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185X Budget: Abstain
Permits and Loyalty Proclamation: Yes

[Provincial Daimyo]
[Kyushu]

- Daimyo Ito Katashi of Miyazaki
 
His attempts to expand and modernise his army had slowed; it seemed he had too few recruits to effectively continue down the present course. In its stead, Date Munenari shifted his focus to his fleet. Easily the largest of the regional fleets, it was nonetheless severely outdated in his eyes, and would therefore need drastic changes; with only the third largest army, how else could he ensure his island home was well protected.

Over the course of the past few years, he had intensely studied the nanban trade and warships, and had a growing interest in the tactics and equipment utilised by the gaijin in their seafaring – his study had been inundated with foreign maps and artefacts. As he continued his studies, and placed more emphasis on modernisation, he soon realised that the only course of action was to mandate the establishment of a proper defensive fleet. To that end, in 1851, he resolved to construct three western-style frigates to empower his navy.

He also, upon hearing of the attempts of the other daimyo to transition from traditional units to western-armies, resolved to finalise his own move. He ordered the last of his irregulars disbanded and in their place a brigade of infantrymen and cavalrymen to take their place.

Budget: Abstain
Permits and Loyalty Proclamation: Yea

[Regional Daimyo]

[Shikoku]

~ Date Munenari, Lord of Uwajima
 
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I Have a Dream

Let us not wallow in the valley of despair, I say to you today, my brethren.

And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the ideals of Tradition.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that Isolation is glorious.

I have a dream that one day on the sacred hills of Fuji, the sons of Unity and the sons of Honor will be able to sit down together at the table of Isolation.

I have a dream that one day even in the region of Kyushu, a region sweltering with the heat of Nanban spies, sweltering with the heat of traitors of Tradition, will be transformed into an oasis of Peace and Isolation.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will have the same color of their skin and the same content of their character as I do.

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day, down in Kyushu, with its vicious warmongers, with its Roju having his lips dripping with the words of "modernization" and "reformation" -- one day right there in Kyushu little Japanese boys and Japanese girls will be able to join hands without fear of Nanban.

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; "and the glory of the Emperor shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together."

((I can remove if need be. I understand the problems with such a speech.))
 
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A missive arrives from the Ambassador to Spain:

185X Budget: Yes
Permits and Loyalty Proclamation: Yes

[Provincial Daimyo]
[Tohuku]
[None)]
 
"Have they all gone blind?" asked an aging Matsukata. "The Roju dances to the music of the Spanish court, and that abominable lord Ambassador need only say the word and the Daimyo bow to his whims! Disgusting, the lot of them." he said.

Budget: Aye
Loyalty and Permits Act: Nay

[Provincial]
[Saitama / Kanto]
[No Bonus]

---

甘い言葉
聞いて静かに
火山に入る

Amai kotoba
Kiite shizuka ni
Kazan ni hairu

Sweet words are heard
Then quietly
He enters the volcano

ー 松方祐介
 
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((Private))



Ota-san, Lord Fureno-Shizuoka,

As I have previously spoken to one of your advisors I am sure you are aware of the fact that I would gladly take up your offer and become Head of the Chubu Army. Should you then see fit to vote against this Proclamation, all the better.

However, my loyalty does not have a price and cannot be bought with promises and a position - certainly not so when you emphasize that it is a "one time offer". I, too, hail from a great family of Nippon and will not take swearing an oath of service lightly. For this reason, I am afraid I must decline your offer at this time.

My apologies.

Sincerely,
Takeda Saburo

I am sad to see that you have not accepted my offer. Without your assistance it will be far more difficult to carry out our military expansion.

When I said that it was a one time offer I meant that if you failed to accept I wouldn't be able compromise any further. I have no intention of "buying" your loyalty, my offer was simply an example of my generosity and my willingness to compromise.

~ Ota Sukekatsu; Lord Fureno-Shizuoka, Rōju Rep. of Chubu
 
((Private))

I am sad to see that you have not accepted my offer. Without your assistance it will be far more difficult to carry out our military expansion.

When I said that it was a one time offer I meant that if you failed to accept I wouldn't be able compromise any further. I have no intention of "buying" your loyalty, my offer was simply an example of my generosity and my willingness to compromise.

~ Ota Sukekatsu; Lord Fureno-Shizuoka, Rōju Rep. of Chubu

Ota-san, Lord Fureno-Shizuoka,

Forgive me for misinterpreting your message and intentions. This, perhaps, is what happens when two men (however honourable) try to conduct business before first having drunk sake together. If you so wish, join my family for dinner tonight and we will provide for a worthy meal.

Respectfully,

Takeda Saburo
 
((Private))

Ota-san, Lord Fureno-Shizuoka,

Forgive me for misinterpreting your message and intentions. This, perhaps, is what happens when two men (however honourable) try to conduct business before first having drunk sake together. If you so wish, join my family for dinner tonight and we will provide for a worthy meal.

Respectfully,

Takeda Saburo

Upon reading the letter Ota grinned. No-one could say why he was happy. He quickly prepared to send another letter accepting the invitation.

