WHAT IS GHOST IN THE SHELL
What exists and what doesn’t. It is very possible that someone may read content in these pages that, revealing the plot for episodes and movies not seen. Since this game needed to cover all its bases, all the material, including events of the books and media are present. So, a warning is being issued in case you don’t want to know what happens in Stand Alone Complex, 2 nd Gig, or the two feature films. In addition, since all the events are present as well, setting the story at the beginning will change how the story is perceived. The Individual Eleven Terrorist group and the activity around them occur two years after the events of the Laughing Man. Also, the covert illegal actions of Locus Solus occur in the second movie, which is a divergent timeline from Stand Alone Complex. One should consider these when finalizing the setting of their specific story. Placing the setting in 2029, around the Laughing Man, means the refugee problem has yet to inflame while setting it after 2032 translates to a more volatile political situation rather than a corporate one. However, it is assumed that even though events may or may not occur in one’s own game, the people and groups involved still exist and the problem may develop on its own. |
In the near future, many envisioned a time where machines would integrate themselves increasingly into society. The lines between man and machine would blur. This division, as many expected, occurred as machines became more and more human. The eventual fear arose when they would become so human as to confuse when humanity ended and machine began. As machines evolved into becoming more human, humanity itself, could discover itself being pushed aside, first by the lack to need to exist, and finally, by force. The dystopian vision people believed would occur often ended with machines rising up to take the next step in the evolutionary ladder above us.
Thankfully, this vision proved wrong, but not in the way imagined…
The alluded line between man and machine did blur, the mixing of the two did occur. People were confused when humanity ended and machine began. However, this crossover appeared further down the spectrum than any had thought. Machines remained as inhuman—as thoughtless--as ever. They never threatened to overrun humankind nor did they ever appear to be even close to threatening our dominance of the globe. However, the irony in the future grew from the trend of humans becoming more like machines. First the onset of cyberization occurred. Then the Cyberbrain appeared, and changed the course of mankind’s evolution forever.
The Timeline Unfortunately, time is never an ally for a storywriter. Whenever a date locks down, one must come to the eventual realization that the future simply will not be arriving as fast as we would like. Kubrik envisions moon bases and missions to Jupiter by the turn of the century. Scott saw flying cars by the end of next decade. Shirow believed cybernetics would be commonplace by now. Even though Ghost in the Shell sits a roomy 25 years in the future, time has already proven this date unreasonable for the story. Kusanagi received her first complete prosthetic body around 6 (and we know her to be in her 30s); this would mean she would be fitted with her first complete prosthetic body very soon. As we have seen, the advancement of prosthetics hasn’t come close to reaching that goal. Shirow envisioned this technology catapulting due to the medical need after not one, but two more world wars. The first supposedly took place already. See where I am going with this? And Kahn Noonian Sing left in the Botany Bay 10 years ago. We can accept it and move on…or one could advance the clock. If one were to do that, I think 2050 would be a reachable goal. That puts WWIII in about 15 years. One can endorse this alteration or continue with the setting in 2029 |
No longer were computers simply linked; now the entire network shared one massive system. One did not own computers, just terminals to the net. Cyberbrains shared the workload. Brains became computers themselves. Humans could store their memories in their brain or in external sources and instantly recall them at any time. The answer to virtually any question sat seconds away. Now every experience we encountered in our lives would be stored digitally in our brain, downloadable and even shared…and unfortunately, open to attack, deletion, or even modification. However, one aspect of humans remained outside the realm for technology, the soul…at least, for a short time. Soon, this soul lost its spiritual definition and became something tangible, provable by science, altered by technology. They gave this a name, the Ghost—the personality of an individual. The Ghost is an aspect lost on Machines. Even in this future, machines can come as close to human as possible, but can never generate their own Ghost.
Machines have yet to emerge with their own personality. They can simulate these reactions. The definition of AI is Artificial Intelligence—recreating intelligence without really being intelligent. As the Ghost became something tangible, the technology of Cyberbrains altered. Initially, those with Cyberbrains could access anything on the net, information either from their own memory devices or from external memories like anyone could three decades before. The Shell refers to one’s body—where the Ghost resides. This fact would seem obvious except that Androids soon became commonplace. They are Shells without Ghosts. In addition, those with Cyberbrains in brain boxes could exist without Shells. The term “Ghost in the Shell” was not always true.
The next question arose of what makes one human. Is it the Ghost? So far, that appears the safest assumption, as machines cannot generate their own ghost…at least not yet. Therefore, a human being—one with full rights and privileges of being human, may not even need to have any organic parts left…or even a body. This makes ethnicity and genetic inheritance somewhat pointless…and yet, even more relevant. No one is born with prosthetics and there is a minimum age before prosthetics could be applied with any significant extent. Some have tried to remove all records of who they were before cyberization. One could change everything about themselves with perfect success, including their race or sex. However, once one’s family, heritage, or ethnicity could be removed, the more important it became to keep. This kept the diversity of governments, sovereign states, and ethnic groups constant. The political upheavals occurring during this technological upswing provided a catalyst for this division between people.
In fact, a cause and effect loop occurred because of the political turmoil of the age. The onset of cyberization and prosthetics that could not only supplement the organic replacement but also improve upon it as well stemmed from a medical need arising from the side effects of not one, but two more world wars.
