What's Old Is New Again: The Japanese Constitution and the Righteous Nation Policy

Day 2,796, 18:20 • Published in Japan Russia • by shirosakura

Hello everyone~



The more that I do research on eJapan's history, the more that I find out just exactly how rich it is. There are countless situations in history where Japan has seen days much darker than this, and we've risen above to become better and stronger every time. Our nation is rich with history and culture, and I'm more than certain we can take the lessons of the past and apply them to today.



The Reiji Constitution of eJapan was adopted on Tuesday, September 1st, 2009 (day 651 of the new world) and was in force until a very, very different eJapan dissolved it from force on Tuesday, June 19th, 2012. Reiji Mitsurugi, a very influential figure in national politics, penned most of it himself, and after a month or so of public input and editing, it was passed and it because the guiding light for our nation's people for the years to follow.



It was, needless to say, a very polarizing document. Many people were worried about the balance of power in the new government, about the newly created Emperor position and how much power they would have, and how binding the document would be in the future. One portion, the Righteous Nation Philosophy, was proved by time to be the most controversial aspect portion of it all (more on that later). But somehow, through the many chances the document had to fail, the nation came together and passed a document that would lead our country into the future.

An observer at the time of the ratification said "Through unity, we can build harmony, and through harmony, the true concerns of our hearts will be heard within the fabric of the living document that now constitutes eJapan" And this is what I intend completely for our second constitution to do as well.

The first constitution was eventually suspended by the Diet five years after ratification, and while all the research I've found points to efforts to draft a second, more updated constitution then, it appears to have never happened. Since the old national forums and it's archives are lost forever (and google can only get one so far), it's history is one that will take a bit longer to figure out.

The Full Text of the First eJapanese Constitution


The Righteous Nations Philosophy, which started out as Reiji's personal beliefs and convictions, was a series of precepts that eventually went on to guide and define Japan's national policy. The were intended as a moral compass, as a means to provide for a steady country in times of crisis, and it too was given to the people to interpret as the time saw fit. This, more than any of the other social constructs of the Reiji Constitution, resonated with the people of eJapan. It became a source of pride for our people, and came to recognize and embody what was considered the Japanese spirit.

While it also may have inspired a lot of good for our country, it is no question that it was used to justify eJapan's involvement in many wars across the world (and likewise, also used to justify our lack of militarism as well). There were also some who believed it to be too idealistic, who believed it to be dead weight in a world where realism, not morals and idealism, ruled the international landscape. While none of these things can be argued as good or bad, it's clear that they were as controversial as they were influential in guiding eJapan, and I think that this was good in a lot of ways.

I personally support the restoration of the Righteous Nation Philosophy as one of eJapan's official policies. It is perhaps one of the most timeless documents to ever be produced by our country, and I still think in many ways we embody many of these traits already, whether it's through our participation in the defensive alliance Nebula and helping our allies in need, through the continued growth and training of our military, and through our respect for our diverse culture and rich history. I believe it's an important part of our identity and history, and I also believe that together with a new constitution, it can help guide us into the future.

As for the constitution, I am currently the only drafter, and as far as what I have it's mind, it's format will mimic that of the Reiji constitution, but obviously to fit our time and our form of governance (Constitutional Dictatorship). But I want to make this clear: I am no Reiji Miturugi, and I never will be. The drafting of this document will be an effort of many people of all backgrounds of eJapanese life, and it will take this entire nation working together to create framework that can unify us and guide us into the future.

If there are provisions or items you want to be included in our new constitution, please comment below or message me! I hope to have a draft completed soon, and when that happens I will also make it available to the public as well. While not to seem self-diminutive, there is still a lot left for me to learn about this country and our great culture, and I hope to take my knowledge and put it to use for the entire nation of eJapan.