Empire of Kurita

Summary
The Empire of Kurita is one of the Breakaway States, located in the "South" quadrant of the Inner Sphere. The Empire is currently ruled by Empress Yuki Taniko, the head of House Taniko. Her court is located on Sarna. The Empire of Kurita has been ruled by House Taniko since its founding in 2368 by Sado Taniko, perhaps a descendant of Kyoya Taniko, a Vice-Admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy during war on Terra.[1]

The Emperor/Empress is a hereditary ruler, who rules over his/her domain armed with a well-equipped, fanatical military and an ever-pervasive, all-seeing civilian bureaucracy. Two rival intelligence agencies, the ISF (Internal Security Force) and the O5P (Order of Five Pillars) keep watch against any potential internal threat from commoners, ambitious nobles, and members of the Emperors/Empresses own family. (However, the physical protection of the Emperor/Empress falls to his own personal cohort, who are recruited from the military, not the intelligence services).

The idée fixe of the Empire and the Emperor/Empress is conquest. The Empire employs a large, skilled military, the Mustered Soldiery, that has often been used to expand the realm at the expense of its neighbors.

The Five Pillars
The Empire of Kurita is said to be supported by five pillars, each symbolizing an aspect of Kuritan society: the Pillar of Gold, representing the government; the Pillar of Steel, representing the military; the Pillar of Teak, representing the people and culture; the Pillar of Ivory, representing philosophy and religion; and the Pillar of Jade, representing the economy. All five pillars work together to support the manifest destiny of House Taniko to conquer all of known space.

Pillar of Steel
In the time of feudal Japan, the steel used in the creation of katanas was said to have mystical properties, making them the finest weapons ever created. Samurai held their blades in high esteemed and passed them down through the generations. For a samurai to lose his blade, however, was an act of great dishonor and to be avoided at all cost. Such is the regard placed on the armed forces of the Empire, representing the central and most important of the five pillars. As the principle agent in realizing House Taniko's mandate to conquer all, the fortunes of the military are closely tied to that of the state; as the military goes, so goes the Empire.

The military of the Empire, the Mustered Soldiery (MS), has traditionally been one of the strongest in the Inner Sphere. The Empire was founded upon the principles of bushido, the way of the warrior. Thanks to this, the military has a large pool of skilled individuals from which to draw. Enlistment in the MS is seen as the fastest way to get ahead in the world, as every person in the military, even a lowly rifleman, is respected. The MS is also referred to as the Arm of the Sun.

Pillar of Gold
Gold is precious not only for the value humanity has given it since the beginning of history, but for its practical applications: a natural electrical conductor, gold is malleable and resistant to corrosion or combining with other elements. Such is the way of the government of the Empire, acting as a golden veneer which adds beauty and utility, inspiring the people to work towards a common goal while avoiding becoming a burden against which they might rebel.

Pillar of Teak
Teak is among the strongest and most imperishable woods ever used by humans for construction; Unity Palace, home of the current Ruler, is primarily built and decorated with this valuable material. However, while teak has traditionally flourished in the hot, moist climates on Terra, efforts to transplant it on other planets have largely failed. So it is with the society of the Empire: through careful cultivation, the people of the Sun are a dependable and durable source of strength for the realm.

As decreed by the First Emperor, Kuritan society is highly stratified. At the top are the nobility or kuge, responsible for running much of the government, followed by the warriors or buke, who fight for the glory of the Sun. The middle class encompass a wide range of professionals, followed by the commoners or henin who perform the manual labor in society. At the bottom are the Unproductives, composed of society's undesirables including criminal elements like the yakuza. Rarely is a Kuritan able to rise above their station, but surprisingly most are content with their place in society. This is thanks to indoctrination which reinforces a collective identity and adherence to the Dictum Honorium and instills in the average citizen glorification of the military and suspicion of all outsiders; for many Kuritans, the only time they will ever visit a non-Empire world is to conquer it.

Japanese cultural traditions - such as tea ceremonies, geisha and Nohkabu theater troupes - dominate the Kuritan Empire despite the fact that a majority of Kuritans are of non-Japanese ancestry. This cultural hegemony was informal at first, receiving a boost in popularity after the construction of the Imperial City along traditional lines, but quickly became official government policy when Uriza Taniko instituted the Kokugaku or National Learning program, stressing Japan's history and its language. Criticisms that such a narrow cultural focus serves as a means to discriminate against non-Japanese have been met by reassurances from various Emperors and Empresses that all who show loyalty to the Sun will always be respected. For example, Takiro Taniko softened by Kokugaku by mandating Japanese language only for those entering government and military occupations, and the School of Cultural Investigation on Sarna dedicated to exploring the diverse traditions which make up the Empire and how aspects of each are incorporated to create a greater Kuritan culture.

