The early years of the twenty-first century saw the emergence in Japan of the ultra right-wing Yamamura Clique, whose members were popularly dubbed Ringists after it was rumoured that the group was named for Sadako Yamamura, the fictional psychic from Koji Suzuki’s horror-novel Ring. The Yamamura Clique rapidly evolved into an umbrella organisation for various occult and militaristic groups, and on 18 February 2004 established a shadow administration based at Sashikiji on the island of Izu-Oshima and Atami on the neighbouring Izu Peninsula, thereby laying the foundations for the Ringist State of Oshima and Izu (Oshima-Izu Ringoku). The Ringist shadow regime subsequently employed subversion to expand its reach abroad, supporting affiliate organisations in their attempts to seize power in both Asia and Africa. Although early attempts proved unsuccessful- the Red Flower Faction gained control of Iran in August 2004 only for the Kashurian puppet regime to collapse in early 2005, whilst a similar attempt in central Africa was ended with the defeat of Jaabian forces in November 2005- a comparatively minor effort mounted in the wake of the unexpected collapse of the New South African government yielded better results: on New Year’s Day 2006, Ringist client Christoph Rossheim assumed power at Kimberley and in the following week swiftly established control over the Northern Cape, Transvaal and Free State. The failure of a counter-coup allowed Rossheim to expand his control over the remainder of New South Africa, with the Treaty of Bloemfontein (15 January 2006) paving the way for his subsequent assumption of the title of Emperor of South Africa on 24 January 2006. But this conspicuous assertion of independence did not endear the new Emperor to his former masters, who were alleged to have had a hand in his untimely death in an accident on 2 April following which power passed to the former deputy head-of-state; officially described as a cousin to the later Emperor, the new Empress Johanna was in fact a Yamamura agent who utilised the period of her notional reign to discretely prepare the country for direct Ringist rule. On 9 July 2006 the Empress presided over the acquisition of the former Green Free State in accordance with Security Council Resolution 73, before handing control of the country over to her superiors: on 19 July 2006 the Ringist State of Oshima and Izu formally annexed the Empire of Rossheim, and with it sovereignty over much of southern Africa.

I. Basic Information

OSHIMA AND IZU (ROI)

II. Vital Statistics

Sub-Region: South

 

Provinces (7): KwaZulu-Natal, Free State, Lesotho, Eastern Cape, Northern Cape, Western Cape, Okiep, Mmbatho, Botswana

 

Population: 47,112,000

 

Gross Domestic Product:  $509.1 bn

 

 

III. Government

Country Name

             Conventional Long Form:  The Ringist State of Oshima and Izu

 

             Long Local Form: Oshima-Izu Ringoku

 

             Local Short Form: Ringoku

 

Country Motto: Shoumon bakkari shite’ru to, boukon ga kuru zo (Play in the sea and the monster will come for you)

 

Government Type: Totalitarian Dictatorship

 

Independence: February 18, 2006 from Rossheim

 

National Holiday: November 9 (Baasudei)

 

Legal System: Common Law

 

Suffrage: N/A, No provisions have been made for democratic elections.

Major Political Parties: Yamamura Clique

 

Political Pressure Groups: None

 

Legislature: None; legislative power is vested solely in the person of the Shogun

 

Last Election Date: N/A

 

Last Election Results:   N/A

 

Next Election Date: N/A

VI. Judiciary Branch

Members of the Council of Integrity: Seven

 

Process through which Justices Come to Power: Justices are appointed by the Shogun and serve at his pleasure

V. Legislative Branch

VII. Foreign Policy

International Organization Participation:

             African Union

 

Territorial Disputes:  None

VIII. Economy

The largest market in Southern Africa, Oshima and Izu possesses an abundant supply of natural resources, well-developed financial, legal, communications, energy, and transport sectors, and a modern infrastructure supporting an efficient distribution of goods to major urban centers throughout the region. Inflation and unemployment have been brought under control and the prospects are good for sustained economic growth