((private))

I would be honored to accept your invitation Takeda-san. If you are even half as able as your ancestor's were then you will be unstoppable. Sake it is my friend!

~ Ota Sukekatsu; 3rd Lord Fureno-Shizuoka & Roju Rep. of Chubu
 
Budget: Abstain
Permits and Loyalty Proclamation: Aye

[Provincial]
[Chugoku]


~ Daimyo Ōshiro Kazuki of Okayama
 
Final Tally (With Samurai Bonuses and Regular Bonuses):

Guide: Yes/No/Abstain

185X Budget: 7/5/7

Passed
Permits and Loyalty Proclamation: 17/1/2
Passed (Firehound15 told me this would also change the TA's religious policy to pluralism, so mission complete, your next reform shall give no MIL)
 
Satake (1851-1853): Black Ships

Satake has reached his final leg of his political journey. When the Shogun was selecting for who would be Roju, many new things emerged. First was the seppuku of Lord Kishiwada, when it was revealed that he was in collaboration with the British during the war with them. Lord Tanabe would replace him, beating out Lord Matsui, and handing Kansai over to the SSF. With Kishiwada dead though, the Imperial Restoration Faction seemed to all but vanish from the political scene, disappearing and going underground. The second big shock was the rise of Lord Ota in Chubu. Lord Ota successfully beat out formerly unopposed Roju member Lord Uesugi in becoming Roju of Chubu. Uesugi still had his appointment as leader of the Oniwaban, but now, a modernizer has come north in a land dominated by traditionalists. Once the Roju was selected, Lord Satake proclaimed that he wished to seek one last term in the position of Head Elder. He won, and he would go on to be Head Elder for another five years, twenty years straight at this point. Many began to wonder who would replace Lord Satake in the position of Head Elder. Many have grown up knowing nothing else but a Roju led by Lord Satake. As the year began, things were business as usual. In Kyushu, Lord Hosokawa began an ambitious drive to create a large force to rival that of Lord Tanabe. He successfully recruited 18,000 men to his cause, and the army in Kyushu became the second largest army in Japan. Yet once again, the bulk of the armed forces were in the North, with Lord Ota raising an amount similar to Lord Hosokawa's army. In Shikoku, Lord Date would be successful in fully modernizing his army, and would build frigates to strengthen the defense of the island.

However, things would become different, and the island would change drastically. The date for all this, was July 8, 1853.

That day was a clear day, a beautiful morning. The sun was shinning brightly, and the summer winds blew across Edo. The people went about their daily business. A fisherman would go to fish on the outskirts of Edo bay. But what he saw blew his mind. Four steamers, each with large amounts of cannon, and steam billowing out of pillars, were sailing straight into Edo harbor. These ships were nothing the Japanese OR the Spanish could ever create. The ships proceeded to sail directly into the restricted area of Edo Harbor, where no Nanban was allowed to enter. The ships docked in firing position, and anchored. Tokugawa Ieyoshi, upon hearing this, collapsed and was rushed to his bed. It was up to the Roju to handle these ships. They had no idea what to do. Lord Date's fleet was a week away, and the ships were well armed to match them. Eventually, Lord Satake ordered that the ships be allowed to dock, perhaps allowing peace.

bFlqkj5.jpg

(The Nanban disembarking on the shores of Edo.)

100 soldiers disembarked their ships. Lord Satake requested that the squadron's commander identify himself. The man who step forward was Commodore Mathew C. Perry, Commodore in the Navy of the United States of America. He presented his papers to Lord Satake, a letter from US President Lewis Cass ((Democrats are in power, so Cass would have won the election of 1849)). The president had sent Perry to negotiate with the Japanese to boost further relations with them. The Americans did not want to feel left out in the race for Asia. They knew about Japan, and Japan has had experiences with the Americans in monetary trading. Lord Satake decided that negotiations would open between the Americans and the Japanese. The place of the meeting was Yokohama, and the estate of Lord Motoro.

T9XrdXt.jpg

(Mathew C. Perry)

For the next month, the Japanese and Americans began to negotiate terms of peace with the Americans. The Americans knew that Japan was chaffing under the policies imposed on them by the Spanish, and wanted to help. America understood the principles of freedom, and desired to see Japan free from European influence. They offered terms to Lord Satake, Lord Satake in return counter-offered, and for the next month, Perry and Satake would negotiate terms that favored both sides of the meeting table. In the end, the following terms would be concluded upon:

I. Mutual peace between the United States and the Empire of Japan
II. American access to the ports already opened
III. Assistance to be provided to shipwrecked American sailors
IV. Shipwrecked sailors not to be imprisoned or mistreated
V. Freedom of movement for temporary foreign residents in treaty ports (with regards to the laws in-place)
VI. Trade transactions to be permitted
VII. Currency exchange to facilitate any trade transactions to be allowed
VIII. Provisioning of American ships to be a Japanese government monopoly
IX. Japan to also give the United States any favorable advantages which might be negotiated by Japan with any other foreign government in the future
X. United States cant use any other ports aside from the ones already opened.
XI. Opening of an American consulate at Izu Oshima (An island in the Izu Island chain)
XII. America may not interfere with Japanese Internal Affairs.

