Yamato Party
The Yamato Party (大和党, yamatotò) is a minor political party in Japan, primarily Yamato. It is one of the oldest still-existing parties in Japan.
History
First Nationalist Party
The Yamato Party was formally established, as the Nationalist Party (国民党, cocumintò), in Saisei Gannen (1952). However, it can be connected with the pre-Civil War Nationalist Party. The first Nationalist Party developed in the late Meidji Era, as Japan gradually became a Power. They rose to prominence after the death of Emperor Meidji and the ascension of his son, bitterly opposing the pacifists in their withdrawal of troops from Quiòhocudò. Their fears were confirmed in the Second Russo-Japanese War when Russia took most of the territory.
They advocated building up military strength and forming an alliance with China, to regain the lost territory from Russia. In 1912, they controlled the Parliament, and succeeded in the establishment of the East Asian Federation, which they forsaw as a prelude to outright annexation of Corea and Lùquiù.
China began growing increasingly powerful, and the Nationalists were split. Some continued to advocate alliance with China, seeing China as a natural partner in the domination of East Asia and the Pacific. Some proposed dividing the territory up with China, with China dominating the southeast Asian mainland and Japan dominating northeast Asia and Southeast Asian/Pacific islands. Others, however, feared that China would be a rival, rather than a partner, and advocated striking while China was still relatively weak. This resulted in a schism of the party into the Greater East Asia Party (大東亜党, daitòatò) and the Imperial Party (帝国党, teicocutò)
Imperial Party
The Imperial Party was unapologetically anti-European, anti-Chinese, and anti-Communist. They came to advocate dramatic military build-up, and a crackdown on democracy. They oppossed then-Crown Prince Hirohito's regency, and, in 1920, succeeded in expelling Chinese influences on the Court, and displacing Hirohito as Crown Prince and Regent in favor of his brother. By 1925, they completely dominated the parliament, and banned most rival parties, particularly the Socialist Party. Under Go-Meidji's reign, the Imperial Party militarized every aspect of Japanese life. This lead to the Chinese invasion in 1929, and the enthronement of Hirohito four years later. Under the Xòwa reign, the Imperial Party was banned, and the rival Greater East Asia Party came to the fore.
Resistance
The former members of the Imperial Party went underground, becoming a terrorist organization fighting against the Chinese occupiers.
Civil War
When the Pretender proclaimed himself Emperor, some members of the former Imperial Party went over to his side, calling themselves the Restoration Party, while others opposed his claims. The anti-Cumazawa side made an uneasy truce with Xòwa. During the Civil War, parties were abolished in the Xòwa-held territories
Yamato Party
In Saisei Gannen (1952), with political parties relegalized, three major parties arose, the Democratic Party, the People's Party and a new Nationalist Party. This Nationalist Party was formed mostly from members of the former Imperial Party, as well as some from the Greater East Asia Party. They were united in their desire to restore Japan to a position of greatness. With China's dissolution, their main point of contention was now gone. They renamed themselves the Yamato Party in 1957. They controlled the Parliament several times in the 50's to the early 70's, but began to decline as a desire for greater democracy and peace took hold. By the end of the 20th century, they had become a minor fringe party.
Platform
The Yamato Party believes in:
- Greater military strength
- Abolition of Condominium status for Outer Manchuria, invading if necessary
- Territorial expansion, beginning with annexation of Manchuria
- Exerting greater control over former colonies, including the now-independent states of Alyaska and Kanawiki
- Enforcement of Emperor Worship
