Great Korean Empire

The East Asian Serene People's Republic (Japanese: 東アジアの穏やかな人民共和国, Korean: 동아시아 고요한 인민 공화국) also commonly known as East Asia (Japanese: 東アジア, Korean: 동아시아) is a sovereign state located in Far Eastern Asia, sharing land borders with Danguk and China. The capital and largest city is Tokyo, while other major cities include Seoul, Busan and Osaka. The official languages of East Asia are Korean and Japanese.

East Asia can trace its history back to the early 20th century, the Empire of Japan controlled vast swaves of ast Asia. Following the Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the Postdam Declaration was signed in 1945 which defined the terms of Japanese surrender, the Allies agreed not to occupy core Japanese territory, if it agreed to reforms transforming the state into a democratic society. Several months of negotiations and compromises followed until the East Asian Agreement was signed on the 2nd January 1946, which officially established the Empire of East Asia in its current form. The United Nations passed a motion recognising it as the only legal government of the territory in February. The Empire of East Asia lasted for several years, until the outbreak of the East Asian Socialist Revolution inspired by both the Dang and Chinese Revolutions at the time.

East Asia is Single Party Socialist State which was founded, and is ruled jointly by the Socialist Party and the Onmyo Party. Both parties compete in elections against each other, however retain very similar political and social ideologies. The President is the Titular head of state, who is appointed by the legislature, the People's Diet of East Asia. The Head of Government is the Prime Minister, in whom the real political power is vested. East Asia is a socialist state, in which the means of production is held jointly by the public and the state. Since the 1970's, however, free market reforms in the Service Sector has privatised the industry, with both private and state-owned small companies allowed to conduct business in the small free market. Other industries, such as Manufacturing and Agriculture are owned publicly without private business involvement. East Asia is a founding member of the International Order of Socialist States.

East Asia is a bilingual state, with both Korean and Japanese having official language status at a national level. Both languages are taught in schools from an early age, and most citizens are fluent in both languages. Japanese is generally treated as the language of government however, and most official business is conducted and written in the language. Korea and Japan have both retained their own respective cultures, however have also fused to create a national identity for East Asia.

Empire of East Asia
Following the signing of the Intrument of Japanese Surrender and the Potsdam Declaration, the allies agreed not to occupy core Imperial Japanese territory, and instead oversaw the transition of Japan into a modern democratic society, something which the people of both Korea and Japan were much in favour of. Initially, the plan was the decolonise Korea, and to grant it independance, however several large groups on both sides favoured East Asian unity, and that the two states would fare better together, while there was some opposition to this, it was generally accepted as the better proposition by both provisional governments aswell as the Allied powers. Several months of compromise and debate led to the signing of the East Asian Agreement between Japan and Korea, aswell as Hawaii on the 2nd of January 1946. It established the compromises on both a unitary government, but one which devolved powers between subnational governments, whilst also retaning the Japanese Monarchy. The Pacific Island territories of Japan were ceded back to East Asia from US trusteeship in February and became a Territory of Japan.

Park Wong-Yo was named Interim President of East Asia on the 5th of January, while it remained without an officially established legislature or executive bodies, with the Unionist Party holding the majority of power. While the next few months would be spent establishing the Constitution with the Constitutional Convention which would convene in Tokyo at the end of January. The Constitutional Convention, under order of the Provisional Government of East Asia, was to consist of 70 delegates from Japan, Korea and the South Pacific. The Constitutional Convention began on the 30th of January 1946 in Tokyo. It lasted until the 31st of March, and consisted of 70 delegates from Japan and Korea, aswell as 3 from the Pacific Island territories, two of whom were actually from Palau and one from Nauru. The convention set out to establish a constitution for the Empire of East Asia, which elaborated on the East Asian Agreement which was signed at the start of January that year, which was functioning without ordered government at the time, with the Provsional governments of the two countries working together.