This adherence to traditional norms explains the position of women in Kuritan society, which is often that of housewife and mother. There are no formal barriers against women entering into higher education or joining the military, and some (especially high-born) have attained important positions in the political, corporate and military spheres, but few achieve the same level of equality as their male counterparts. When Siriwan McAllister-Taniko became the first female Empress, the idea of a woman sitting on the Chrysanthemum Throne did not sit easily among the patriarchal nobility, though her successes opened the door for future female rulers. Within the military, few women had achieved the rank of General and none had been made a Warlord before the 24st century, but that changed under Theodore Taniko as more women were promoted into the higher ranks and Tomoe Sakade became the Empire's first female Warlord in 2378

Pillar of Ivory
Ivory is the only material of the five pillars which is sourced from living animals, specifically those who grow tusks. As these animals grow into adulthood, so too do their tusks, building up in layers; the first, outermost layer hardens into a protective barrier over the increasing softness of each inner layer. So it is with the philosophies and religion which govern the peoples of the Empire, growing with the expansion of House Taniko and assigned a mode of faith best suited to them, all of whom are protected by the strength of character instilled in the Empire by the First Emperor and the proscriptions of the Dictum Honorium as upheld by the Order of the Five Pillars.

Shortly after becoming First Emperor, Sado Taniko quickly took on the mantle of the Empire's spiritual leader as well. After the successes he had achieved in creating his interstellar realm, many believed they too could also achieve greatness by adopting his mental attitudes, a belief he indirectly encouraged. At the same time, Sado knew that in order to control and channel the people to a higher purpose, he had to mandate a person's ideology and how he viewed the world around them. Thus he set down the two ideals by which the all citizens of the Empire must abide by: Purity and Harmony. By Purity, Sado did not mean necessarily purity of action but purity of thought, that one's actions were for the betterment of their Lord and the government and not for selfish reasons. By Harmony, he meant that one's life should be synchronized with society and the Emperor Individualism was discouraged, as a single person could only achieve happiness for themselves, suffers pain and injury by themselves, and eventually will die and fade away; working together though, the collective can spread happiness and share pain so that one is not overwhelmed, and even as they die each person can live on forever in the glory of the Empire.

These ideals of Purity and Harmony appear, in various forms, among the pan-Asian religions and philosophies on which Sado grew up, and to which he assigned each of the social classes within Kuritan society. As befitting the needs of their position, the nobility are theoretically free to follow any tradition, although Confucianism and Taoism have traditionally been encouraged by the Emperor to instill a sense of obligation to one's superiors and the capability to react to fluid situations. For the military, Confucianism, Zen Buddhism and bushido were assigned to focus the warrior's mind and leave them free to make the necessary decisions during combat. A more intensified version of Confucianism was indoctrinated in the vast middle class, ensuring loyalty in a stratum of society which is most vulnerable to inappropriate philosophies. For the working classes, and the Unproductives below them, Shintoism help occupy their minds during grueling work days or a rootless existence. Control of the Shinto temples and preisthood, however, rest firmly with the nobility, who ironically are themselves dissuaded from believing in the religion they administer.

Inevitably, alternative religions and philosophies will appear along the margins of a society as tightly control as Kuritan, but with great effort such threats to the social harmony and stability of society are just as inevitably rooted out and destroyed.

Pillar of Jade
While other gems or minerals may hold special significance elsewhere, jade is particularly valuable within the Kuritan Empire as a symbol of commerce and industry. For thousands of years jade has been sought out not just for its aesthetic beauty but also its supposed mystical properties for calming the mind and driving away evil spirits. Even the less superstitious Kuritans, when under the immense pressure to succeed, will stop and meditate on jade as a way of clearing their thoughts. As such, examples of jade artwork can be found in offices and factories across the Empire, most commonly taking the shape of a pillar, tree or pierced disk, as reminders to workers and executives alike to focus on their assigned task. The pierced disk in particular suggests against fixating too much on material wealth compared to the vastness of the heavens.