GDP Growth Rate: 5.5

 

GDP Per Sector:

             Agriculture: 3.2%

             Industry: 31.8%

             Services: 65.0%           

 

Unemployment Rate:

             Urban: N/A%

             Rural: N/A%

 

Percentage of Population Below the Poverty Line: N/A%

             Urban: N/A%

             Rural: N/A%

 

Inflation: 1.1%

 

Electricity Production by Source:

             Fossil Fuels: 15%

             Hydro: 10%

             Nuclear: 70%
             Other: 5%

 

Nuclear Energy Capabilities: The full extent of current nuclear capabilities has not been made public.

 

 

Currency Name: Rin

 

Current External Debt: N/A

 

Current Creditor States: N/A

 

Head of State: Shogun Takanori Yamamura, Lord of Izu

 

Head of Government: Shogun Takanori Yamamura, Lord of Izu (Yamamura Clique)

 

Cabinet:

Shogun Takanori Yamamura, Lord of Izu (Head of State & Government, Minister for Defence & Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces)

Masako Yamamura (Minister for Foreign Affairs & Deputy Head of Government)

General Mitsuko Yamamura (Minister for the Interior & Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces)

Dr Mitsuo Yamamura (Minister for Health)

Kayako Yamamura (Minister for Justice)

Reiko Yamamura (Minister for the Media)

 

Method of Election/Term Length:  Succession to the shogunate is by reincarnation

 

Date of Last Election/Results: N/A

 

Date of Next Election: N/A

IV. Executive Branch

Shogun Takanori Yamamura, Lord of Izu (Head of State & Government, Minister for Defence & Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces)

 

 

 

Annual Surplus (Exports)

Current National Demand (Imports)

IX. Infrastructure

Ports and Harbors (6): Cape Town, Durban, East London, Port Elizabeth, Richards Bay, Saldanha Bay

 

Airports with Paved Runways: 159

 

Major International Airports:

    Johannesburg International Airport (JIA)

      Cape Town International Airport (CTA)

      Bloemfontein International Airport (BIA)

X. Social Indicators

Life Expectancy at Birth

             Male: 68.93

             Female: 70.27

 

Total Fertility Rate: 2.2

 

Nationality

             Noun: Zushurian

             Adjective: Zushurian

 

Ethnic Groups:

             N/A

 

Religions: (based on 2001 census data)

             Christian 79.7%,

             other 20.3%

 

Languages: English (Official), Japanese (Administrative), Afrikaans, IsiZulu, IsiXhosa, Sepedi, Setswana, Sesotho, Xitsonga

 

Literacy (definition — age 15 and older can read and write):                 

Total Population: 96.4%

             Male: 97%

             Female: 95.7%

 

HIV/AIDS

Adult Prevalence Rate: N/A

People Living with HIV/AIDS: N/A

Deaths in the Past Year: N/A

 

Major Infectious Diseases/Risk:  Hepatitis A (Low)

Meningitis (Low)

XI. Military

Military Branches: Sadakogumi (Sadako Legion), Ringugun (Army), Ringu Kaigun (Navy), Ringu Kuugun (Air Force)

 

Military Service:  Not Compulsory

 

Manpower avail. for military service: N/A

 

Military Expenditures per Year: $30.5 billion

 

Military Expenditures as a Percentage of GDP: 6%

 

Weapons of Mass Destruction:

             Nuclear: N/A

             Chemical: N/A

             Biological: Smallpox

XII. Transnational Disputes

Territorial Disputes: None

 

Non-Territorial Disputes: None

 

Updated:  July 30, 2006

AU Member

Dr Mitsuo Yamamura (Minister for Health)

 

 

Reiko Yamamura (Minister for the Media)

General Mitsuko Yamamura

(Minister for the Interior & Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces)

Masako Yamamura (Minister for Foreign Affairs & Deputy Head of Government)

 

 

Kayako Yamamura (Minister for Justice)