Just a little over 30 years ago, the planet became swept in World War III. Even though a nuclear exchange occurred, it did not regress society from a technological perspective. In fact, some of the greatest strides in science occurred during this war. Cybernetics became a fast, growing technology governments and corporations utilized to gain an edge with their adversaries.
The planet, geopolitically, changed substantially after this war. Sovereign nations altered throughout the globe. Some merged while others fractured. Paranoia, not unlike the Cold War, developed across the planet and probably led to the larger, Non Nuclear Fourth World War, which fragmented the globe even more. However, through this turmoil, one country gained dominance. It emerged from WWIII bruised but stronger willed. World War IV further strengthened its resolve to be independent and powerful. This nation was Japan…
In this future, the political game continues, more frantic than ever. The political map remains drawn in pencil. War seems on the verge of breaking out at each turn. Paranoia continues and countries fight to keep them safe. However, with the Internet totally out of one country’s control, a need arose to guard the virtual borders of a country as well as its physical ones. Some of the greatest threats to a nation reside not in the barrel of a gun, but in the transmissions in the air.
C O R P O R A T I O N S
Of course, there are hundreds of more corporations in this setting. These are all the ones mentioned:
Derumo: A company that followed Tokura in cyberbrain development. They specialized in crafting Cyberbrain cerebral cores. Unlike Tokura, they are still doing quite well.
Genesis Androids / Genesis Andross Co.: A well known robotics company, they feature a large lineup of various androids, mostly female. Rumors indicate many of their models have been illegally modified. Genesis Androids are common in the love doll underground. They made the GA-07-GL Jeri Android, one of the most popular models among hardcore users, now considered somewhat of an antique.
Hanka Precision Instruments: Hanka Precision Instruments is a major manufacturer of AI robots. They manufacture a variety of different models from defense to waitpersons. Recently, they were caught in a scandal where they were dubbing the ghosts of children into a robot known as the 
Tomliand Prototype to achieve a greater sense of human personality. When these robots started going berserk, their plot was found out and their president was arrested. Hanka is still in business but their profits have severely dropped. It is uncertain if they will make it through the next five years. Another corporation, Locus Solus, would attempt the same process later. The result was more successful, and the side effects and the eventual backlash more severe.
Japan Micro Industries: Another target of the Laughing Man, Japan Micro was initially a Micro Machine company. They still consider them their largest commercial asset.
Kenbishi Heavy Industries: On of the biggest corporations around, Kenbishi builds tanks, helicopters, and weapons. They have a biodesic dome where they test their machines around a small city standing for the corporate headquarters. They also make neurochips like the ones for the Tachikomas. Kenbishi multi-ped tanks are infamous. Kenbishi manages to survive many scandals because their massive stock worth. They have been implicated in stealing patents from their own scientists. One of their own tanks went on a rampage after escaping the test facility. Through it all, Kenbishi manages to stay afloat.
Kuromatsu Electrics: A smaller company, KE did some work around Old Tokyo. They employed some of the lost and refugees of old Tokyo, offering new cybernetic bodies with those at least 98% cyberized to work for them. They had uncovered a nuclear power plant in Old Tokyo and were trying to excavate plutonium illegally. The government took over the operation from Kuromatsu but KE was never penalized.
Kyo-Re: Kyo-Re is a military contractor, maker of Therm-Optic Camouflage. They are affiliated with Poseidon, another name for Greater Japan Technology and Research.
Locus-Solus: A relative newcomer, Locus-Solus burst onto the scene with revolutionary robotic designs. Years ahead of Genesis or Hanka, Locus-Solus started small, expanding when they narrowed their assembly line to producing high-end Gynoids. Rumors floated around that the Locus-Solus prototypes were so human-like to pass a cursory examination. However, whispers passed as to the extent of their realism. Public opinion frowns on companies that built sexaroids so most don’t publicly offer them, allowing their consumers to modify they companion robots illegally. Apparently, Locus-Solus offered their prototype Hadaly droids pre-modified. To avoid regulations and decency violations, Solus shifted all production to a multi-national ship anchored far off Japan, in international waters. There, Solus produces some impressive robots. They do still operate a Japanese HQ in Bertrave.
Can organs be cloned for use in transplants? |
Locus-Solus crumbled when evidence of their robot unique attributes were exposed. Apparently, Solus had refined the same technique Hanka had used (dubbing ghosts illegally into dolls) with better results. However, the Hadaly types fractured more severe than the Hanka models, going berserk and killing their masters. Because of the severity of these side effects, Locus could not cover their tracks fast enough and were destroyed when the case became public.
Meditech Corp: “Give us some spare genes and we’ll grow you spare organs.” Meditech, one of the few companies not dealing with cybernetics exclusively, uses the side effects of that industry to make a killing. While other companies concentrated on progressing the machine, Meditech returned to the organic, developing organic replacements for the open market. They are now the largest organ dealer in the world. They first began the purchasing, selling, and distribution of used organs from cybernetic surgeries. They would supply these organs to those not wanting cybernetic replacements or to those incapable of them. Eventually, Meditech expanded in cloning. Full body cloning is still illegal but cloning parts are not. The patented technique involves splicing a customer’s DNA into a pig. The organs are available for use for the entire lifespan of the animal. They also bread compatible pigs for spare organs. If a customer does not use the organs in the lifespan of the animal, Meditech will broker their sale on the open market. The CEO of Meditech was so dedicated to the industry, he sold off his own organs, implanting his brain in a Jameston type cyborg body. Meditech is owned by the Poseidon Group. They operate pig farms in several other countries. Meditech Bherel was struck by the Human Liberation front and their holds were destroyed (All the pigs were killed). With the advancement of cloning increasing each year, the process of reproducing organs in pigs grows less popular. The pig path remains the cheapest and some rival groups developing organ cloning still consider the pig path their greatest competition.
