Rising Rays of the New Century: Tale of the Japanese Empire

Part 1: Tokyo Expo

Tokyo World EXPO'100

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Japan has fallen into the chaos of near-future sci-fi and magical fantasy!

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October 27, 2100

Off the coast of Suruga Bay, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japanese Empire

It is the final year of the 21st century, and in the Far East of Asia, there is a country enjoying the height of its prosperity. The name of the country is the "Japanese Empire," a constitutional monarchy with the world's oldest history under the imperial dynasty. Far off the coast of Suruga Bay, which can be seen from the Tokaido Highway, a huge megafloat has been constructed that could be mistaken for a small island. On top of the megafloat stood a futuristic glass structure, and on the coast of the megafloat, a port facility has been constructed for the berthing of numerous gigantic ships.

"Soon we will arrive in Tokyo... I repeat, Tokyo. The exit is on the left. Thank you for your long-distance travel. Please make sure you don't forget your belongings..."

A huge ship flew in from the sky above and slowly landed on the ocean, making white waves as it landed on the sea surface. The ship then berthed at Berth 12 of the Tokyo Harbor. The main engine, a small fusion reactor, ceased operation, and the starboard door opened once the ramp was lowered. This huge offshore port facility is a spaceport for the takeoff and landing of reusable ships that travel between Earth and space. Two men came down from the first-class cabin of the ship, which had left the Lunar City and flown to Earth after half a day's flight.

"We're here at last."

"Yeah... but we made it just in time."

The two men put their feet up in Japan for the first time in a long time. Their names are Michio Juen and Jyozo Sena, two police officers who had been transferred from the Japanese National Police Agency to the security agency of the Lunar City. After completing their secondment, they returned here to take up their posts in Japan.

"I'm heading to Tokyo right now. What about you?"

"I'm leaving tomorrow. I'll stay at a hotel here until then."

Juen asked Sena while looking at his wristwatch, while Sena answered while stretching out his back. After that, the two parted at the arrival lobby, Juen going to the pier to catch a ship to Tokyo and Sena going to the hotel on the megafloat.

At the end of the 21st century, human space development was advancing much faster than predicted at the beginning of the same century. The 'great development' that accelerated the pace of space exploration and made it a reality occurred in Japan in the middle of the 21st century. These were the discovery of the graviton and its manipulation and the practical application of nuclear propulsion, including nuclear fusion.

In addition, Japan has advanced to the moon and is also advancing its Mars development plan by making full use of things such as genetically engineered plants that grow and photosynthesize in the harsh environment of another planet's soil, and transport and fighter aircraft that can travel between space and the atmosphere, all of which we are not even sure where they were obtained. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) was dissolved as the "Ministry of Space Development" and has overtaken NASA as the world leader in space development.

Furthermore, the Japanese government has monopolized space development by keeping these technologies out of reach. In addition, the government has been conducting research and development of untapped mineral resources from the moon's surface and near-Earth asteroids, which it regards as a 'lifeline for the future'. Therefore, all bases and cities built on extraterrestrial bodies were constructed by the Japanese government, and all are under its control.