The main themes of the constitution were created a state of unity between former enemies for the betterment of both of their peoples, aswell as the preservation of peace. The East Asian administration wanted to make sure that the events of World War II would not happen again, enshrining in the constitution checks to increase the difficulty for an absolute power to take control of the government, aswell as officially renoucing the sovereign right to declare war.

The convention lasted for two months of debate until the final signing which took place on the 31st of March 1946 following the Final Draft of the Constitution of East Asia, which consisted of 20 Articles. It established East Asia as a constitutional monarchy, and a unitary parliamentary republic which devolved powers to two subnational governments of Japan and Korea, aswell as setting out the rights of the individual and the government.

Geography
East Asia is a non-continguous country located in the North East Asian continent and stretching across the Pacific Ocean, bordering the Russian Federation and the People's Republic of China to the North, and the Pacific Ocean to the West and South. The country consists of the Korean Peninsula, and the Japanese Archipelago which are separated by the Sea of Japan, aswell as the majority of Micronesia. East Asia has a high population density due both to its mountanious landscapes on small volcanic islands and rapid population increases during the 20th century. As of 2014, East Asia has a total population of over 230 million people.

Located on the Pacific Ring of Fire at the boundary between the North American, Pacific and Eurasian Plates, East Asia frequently experiences strong earthquakes, and volcanic activity. Japan is significantly vulnerable to earthquakes and tsunamis, having the highest natural disaster risk in the developed world, while Korea and other regions have significantly less threat from such disasters, while tropical Typhoons and Cyclones still pose a direct threat. East Asia has a significant threat from volcanic eruptions all the way across the country, however the threat is most concentrated in Japan, which contain the highest concentration of volcanoes in the developed world.

Environment
While the government of East Asia is currently committed to protection of the environment and energy conservation, in reality it is one of the world's highest polluters in terms of Carbon Dioxide. Since the 1990's twenty-five new solar farms have opened in various locations across East Asia, aswell as ten new wind farms. East Asia also has an extensive network of zero-emission Nuclear Fission reactors, however their safety has been brought into question since the 2011 Sendai Tsunami. The government has placed caps on Carbon Emissions, and since the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, East Asia has significantly reduced its output of CO2 and increased the use of renewable energies.

Language
At a national level East Asia is a bilingual state according the Constitution, and both Japanese and Korean have official status. Both languages are taught in schools all across East Asia from a young age, and just over 65% report an ability to speak both languages fluently. Additionally, Korean has official status in the State of Korea and Japanese has official status in the State of Japan. Additionally, there are numerous languages spoken by a small percentage of the population in the South Pacific, which includes Palauan, Micronesian, and Nauruan, and minor languages by native ethnic groups in and around Japan including Ryukyuan and Ainu.

According to the 2014 census the percentage of native speakers of Japanese were 46%, Korean 45%, Ryukyuan 1%, Palauan 0.35%, Chamorro 0.32%, Micronesian 0.24% and Nauruan 0.002% and Marshallese 0.001%. The census also showed that 52% of the population had the ability to speak English fluently. English is taught in schools from an early age.

Japanese is the most prevelant language in East Asia, it is treated as the language of government, and most official business is conducted in Japanese, it is generally recognised as the Lingua Franca. It also has the most native speakers in East Asia, with over 130 million native speakers as of 2014. Most goverment and economic business is undertaken in Japanese, however the Korean government has pushed for the greater use of Korean in these fields within Korea.

East Asia has several writing systems that have official recognition. Hangul is the officially recognised script used to write the Korean Language in East Asia. Kanji, Katakana and Hiragana are the three scripts used to write the Japanese Language in East. Katakana is also the official script used to write Micronesian and Palauan in East Asia. The Latin Script is used to write several minor languages spoken in the South Pacific, which had been originally introduced by Christian missionaries during the 1700 and 1800's.