Megatech: Megatech is one of the major manufacturers of prosthetic bodies, robots and AIs in the World. They are known in the industry for producing top of the line equipment, and for their highly popular Class-A prosthetic bodies. They have the largest selection and largest production line of prosthetic bodies. They are known to be the toughest and most realistic. They were one of the first companies to popularize cyberization as an augment rather than a supplement. All the Cyborgs in Section 9 have bodies and parts from Megatech, and the SDF maintains contracts with them as well. Their headquarters are located on an island outside Newport city. In truth, they are the island—a constructed floatation similar to the city itself.
MicroTel: A MircoMachine Company formed late in the industry. A Laughing Man target.
Nanoplant Industries: A smaller MicroMachine Company, Nanoplant was another target for the Laughing Man target
Nanyou New Agency: The NNA is a news network often accused of being subject to governmental influence. This is further supported by their critical stance against refugee policies. They were a target of the Individual Eleven terrorist group.
Neutron Company: NC is the leading American company specializing in cybernetics. They are one of the few with a foothold in Japan.
Poseidon Industrial Co.: Poseidon is a major cybernetics and micro machine company known for some real fringe designs. They are a real Japanese heavyweight. They have also contracted work for the JSDF, supplying weapons and technology to the Army. Poseidon, not known for their Micro machine technology, is partially credited for the most well known use of them…that of the Japanese Miracle. This achievement vaulted Poseidon into the limelight, pushed atop a hill they have yet to be knocked off of. In 2032, they would be implicated in a government conspiracy revolving around the Cabinet Intelligence Agency and the Individual Eleven terrorist group.
In all, they are one of the largest corporations worldwide, with fingers in almost every facet of the modern world. They own several subsidiary corporations including Meditech. They operate a collection of gigantic marine city clusters.
Rossini Air Line: A well-known and prominent airline in Asia.
Seburo Corporation: A firearms founded in October 2024. Now, almost all ammunition in modern firearms takes Seburo rounds.
Sagawa Electronics Inc: Sagawa Electronics Inc. is the main company of the Sagawa Group. The Sagawa Group is a massive corporate Zaibatsu that has its hands in every piece of the corporate pie. Sagawa Electronics was once a midsize corporation who manufactured a variety of electronic goods: optics, cyberware, toasters etc. until the Public Security Bureau stepped in during the war. A man named Kagasaki (who is now Minister of the Interior) used the corporation to get close to the Russian 
bases. Along the way, he embezzled enough money to launch the Sagawa Group into a prosperous future. Sagawa operates a Geofront in Betrave. Sagawa Electronics was a laughing man target during his corporate terrorism.
Satsuma Meditechs: The most powerful corporation in Kyushu, Satsuma was targets by the Laughing Man during his terrorism. A MicroMachine Company, Satsuma Meditechs was the only corporation that didn’t get funds from the government when the Laughing man blackmailed them.
Serano Genomics: The primary company in the Laughing Man blackmail case, the CEO of Serano was kidnapped and held for ransom by the primary suspect. This first event marked the beginning of the Laughing Man blackmail acts. Serano pioneered the MicroMachine industry and was the first company to file a patent for a MM treatment of Cyberbrain Sclerosis. Serano received funds from the government to compensate for the loss of stock from the Laughing Man. Serano later admitted that the patent for the treatment was premature and that the MicroMachines they developed to treat the disease were ineffective. Serano was assassinated before being able to testify. Their corporate headquarters are located in Holland.
Tadokoro Trading: A smaller corporation with a Chairman with a fetish for companion androids, Tadokoro was struck by the a super theft ring known as Cash Eye. Later, Tadokoro was arrested for money laundering.
Tokura Electronics: Not so large now, but Tokura pioneered brain cyberization. They spear front in the industry, they were later passed by other companies with sleeker, less evasive designs. The daughter of the CEO of Tokura was the first person ever implanted with Cyberbrain implants. She would later be kidnapped by members of the New World Brigade and was remained missing until 2029 where members of Section 9 rescued her rapidly aged body from the NWB. It was never revealed how she had aged so quickly or if her cyberbrain prototype was the cause.
Tonda Inc.: Tonda constructs robotics but none resembling humanoids. They made robots and sentinels for high security buildings. They have allowed several other models to be sold privately. Of these, the Tonda Cyclops is the most popular and the latest, a line of cyberdogs.
Toyoda Chemicals: A smaller company that freelances in Cybernetic bodies.
T H E W O R L D
The Unexplained Ghost Transfer Theory |
G O V E R N M E N T S ,
S O V E R N T I E S , &
C O N T E S T E D R E G I O N S
Alliance – Russian / American: Russia became more powerful since WWIII and signed an alliance with the Northern States of old America. What formed was the Alliance. It is assumed Canada is also a member of this group, giving the Alliance domination over a large portion of the Northern Hemisphere. It is not known their position in the global circle but given their relationship with the AE, it is assumed they formed a Democracy with the American Democratic Party at its core.