Despite its size the Kuritan Empire has historical been resource-poor (except in population), but the remaining wealth is exploited to the maximum extent under an economic system which can be described as "state-run capitalism." Independent, publicly-traded corporations with their own boards of directors exist within the Empire, but the degree to which they can exert their independence depends strongly on the nature of their business. Those with direct ties to the military - manufacturers of weapons - were designated "Direct Service" corporations in the late 24th century. Such corporations are guaranteed protection against all military and economic threats, but are subject to the decisions of a military board of officers which can overrule any actions taken by the civilian directors. All other corporations were labeled "Indirect Service", and while maintaining more control over their own affairs many are under some level of direct supervision of at least one military officer, depending on how much of their business directly affects the military. Small businesses are allowed to flourish but if they become too successful they are either absorbed by a larger corporation or forcibly shut down.

For the average worker, loyalty to the corporation is second only to loyalty to the Emperor themselves. While the state provides many of the same services, most workers' entire lives revolve around the corporation: born in hospitals, living in housing, and entombed in cemeteries owned by the corporation. The only honorable means of escaping a particular company is to be transferred to a different one or to join the military; to actually be fired brings disgrace not only on the worker but the family as well for failing to raise a productive member of society. Some are allowed the honor of starving to death so that the rest of their family may continuing working at the same firm, but with little to no prospects of working anywhere else those who don't take their own lives are relegated to the ranks of the Unproductives. Here the only legal work that may be found are the bottom of the barrel jobs: clean-up crews for toxic environments, research test subjects, or cannon fodder for local militia units.

The Emperor/Empress
At the center of the government is the Emperor/Empress, embodying all that is the Empire; when a person references "the Sun", it is often with little distinction being made between the Emperor/Empress as a person or of the Empire as a whole, and while not technically worshiped as divine their commands are acted upon as such. Some Emperors/Empresses have taken an active approach in governing the Empire, but the most successful have tended to act less and observe more, enforcing their will indirectly. When the Emperor/Empress speaks, it might come in the form of suggestions to others, or delivered in the manner of a parable or haiku. Thus, if a problem occurs, blame does not fall on the Emperor or Empress directly but on the one who failed to carry out their wishes correctly.

Carrying out the will of the Emperor/Empress are the Kuritan nobility, the most important of whom after the Emperor/Empress are the Warlords. These are followed by the heads of the five Ministries, the District and Prefecture civilian leaders, and those with noble titles by dint of their landholdings or corporate ownership. The least regarded yet most highly placed nobles are those who work only at the Royal Court; since mere mortals cannot come into contact with the Emperor/Empress, even the sanitation workers must have titles of nobility. Such kuri or leeches may sometimes be useful as a means of getting the attention of a person of higher position or even the Emperor/Empress themselves.

The Ministries
The day-to-day working of the Empire is carried out by five Ministries each lead by a minister head, with the ministers of individual bureaus or subministers reporting to them, who in turn are reported to by the heads of bureau subdivisions or committeemen. Head ministers and subministers are all members of the nobility, as are most committeemen. Ostensibly, each ministry has clear-cut responsibilities, but the Byzantine-like nature of the Kuritan bureaucracy often means even a simple request might require the fingerprints of multiple agencies, and even lifetime civil servants might not be completely sure of whose authorizations or which forms may be required. Since many bureaucrats are notorious for erring on the side of caution, the best local administrators (besides having the right connections) are adept at Rensikuro-bu (the Dance of Waiting and Smiling) and Rurdu-Koba-tsö (Finding the Cheese in the Maze).[6][7]

