Japanese Monarchy

            
             Japan is geographically described as having 47 prefectures, with 4 distinct main islands, Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu. The distance separating Korea and Kyushu is only 200 km while the distance separating Hokkaido and Sakhalin is only 40 km. The formation of the Japanese civilization is said to have begun in the Jomon Period (7,000 BC to 250 BC), and is described as a Prehistoric and Neolithic Period. The Japanese as a race consists of different origins. These include the Ainu, Mongolians, Hans, Fins, Kumaso and a large immigration of Koreans and Chinese from 300 AD to 700 AD (Riley, 2000).
             The Japanese Culture is one that is distinct and ethnocentric. Any military force (the U.S. occupation was considered too civilized) has never successfully invaded them. They have also never produced any great philosophers. The Japanese also tends to be beneficiaries rather than benefactors. Japanese race is largely homogenous and is clearly absent of any ethnic minorities (Riley, 2000). .
             The Japanese also have the longest surviving monarchical system in history (Meyer, 1993). This goes back to the mythical Jimmu Tenno, who was directly related to the Sun Goddess Amaterasu Omikami, the most important goddess in the Japanese religion, Shinto (Varley, 1971). All Emperors have been descendants of the same imperial family. The Tenno's symbols of office were three regalia; a bronze mirror, curved jewel, and an iron sword, which were a gift from the Sun Goddess through her great grandson Ninigi-no-Mikoto (Varley, 1971). With these three regalia the Sun Goddess also delivered the following statement: "Whenever thou lookest upon this mirror, thou shalt regard it as my own image. And, for centuries, shall my descendants rule this land of Toyoashiwara-no-Mizuho-no-Kuni (the old name of Japan). Thou shalt now reign over it, and thy line of sovereignty shall prosper co-eternally with Heaven and Earth" (Unknown author, 1928).