American Empire: Shocking, as it may seem, one of the biggest loser of World War III was the United States, which found itself fractured after the war. The conservative party, along with the majority of the defense industry, took control of the Southern States. They formed Empirical America, or the American Empire, as it is often known. The Empire is predominantly right wing and carries an antagonistic relationship with the America/Russia Alliance. The American Empire has been demonstrating its authority as a military state since the last Great War. However, it started to suffer from a collapsed economy recently. Part of this is due to the reduction of Nuclear weapons as a deterrent now that almost every nation has them and with the Japanese Miracle, fallout is no longer a fear.
Although still a very important nation, America’s superpower status has been giving way to the economic behemoth of Japan in recent years. Currently, it is suffering from a faltering economy and a divided population. Class and racial lines have divided people into separate groups, each struggling against the others. Crime has risen to an all time high and the under funded government cannot keep enough police on the streets to do anything about it. The major corporations have stepped in somewhat offering privatization of law enforcement in some areas. As for foreign policy, the government is looking to do anything that will improve their status economically.
European Union (EU): Previously called the European Community (EC) and sometimes known as the Common Market – it is an intergovernmental organization of 12 Western European nations with its own institutional structures and decision-making framework. The aim of the EC's founders was to construct a united Europe through peaceful means and create conditions for economic growth, social cohesion among the European peoples, and for greater political integration and cooperation among governments. Despite criticism early on, the EU has become a formidable economic competitor to Japan and the Americas. Although relations are good between the EU and Japan, this economic rivalry has become the basis for several corporate sponsored covert actions between the two entities. They survived World War III with battle scars. It is known that Berlin was struck. Thanks to the resolve of its people, it rebuilt itself faster than any other city after the war.
Gavel Republic: The Gavel Republic is a small, relatively new sovereignty in Asia that used to be a military dictatorship. It recently survived a revolution and is now a democracy. The old leaders of Gavel attempted amnesty in Japan. Gavel may sound like an odd name, but that is because it is a conglomerate or capitol group.
Japan: By 2029, Asia became the most important and most powerful economic region in the entire world and at the helm of all the prosperity in the Pacific-Rim is none other than Japan, home to the biggest and most technologically advanced cites in the world. Details are in their own chapter.
The Ghost Anchor Theory Proving a Ghost exists as something that could be digitized does offer a conundrum on a spiritual side. Does a soul die every time he Ghost dives? Are we unknowingly copying ourselves and suiciding the originals every time our Ghost leaves our body? This is where the future got confusing. When information moves, it does not really. It copies itself, deleting the original. It never really moves. If someone’s Ghost leaves his or her body, it really does leave. It does not copy. Does a new Ghost appear where it wants, exactly the same, none the wiser? Does one die every time they attempt to leave their Shell? Its very possible the Ghost information is so unique, it cannot be duplicated, so when someone’s ghost moves, it does really appear to move. Yes, one could argue that its simply a series of switches that turn of and on in succession. Perhaps the Ghost (our personality) is that which is anchored in our brain, and thus is the reason why it is susceptible to attack from disease and mental illness and (in the future) from Ghost hacking. Our soul, that spiritual part, remains tangible, moving where the Ghost is transferred. Using this theory, the Ghost may indeed by copying and deleting every time it movies but we remain ourselves. I imagine this debate raging when someone first discovered the ability of Ghost transference. Later, someone invented Ghost Dubbing—actually personality copying. The fact that the duplicates could not be copied and the original faded every attempt, seemed to prove that really only one unique Ghost can ever really appear at the same time. You will have to determine where your morality sits on this issue, as it always remained a point of confusion whenever I read it. |
Jenoma: Located in South America, this nation, like Gavel, became a democracy. It owes this status thanks to Marcelo Jarti. Jarti was a drug kingpin and a known murderer. He is also responsible for freeing Jenoma from a military dictatorship and securing the democracy that now stands. Jarti lead the Democratic Revolution and remained the military advisor to the current administration. Jarti avoided multiple assassination attempts--the last, in Panan City. He is regarded as a true hero even though he had no interest in politics afterward. He considers himself a soldier and assisted neighboring countries in revolutions of their own. He has thwarted five attempts from SAS and Delta force to have him wiped out.
LAS – League of Arab States: The League of Arab States was formed in Cairo on Mar. 22, 1945, by Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Transjordan (now Jordan), and Yemen. The main aim of the league is to coordinate the political action and safeguard the sovereignty of the Arab states. In the council of the league, on which each member has one vote, only unanimous decisions are binding.
The Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990 split the league. Twelve of its members condemned Iraq, and nine sent ground forces to join the anti-Iraq coalition in the 1991. The league was split again during World War III when 11 members left the League for good. Today the League has negotiated lucrative trade agreements between several of its members and Japan. This has, of course, led to problems with Israel, and the fighting has spilled over into the streets of Japan. Recently, Japan's Foreign Minister, Hidaka, tried to remedy the problem by getting Japanese corporations to form joint ventures with Israeli corps. The whole thing was scraped when it was discovered that the Mossad was manipulating events in order to sway public opinion over to the Israeli cause.
