Japan

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Japan, in (Japanese 日本, Nippon or Nihon) officially the State of Japan, in (Japanese: 日本国 Nihon koku) is a country in East Asia, formerly known as the Empire of Japan (Japanese: 大日本帝國 Dai-nippon-teikoku) from 1868 to 1945.

Under the rule of Emperor Showa (known during his reign, 1926–1945, as Hirohito), Japan began militarization and in 1937, invaded China, creating tensions that would eventually lead into World War II.

After already becoming involved in the Asian theater of combat, the Imperial Japanese Navy attacked US ships at Pearl Harbor in December 1941, initiating the Pacific theater of World War II.

During the course of the war, the US proved superior to the Japanese forces, but not enough so to prevent heavy casualties on both sides. This led to the decision to drop atomic bombs on Japanese cities instead of risking a potentially drawn-out invasion and occupation of mainland Japan, which could have potentially caused innumerable deaths on both sides. After bombing Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan surrendered and was subsequently occupied.

The country plays a prominent role in the Ryanverse.