Population
The 2014 census revealed that East Asia has a population of 279,346,291, with an accurate estimate of 300 million people in total. Population increased significantly during the 1950's from 120 million, 60's, 70's and 80's, levelling off during the 1990's at around 200 million, and there has since been a average decline of -0.2% annually due a a significantly aging population.

East Asia is an ethnically diverse nation, encompassing many East Asian, Pacific and Micronesian peoples. The 2014 census provided the highest choice of ethnicities to identify as. The 2014 census revealed that XX% of the population were Japanese, XX% Korean, XX% Pacific Islander and XX% Ainu.

The largest racial group has always been East Asians, which includes Japanese and Koreans, aswell as Ainu and Ryukyuan Peoples. A separate racial group, defined by the government as Pacific Islanders (also sometimes called Micronesians) inhabit the South Pacific Territories and are the far less numerous racial grouping, largely due to limited land area and sparsity.

Culture
See Also: Culture of East Asia, Japanese culture, Korean culture

East Asia is a collection of diverse cultures, that generally correspond to the 'East Asian Cultural Sphere.' Historically, the cultures of Korea and Japan have been heavily influenced by China, and share a Confucian ethical philosophy, Buddhism, art, and historically a common writing system. Confucianism is humanistic, philosophy that believes that human beings are teachable, improvable and perfectible through personal and communal endeavour especially including self-cultivation and self-creation. Confucianism focuses on the cultivation of virtue and maintenance of ethics. Japanese Philosophy developed as indigenous Shinto beliefs fused with Buddhism, Confucianism and other schools of Chinese philosophy and Indian philosophy. Similarly, in Korea, Korean philosophy include elements of Shamanism which integrated into the Neo-Confucianism beliefs imported from China. A fusion of both Korean and Japanese culture has become accepted as the overarching culture of East Asia itself, steeped in tradition with far reaching modern influences blending both cultures traditional aesthetics with their respective pop cultures.

Cuisine
See Also: Japanese cuisine, Korean cuisine 

East Asian cuisine is regarded as diverse, however with close similarities. The cuisine of East Asia shares many of the same ingredients and techniques. Chopsticks are used as an eating utensil throughout East Asia. The use of soy sauce, a sauce made from fermenting soy beans, is also widespread in East Asia. Rice is a main staple food in all of East Asia and is a major focus of food security.

Korean cuisine is largely based upon rice, vegetables, and meats. Traditional Korean meals are noted for the number of side dishes (banchan) that accompany steam-cooked short-grain rice. Kimchi is served often, sometimes at every meal. Korean barbecue, or gogi gui, refers to the Korean method of grilling beef, pork, chicken, or other types of meat. Such dishes are often prepared at the diner's table on gas or charcoal grills that are built into the center of the table itself. It features cooking methods such as sautéing and what is known in the West as barbecue. Strong flavors featuring spices derived from chili peppers can also be found in dishes such as kimchi. Japanese cuisine is known for its emphasis on seasonality of food, quality of ingredients and presentation. Japanese regional cuisine includes a vast array of regional specialities known as kyōdo ryōri in Japanese, many of them originating from dishes prepared using local ingredients and traditional recipes. Sushi and Sushimi are part of the cuisine of the island nation.

Music
See Main: J-pop and K-pop 

East Asian music is eclectic and diverse, differing between languages and state. Evolving from ancient Japanese and Korean folk music and performances. Music is an important part of East Asian popular culture, and a major business generating a large profit for talent agencies and music producers alike. Music is a major part of East Asian Popular Culture are a major influence of trends of fashion, style, and dance throughout East Asia.