Pegasus: A floating city being built in the Indian Ocean. Large unzoned sectors exist for corporations to take root. The process continues and it may be decades before the city is populated to capacity.
UN --The United Nations: The UN is a general international organization established at the end of World War II to promote international peace and security. The main purposes of the organization were to "save succeeding generations from the scourge of war." It has since participated in almost every major war including the "peacekeeping actions" that escalated into World War III and WW IV. It should be noted that by 2029 Japan has become a principal supplier of military aid to the UN.
R I V A L O R G I N Z A T I O N S
Section 9 vs the HLF: Events leading to the Aeropolis II incident . Eighteen people were severely injured when 50 grams of C-6 were detonated at the Megatech Body Research & Development Division Headquarters. The HLF soon admitted responsibility with a message leaked onto an encrypted security net, making trace and identification virtually impossible. The security hack indicated member or members of the HLF had substantial hacking prowess. Only 2 days before, Zebra 27 staged a heist on a military arms depot and was caught on camera. This revealed his presence and his connection to the HLF to Section 9 as the weapons stolen from the depot were used against Section 9’s A-4 loadoat personnel in the Bay Area, where the HLF were organizing since the HQ bombing. Soon after, the Energy Ministry was discovered trying to access Section 6’s files on Zerba. An official at the Energy Ministry, Sawamura, had leaked the Arms depot location and inventory to Zebra. Sawamura was also connected to Megatech’s Body R&D. Survivors from the Bay Area shootout, including Zebra, fled to an unsued refugee relief sector, abandoned by the city because of the build up of industrial pollutants (not even the Refugees wanted to be there). It was in the old city where the HLF ’s current secret base was located—at the monstrosity known as Aeropolis II. Section 9 moved into the Geofront while Sawamura was arrested. In the end, the whole incident stemmed originally from a defect in Megatech’s main reactor. Sawamura planned to collect bribes from Megatech’s development section in exchange for covering up the problem. The blast of the Aeropolis II reactor, which was prevented by Section 9, was meant to resemble a terrorist act….then Zebra stepped into the picture. His scheme was to take over the reactor and extort money from Sawamura. He went too far when he contacted Section 9 and claimed responsibility. Zerba 27 was eventually caught on the top floor of Aeropolis II and eliminated. |
These groups don’t necessarily need to be rivals unless, one works for the Public Office in Japan. Potential games may involve working for or with these groups. Some are terrorist groups while others are intelligence offices for rival governments.
CIA: Part of Imperial America, the CIA has returned to their roots of covert actions and active espionage. Now the outfit of honor they established before the United States split has long since passed.
HRU – Hostage Rescue Unit: The HRU is an international organization tasked with the retrieval of hostages in a crisis situation. They try to enforce their authority but if a situation may involve issues of national security, they are often denied access.
Human Liberation Front: When Cyberization became commonplace after World War III, a grass roots movement appeared in the corners of the world. They preach a gospel against the onset of cyberization. They feared machines would take over…not from physical force, but by simply turning us into them. They believed once a human undergoes cyberbrain modification, they are no longer human. Humans toss in their sleep. Human memories fade over time. Humans grow old and die when their time has come. As someone sheds more and more of their organic side away, what is left to call them a person? A ghost is not enough to the members of the HLF, which grew in size substantially after the discovery of Cyberbrain Sclerosis. The HLF believed CS fell from God as punishment to those breaking the laws of nature. It wasn’t long before the HLF became finally recognized as a terrorist group. One of their first acts was the kidnapping of the daughter of the CEO of Tokura Electronics, the first citizen ever implanted with substantial cyberbrain prosthetics.
The leader of the HLF for the majority of their exsistence is only known as “Zebra 27”. Under his leadership, they soon followed up the Tokura incident with a major attack on the Megatech Body Research & Development Division Headquarters. This lead Section 9 to one of their first high-profile cases. Zebra 27 is presumed dead at the conclusion of the Aeropolis II nuclear threat incident.
Today the HLF still strike out from hidden locations, fighting the onset of cyberization and the overpowering monopoly of the Internet.
Korinkai: The Korinkai is a known and massive mafia organization in Japan. They have branches all over Japan. Gondo Kanekichi, known to be a key figure in the organization, runs the Niihama branch. They control most of the cyber-drug market in Japan.
MOSSAD: The world famous Israeli Intelligence Agency which – in this era – has gone a little soft.
New World Brigade: A terrorist group following of the ideals of the Human Liberation Front. They believe man is becoming too much like machine. They believe humans should stay human and that robots should remain inhuman and not resemble or mimic humanity in anyway. They have struck cybernetic and robotic companies in their futile quest to push back the onset of cyberization.
The Individual Eleven: The Individual Eleven is a terrorist group working to free the 3 000 000 refugees currently in camp. The ideology is based all around the need for individualism. In the past, many fear that onset of cyberization cultivates a trend for people to be more synchronous. They would share so many similar memories via the Internet, and could share their memories at will, they would cease being unique and lose the individuality. They believe the Internet may eventually become a group consciousness for the entire world and people themselves, would not possess singular ghosts. The group itself formed from an idea of separate individuals performing terrorists acts without knowing the other members or how many there really are. The true origin of the group stems to a more insidious source, leading from evidence that a virus may have infected cyberbrains with the knowledge to act in a certain way, in fact contradicting their motus operandi. By having similar motivations and sharing the exact same root cause of agenda, they become a more self-contained entity. Because no leader ever came forward and several other cases were connected to the Eleven even though the virus theory never made a connection in those situations, it is thought the events around this terrorist group mirrors that of the Laughing Man case.
