Maglev train. As far as social geography goes, the rich live high in the towers above the poor who wander about the streets. With arial walkways connecting a lot of the towers, the rich never have to come down to ground level.

Like Newport City, Bertarve is extremely dense and driving a car here is a hindrance. Most of the streets are filled with people, and for most of them the preferred method of travel is walking. As mentioned before a Maglev runs through the city as well as a major mega-highway, both of which connect Etorofu to the other islands.