The "Treaty of Kanagawa" would be signed and approved reluctantly by Emperor Komei, and after the event, a celebration was held!

q1pYHlb.jpg

(Convention of Kanagawa)

The Americans displayed their technological advancements to the Japanese. They did give out one gift however, a general from Virginia and veteran of the Mexican American War, Robert Brown. Brown was an experienced commander, and aimed on training the Japanese to learn how to use their new weapons properly ((Foreign Training Methods Reformed)). The Japanese also showed off their culture, in the form of Sumo-wrestling. It was said that one sumo wrestler asked a Marine to punch him to demonstrate his strength. Another Sumo picked up a marine and held him over his head. In all, the negotiations went well, and America was now the dominant power in Japan. Peace had indeed prevail.

Spain though would receive word from that the Americans had signed an alliance of protection with Japan. However, Spain was loosing power. It was falling from status as a Great Power, and nothing it could do would prevent them from loosing hold on Japan. They decided to call it a lost cause, and recalled Duke Contravarius from Japan ((Sorry Contra, your duties to us are done at the moment)). America now had to send its own diplomat to Japan.

Yet, the Americans did one thing wrong. After becoming ill upon their arrival, Tokugawa Ieyoshi suffered greatly for a month. On July 27, 1853, he would succumb to what could be described as heatstroke. His successor was the mental-unready Tokugawa Iesada. Iesada would be the first to experience American diplomacy, and would lend his name to the signing of the Treaty of Kanagawa.

yXBvo4g.jpg

(New Shogun, Tokugawa Iesada)

----------------------------------

Player Actions Needed: Mathew Perry has arrived! He has concluded a deal with Japan that would put Japan in America's SoI. Remember for those Shogunate supporters, this means that the Imperials get +20 points of power for as long as Japan is in the USA SoI, might want to do something about that. Foreign Training Methods are reformed, which means we are 35% away from westernization. You can also still reform everything, and I will give you a day to do so:

JGaiPtR.png


(Advice: Reform to Industrial Construction or Industrial Progress, the first will put you one reform in general away from westernization, the other will put you one economic reform away from westernization. Also, whatever reform passes is free of all MIL for completing the previous mission.)

vT1BgPQ.png


Military statuses.
 
Satake has sold us out once again! Spain has been slipping in power and it appeared that we would finally be from nanban violation. But then the tairo succumbed to the temptations of the west once again, this time in the guise of American nanban.

Enough, Sell-out Satake! When will Nippon ever be free?

-Matsui Ichiro
 
((Hm, now that I think about it, the Americans did sign that they would not get involved with internal Japanese politics, and that would be in the Boshin War as well. I might put the whole "Foreign Alliances give more power to certain factions" thing up to vote with whatever you guys post))
 
I must applaud Lord Satake for the Treaty, the America unlike the spainish hold themselves to a relatively high standard, calling themselves an "Empire of Liberty" as opposed by the Spainsh and British Empires of Tyranny.
 
Nippon School Reform
1. Every Japanese must learn how to read and write the Japanese.
2. The lessons are: japanese licterature, maths and history of Japan.
3. Students have to do a military training about land and naval tactics.
4. Also, at the ending of their school period, students must know:
-- names of each Emperor of Japan.
-- values and traditions of Japan.
-- Most important events of Japan's history.

((enact education reformed system))

-- Takeshi Ohba, Daimyo of Yamagata
 
Look around you my fellow Japanese. The Americans brought with them great warships. They are beyond anything we have ever made, or can make. The Americans have achieved this through industry. Thus if we are to ever become a power in the world we must build our own industry. I call for a reform to begin our industrialisation.

~ Ota Sukekatsu; 3rd Lord Fureno-Shizuoka & Rōju Rep. of Chubu

((edited formatting))
 
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The Japanese Industrialisation Act

The purpose of the act is as follows: to provide the Japanese state and her American advisors with the means and methods necessary to pursue a policy of domestic industrialisation, with the eventual intention of kickstarting a domestic industrialisation programme on par with any other currently in existence in either Europe or the United States. It is hoped that through such industrialisation, Japan and her Emperor will finally be granted a status in the eyes of the world that is no less than equal to their dignity and that which they deserve.

This act proposes that a modern Cement Factory be constructed in Edo, along American lines and the equal to any such factory currently in operation in the United States. The production of cement will greatly aid other domestic construction efforts, in addition to it being sold on the world market in exchange for other western technologies or funds. It is hoped that through such worthwhile initiatives, this great nation of Japan will at last be dragged kicking and screaming into the 19th Century.

((Enact Reform: Industrial Construction; contrary to what Naxhi says in the update, this reform actually offers 25% westernisation in vanilla, not 20%.))


-- Hosokawa-dono, Lord of Higo and Roju of Kyushu