The Real SVR By John Pike The SVR was established as an independent entity by Presidential Edict No. 293 dated 18 December 1991. Its specific aims were to provide the Russian Federation president, Federal Assembly, and Government with the intelligence information that they need to adopt decisions in the political, economic, defense, scientific-technical, and ecological spheres. The agency was tasked with promoting Russian Federation policy in the security sphere, to promoting the country's economic development and scientific and technical progress, and providing military-technical support for Russia's security. On 10 January 1996, President Yeltsin signed the law on foreign intelligence that was passed by the old Duma in December 1995. The law, which identifies the four Russian agencies including the SVR with external intelligence functions, determines the structure, main principles and government control over the SVR. The committees on Security and International Affairs of the Russian Duma have both created subcommittee to deal with intelligence matters. The Spetsnaz unit Vympel ("Banner") is a counter terrorist unit of the SVR (Foreign Intelligence Service). Originally developed in 1981 as an infiltration unit to conduct infiltration, sabotage, and intelligence missions in enemy territory, Vympel subsequently evolved into a Counter Terrorist (CT) unit, and by 1987, the unit had expanded to a staff of over 500. Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, the unit was transferred to the Main Administration for the Protection of the Russian Federation (GUO), along with Spetsgruppa "A", and in 1993, the unit was again transferred to MVD control to MVD. After many original members left, Vympel was disbanded and a new unit, Vega, was created, and subsequently the SVR reinstated the name Vympel. |
Red Bianco: A volunteer corps supporting the interim Mexican government. They fought off both the UN and the American Empire, which covered up their attempted takeover as another war on drugs. They employed several mercenary units. Saito is known to have been working for them during this time and met Major Kusanagi during this time…on the wrong side of the conflict.
Refugee Liberation Organization: After World War IV, Japan took in almost 3 000 000 refugees, mostly from the Peninsula temporarily, as refugees. This situation continues to this day. The RLO is a group trying to gain independence from the Japanese Government for the millions of people still trapped in the refugee camps. They claim to be non-profit but rumors of corruption have arisen.
Russian Mafia: Not nearly as powerful as they used to be, the Russian Mafia is known for kidnapping people and selling their cyberbrains and organs oversees. This black market is the largest financial source for the Mafia. They began this kidnappings almost ten years ago, being dubbed the Blindfold Ivan abductions. They stopped for a short time and then restarted again, only to be stopped in their tracks
South Sees Mafia: Another known crime syndicate. Little knowledge available.
SVR: SVR is short for Sluzhba Vneshney Razvedki or the “Foreign Intelligence Service”. It was founded in 1991 after the demise of the Soviet Intelligence wing of the KGB. The Soviet Union's Committee for State Security dissolved along with the USSR in late 1991. Most of its assets and activities continued through several separate organizations.
Headquartered in Moscow, the SVR has offices
in Russian embassies, consulates and trade establishments throughout the world. As with its predecessor, the First Chief Directorate of the KGB, it is likely that the SVR continues to be composed of separate Directorates, and Services:
--Directorate S, which is responsible for illegal agents (those under deep cover) throughout the world.
--Directorate T, responsible for the collection of scientific and technological intelligence.
--Directorate K, which carries out infiltration of foreign intelligence and security services and exercises surveillance over Russian citizens abroad.
--Service I, which analyzes and distributes intelligence collected by SVR foreign intelligence officers and agents, publishes a daily current events summaries for the Politburo, and assess future world developments.
--Service A, which is responsible for planning and implementing active measures.
--Service R, which evaluates SVR operations abroad.
The Foreign Intelligence Academy is the main training establishment for the SVR. The operational core of the SVR is eleven geographical departments, which supervises SVR employees assigned to residencies abroad. These officers, or rezidenty, operate under legal cover, engaging in intelligence collection, espionage, and active measures. Although SVR personnel frequently use diplomatic cover when assigned abroad, the SVR frequently uses journalists for cadre work, and many SVR intelligence officers consider it one of the best covers.
The SVR is represented on the Security Council and the Defense Council. It participates in the work of various interagency groups and commissions.
Umibouzu: In legend, it’s a Sea Monster. In reality, it is a crack mercenary unit loaded with the most advanced weapon and machines on the market. They worked on the Meguro Recapture Operation. Umibouza is not technically their name. They don’t officially exist so they don’t officially have a name.
J A P A N
Capital: New Tokyo
Population: 142,449,703
Literacy: 99.9%
Currency: yen (¥)
Climate: Varies from tropical in south to cool temperate in north.
Maritime claims: 12 nm; 3 nm in the international straits - La Perouse or Soya, Tsugaru, Osumi, and Eastern and Western Channels of the Korea or Tsushima Strait
Defense Branches: Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (Army), Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (Navy), Japan Air Self-Defense Force (Air Force)
L A N D S C A P E
Mountains dominate Japan’s landscape, covering 75 to 80 percent of the country. Japan is a major economic power, and average income levels and standards of living are among the highest in the world. The country’s successful economy is based on the export of high-quality consumer goods developed with the latest technologies.