The formal names of the ministries, and many of their bureaus, can seem purposely designed to obscure their actual function:[6][7]
 * The Ministry of the Expansion of the Glories of the Kuritan Empire: The Ministry of War or Hyöbushö is in charge of all aspects of the military, making it the most important of the five.
 * The Ministry of Wealth and the Disbursing of Assets: The Ministry of the Treasure or Ökurashö governs the Kuritan economy - setting trade policy, workers' rights, and minting Yuri - as well as allocating funds to other ministries. It is also one of the more convoluted ministries, containing bureaus which seemingly belong elsewhere (such as the Bureau of Nourishment responsible for food allocation).
 * The Ministry of the Well-Being of the Land and the Peoples: The Ministry of Interior or Minbushö is responsible for everything not covered by another ministry, including living conditions, the environment, and settlement of new planets. This includes the Bureau of General Indoctrination (education), Bureau of Health and Happiness (medical care), Bureau of Domesticated Plants and Animals (agriculture), and Bureau of Bureaucracy (paperwork).
 * The Ministry of Peaceful Order and Honor: The Ministry of Justice or Kakun handles law and order within the Empire; while citizens are allowed civil liberties, close cooperation between the courts and police ensures justice is dispensed to those who deserve it. Among the different bureaus are the Halls of Swift Justice (criminal court), Guaranteed Honor for Kurita’s Servants (noble court), and the Civilian Guidance Corps (civilian police).
 * The Ministry of the Servants of the Kuritan Empire: The Ministry of the Court or Kazoku handles a variety of different functions, most associated with the nobility and court functions. For example, the Watchers of the Household run the Imperial Palace on Sarna while the Committee of Special Events plans all court ceremonies, including the presenting of military honors, the Cleansing of the Spirit ceremony and the Celebration of the Emperor's or Empresses Birthday. Others with less clear-cut connections include the Bureau of Hospitality Toward New Lands, which assigns governors to newly-liberated planets. The most powerful section of the Kazoku is the Order of the Five Pillars, which is not governed by anyone other than the Keeper of the Family Honor but is technically part of the ministry so that it may call upon the services of the government through official channels.

Mustered Soldiery
The Mustered Soldiery (MS) is the military arm of the Kuritan Empire. Representing the Pillar of Steel in the Five Pillars which support the Empire, the MS is the center around which all life in the Empire revolves. The warriors of the MS live by the tenets of bushido, the code of the samurai, and are known as some of the fiercest and most fanatical warriors in the Inner Sphere.

The Internal Security Force
The Internal Security Force (ISF) is the Kuritan Empire's official spy agency and secret police force. Though it has existed since the Empire's Foundation, no one knows of its existance. The organization is often regarded as the reincarnation of demons by the others, but it follows only the tradition of its founder. The Kuritan Empire was created sometimes with underhanded tactics like brute force, espionage and others too. The members of the ISF believe that the Sun will once rule over the entire humanity and every obstacle, even Emperor's and Empresses, will put by side to reach that goal. The enemies of the Sun fear the effectiveness of the ISF. The agents of the agency are loyal to the death. They know the death will come some day and everyone is ready to sacrifice himself for the higher good of the Empire.

Command Structure
Offically the current Ruler is the head of the ISF but in reality the Director of the agency is the second influential single person throughout the Empire. Within the command structure are a five individuals how are the aid for the director. Each of the agents have the capabilities to lead the ISF for an interim term until a new Director are select by the Emperor/Empress. The common operative is unknown to the society of the Empire and also to the enemy. That circumstances lead to a better information base because no one knows if he speaks to an ISF operative.

Branches
Keeping with the Empire's fascination with the number five, the Internal Security Force is divided into five branches. The sixth branch of the ISF is an unofficial group created by the ISF Director.
 * Mononokete ("Ghost Hands"): Formerly known as the Covert Operations Division this is the "active intelligence" branch. Agents are trained over two years in a manner similar to DEST team members before they get active mission assignments. They typically operate in smaller groups and in deep cover assignments. Their focus is directed at external threats, be it a sabotage mission, assassination, or monitoring foreign visitors as a liaison officer. These agents are not used to resolve internal matters.


 * Mokonete ("Guiding Hands"): This is the branch most people think of when they think "ISF". Formerly known as the Internal Security Division, Mokonete agents are responsible for identifying foreign intelligence agents and eliminating them. Their other focus is finding and reeducating dissident citizens.


 * Koe No Taiyō("Voice of the Sun"): Previously called the Propaganda Division. With an agent on the board of directors of every Empire media concern, the Voice of the Sun is the most benign branch of the ISF. The agents of this branch limit their activities to reporting Inner Sphere and Empire events in a manner consistent with the wishes of the Taniko family. The branch have also the task to create resistance movements on occupied Empire worlds.


 * Metsuke ("All Seeing Eyes"): Previously known as Intelligence Gathering and Analysis Division. The agents of this branch are the passive observers, infiltrators, and sleeper agents who see everything. They do not act themselves, but provide information to the analysis section, which may activate agents of other branches, or DEST commandos to eliminate a threat. The Metsuke owns a small fleet of jumpships with the best surveillance equipment available on board. That ships had the capabilities to gather information even from jump points.

The ISF has a complex relationship with the Empire's unofficial intelligence service, the Order of Five Pillars (O5P) headed by the Keeper of the House Honor. At times the two agencies respect and complement each other well, but at other times in the Empire's history the two agencies have engaged in a series of covert wars.