From the 1960's onwards, East Asian music was dominated by Korean Trot music, and Japanese Kayōkyoku which had both been influenced by Western trends during the period. During the 1980's Western trends began to influence the development of K-pop and J-pop within East Asia, which became an overnight public sensation. These new trends incorporated the genres of dance, electronica, techno, hip-pop and R&B. The two genres have generated a huge devoted following both within East Asia and abroad, finding fan-bases in China, the United States and elsewhere. Some of the most popular artists include Perfume, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, T-ara and Big Bang. Karaoke is the most widely practiced cultural activity in Japan, which has also spread to Korea in recent decades. A 2012 survey by the Ministry of Culture found that more Japanese had sung karaoke that year than had participated in traditional pursuits such as flower arranging or tea ceremonies. Karaoke bars are commonplace across the country, and represent a major cultural pastime.

Technology Culture
An estimated 90% of East Asians own a mobile phone, and it ranks first in the world in terms of Smartphone penetration at 78%. Aside from placing/receiving calls and text messaging, mobile phones in the country are widely used for watching Digital Multimedia Broadcasting (DMB), viewing websites, music streaming and social media. The three major wireless communications providers EA Telecom, SoftBank, SK Telecom provide coverage in all major cities and other areas. East Asia has the fastest Internet download speeds in the world, with an average download speed of 2.2 MBs. Only 3G and above phones work in East Asia, with 4G recently being rolled out nationwide. There is also a large market for gaming throughout East Asia, which is dominated by companies such as Nintendo and Sega. In 2009 it was actually made a crime to steal another individuals online gaming possessions and is punishable by a fine or short prison sentence.

The technology and consumer electronics sector of the economy is one of the most profitable in East Asia, several of the world's major technology corporations including Sony, Toshiba, Samsung and LG are based in East Asia. An estimated 40% of the population work in the Information Technology and Electronics industry in East Asia as of 2014 making it the largest by percentage of the workforce.

Social Media is a popular and major driving force in East Asian popular culture. Roughly 37% of the population are regular users of Facebook and 36% regularly on Twitter. The largest age group on Social Media is 16-25 year olds. However there is also a significant percentage of the population using homegrown social networks aswell, such as Cyworld in both Korea and Japan.

Education
See Main: Education in East Asia

Education is a devolved matter, managed nationally by the Ministry of Education and in Korea and Japan by their respective government departments. Korea and Japan have a universal education system, which allows for free primary, secondary and tertiary education. Universities in East Asia do not charge tuition fees for East Asian nationals, however foreign students are required to pay fees, and are not entitled to a student bursary.

Education in East Asia is regarded as crucial for social and financial success, and competition if consequently fierce, with many students participating in payed-for extra tuition outside of state-funded education. In 2013, the OECD Student Assessment programme ranked East Asia as the first in Problem Solving and Mathetmatics, and third in Science. East Asia's education system is technologically advanced and it is the world's first country to bring high-speed fibre-optic broadband internet access to every primary and secondary school country-wide. Most middle schools and high-schools have a uniform, which has become a popular symbol in East Asian culture and is recognisable worldwide.

Transport
East Asia has one of the most advanced and technologically advanced transport systems in the world. It is well regarded as being on the most efficient transport systems, being on-time to the minute on almost every occasion. There are over 200 main airports in East Asia, with the highest concentration being in Japan. The main international gateways are Narita International Airport in Tokyo, Incheon International Airport in Seoul, and Kansai International Airport in Osaka.

Rail transport is one of the busiest forms of transport in East Asia, with a total ridership of over 70 million everyday on various intercity lines, rapid transit and subway lines and Shinaksen lines. Some 250 high-speed Shinkansen trains connect major cities in Japan and Korea. They are known for their safety and punctuality. An additional High-speed Shinkansen line is under proposal which would link a tunnel between the Korea and Japan. East Asian rail transport is regarded as the most punctual and incident free network in the world.

2.5 million kilometres of paved road are the main means of transportation. A single network of high-speed, divided, limited-access toll roads connects major cities and is operated by toll-collecting enterprises. New and used cars are inexpensive; car ownership fees and fuel levies are used to promote energy efficiency. However, at just 50 percent of all distance traveled, car usage is one of the lowest of all G8 countries.