E C O N O M Y
Government-industry cooperation, a strong work ethic, mastery of high technology, and a comparatively small defense allocation (roughly 1% of GDP) have helped Japan advance with extraordinary rapidity to the rank of the most powerful economy in the world. One notable characteristic of the economy is the working together of manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors in closely-knit groups called keiretsu. Industry, the most important sector of the economy, is heavily dependent on imported raw materials and fuels. The much smaller agricultural sector is highly subsidized and protected, with crop yields among the highest in the world. Usually self-sufficient in rice, Japan must import about 70% of its requirements of other grain and fodder crops. Japan maintains one of the world's largest fishing fleets and accounts for nearly 25% of the global catch. The crowding of the habitable land area has been Japan's major long-run problem.
G O V E R N M E N T
Japan's governmental system in 2029 is heavily influenced by the English Parliamentary system. It is divided into three branches, the bicameral Diet (legislative), The Judicial and the Administrative. The
| Kei Yazawa Born in the Tohoku Region to parents who ran all sorts of financial businesses. He and his older sister, Toshimi, were separated when they were infants. While at agricultural college, his thesis relating to rice cultivation garnered attention, and he joined a research agency of the Agriculture Ministry. During the war, he used the evacuation as an excuse to move to the Tohoku Autonomous Region, where he, Eichi Gotoh, and Takeru Fuwa immersed themselves in research for 'miracle rice.' He was a simple man of few words who loved solitude, but there are many who sympathize with the ideals they glimpse in those few words. Later called the 'Charisma of the Tohoku Automous Region,' he was adored by many people. Accompanying the formation of an organization of people who spontaneously gathered to idolize that charisma were rumors that stirred up the tabloids that said they were a cult group0 that espoused environmental protection. However, as people's interest waned, their existence was forgotten. A.D. 2030. Died from a malignant tumor. This was a disease that could be avoided with a prosthetic body, but he left this left after leaving a message to his sister, Toshimi, to the effect of. 'People should live in harmony with the earth, and return to the earth when it's time." |
public elects the members of the Diet, who then elect a Prime Minister. The Prime Minister then appoints the heads of the Ministries.
I M P O R T A N T M I N I S T R I E S
Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries: The Ministry undertakes administration related to agricultural, forestry, and fisheries products, covering from production to consumption and also to rural development and promotion of the welfare of rural inhabitants.
Ministry of Education: The MOE controls the education system, schools, and payrolls of all teachers. They also operate special education facilities including ones dealing with Cyberbrain Closed Shell Syndrome.
Ministry of the Environment: MOTE regulated the air quality and ensures corporations follow state directed regulations for waste disposal. MOTE employs many different breeds of MicroMachines, sold to them various companies, to accomplish certain tasks. Certain MicroMachines, for example, can devour pollution. The Ministry informs the public of their use and operates the machine for dispersal and cleanup. The Ministry also operated the Japanese miracle, which removed the radiation from the destroyed Tokyo.
Ministry of Finance: The Ministry of Finance attempts to maintain a stable, yet dynamic economy and a peaceful and prosperous society by managing the overall national finances through efficient and transparent administration in the interests of the people as taxpayers, and promote the sustainable growth of the world economy.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Also known as MOFA, this ministry is responsible for all matters of international diplomacy. They handle Foreign affairs work. They deal with international trade, policy, economic assistance and treaties. Public Security Section 6 works under them and often clashes with members from Section 9, under Internal Affairs. Organization and Functions follow:
Minister's Secretariat: The Minister's Secretariat takes charge of overall coordination and administration under the Ministry.
Public Diplomacy Department: The Public Diplomacy Department takes charge of implementation of international agreements to promote cultural exchange, cooperation with international cultural organizations, and the introduction of Japanese culture abroad.
The Ministry of Finance controls the budgets of most other organizations including other Ministries. The deadline every year is the end of August. After compiling a full report of the requesting budgets, the Ministry of Finance presents the final draft to the Cabinet, and the Cabinet presents it to the diet. The budget for Section 9 is part of a secret “blank fund”… |
Foreign Policy Bureau: Takes charge of the planning of basic and middle- or long-term foreign policy.
Disarmament, Non-proliferation and Science Department: Takes charge of arms control and disarmament, non-proliferation, nuclear energy, and, science cooperation and other scientific affairs.
Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau: Takes charge of planning work connected with the formulation of policies concerning Asian and Oceanian countries.
Functions of the Public Security Bureau |
North American Affairs Bureau: Takes charge of planning work connected with the formulation of policies concerning the North American countries.
European Affairs Bureau: Takes charge of planning work connected with the formulation of policies concerning the European countries.
Middle Eastern and African Affairs Bureau: Takes charge of planning work connected with the formulation of policies concerning Middle Eastern and African countries.
Economic Affairs Bureau: T akes charge of protection and promotion of Japan's interests relating to foreign commerce and navigation.
Economic Cooperation Bureau: Takes charge of matters concerning treaties and international agreements on economic cooperation.
International Legal Affairs Bureau: Takes charge of the conclusion of treaties and other international agreements, and matters of international law and legal matters concerning foreign relations.
Consular Affairs Bureau: Takes charge of protecting Japanese nationals and their property abroad (except matters dealt with by other bureaus), issues passports and other documents necessary for travel abroad, and plans and handles emigration affairs.
Intelligence and Analysis Service: The Intelligence and Analysis Service takes charge of the following matters: general management of information on the international situation; general administration of research affairs; research and surveys on foreign countries (except matters under the charge of other bureaus), and; general analysis of the international situation and collection of necessary information.
Ministry of Foreign Aid: Not to be confused with MOFA, The Foreign Aid Ministry is often referred to as ODA, or “Official Development Assistance”. This is an agency the government has the most problems with as the current view of the other Ministries are to deal with internal problems first. The prime concern from the other Ministries, especially MOFA, is how the funds ODA uses to aid other countries are misappropriated by that country…often enough, against the knowledge of the ODA AND the country being aided. A good example of this involved recent actions with the Gavel Republic.
Ministry of Health and Welfare: This Ministry regulates drug and the import /export of medicine in Japan. They approve of all drugs to be sold in Japan and regulate their pricing. They also coordinate patents with medical companies. The Ministry controls the how these companies sell their product and how it can be marketed in Japan…if at all. Their departments include: The Statistics and Information Department, the Health Policy Bureau, the Health Service Bureau, the Department of National Hospital/Pharmaceutical and Food Safety Bureau, the Department of Food Safety, the Labor Standards Bureau , the Industrial Safety and Health Department , the Workers' Compensation Department , the Workers' Life Department , the Employment Security Bureau, the Department of Employment Measures for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities, the Human Resources Development Bureau, the Equal Employment/Children and Families Bureau, the Social Welfare and War Victims' Relief Bureau, the Department of Health and Welfare for Persons with Disabilities , the Health and Welfare Bureau for the Elderly , the Health Insurance Bureau , the Pension Bureau , the Director-General for Policy Planning and Evaluation , the Social Insurance Agency , the C entral Labor Relations Commission , and the Affiliated institutions/regional Bureaus .
The Ministry was recently clouded with controversy when it was revealed that they intentional held back the Murai vaccine in treatment in favor of the less effective MicroMachine treatment. The then General of the Ministry used the Murai vaccine as blackmail for the MicroMachine companies, successfully acquiring a massive amount of money. This was a root cause and effect of the Laughing Man case.
Ministry of Internal Affairs: National affairs including public works and police fall under MIC. The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications was initially responsible for creating the fundamental national systems of Japan. These systems include the national administrative organizations, the public service personnel system, local tax/finance, the election system, fire/disaster prevention, information and communications, postal services, and statistical systems. The MIC is committed to building a safe and convenient society for all while achieving efficient administration at the same time.
They operate Public Security section 9, a division that does not officially exist. The Ministry of Internal Affairs is run by the Minister with the Senior Vice-Minister under him. Other ranks of authority include the Parliamentary Secretary for Internal Affairs, the Vice-Minister and the Vice-Minister for Policy Coordination as well as the Secretary to the Minister.
Ministry of Justice: They deal with j udicial affairs, including the courts (which are not a jury system). The Ministry of Justice is in charge of a broad area of legal affairs, which include civil, criminal, immigration and other matters. In particular, it takes charge of nationality, family registration and registration of real estate, prosecution of criminal cases, correction and rehabilitation of offenders, litigations involving the interests of the State, immigration control and registration of foreign residents, and the protection of the rights of citizens in general. Thus, the Ministry of Justice is primarily responsible for maintaining the legal order of the country in which the rule of law is ensured.
Ministry of Land and Transport: MOLT operates a massive protected network almost as guarded as the defense network. More than just building roads, MOLT governs their regulations. They employee all road workers but also regulate the traffic system itself. All streetlights and stoplights are computer controlled from central hubs which all communicate. The entire rail network also falls under their care. MOLT also controls the massive camera network on every road. This system proves very useful for locating accidents and for assisting the various law enforcement agencies.
Ministry of National Defense: The MND is r esponsible for defense matters involving the SDF. The JSDF are explained in detail later.
Ministry of Telecommunications: They monitor and control the flow of information in Japan. They maintain the public network and enforce the laws governing it. This expanded in the last few decades to all cyberbrain communication. They often must employ the help of Public Security to fight off against the increasing amount of Cyber crime. Anything that could disrupt the communications network falls under their jurisdiction.
P U B L I C S E C U R I T Y B U R E A U
The Public Security Bureau is a national police force used by the Ministries. It is almost military in nature and often engages in espionage and special operations. There are nine distinct sections, each of which answers to one Ministry or another.
Japan currently (2005) has no Ministry of Internal Affairs. The police are headed by the state minister and a five-member National Public Safety Commission (including the Prime Minister). More modeled after the British structure, which does have a Foreign Ministry and a Ministry of Foreign Affairs. England also has Shadow Cabinets, so it can be theorized Japan may have adopted the idea as well… |
Section 2: Section 2 is controlled by the Ministry of Health and Welfare. Originally, they only worked alongside Section 1 for drug enforcement. This later deviated and the two sections operate independently. Where Section 1 pursues the illegal selling and use of prohibited medicine, Section 2 tackles the larger organizations attempting to bypass the Ministry’s power on the Drug Evaluation Committee. The Ministry makes sure that no un-authorized experiments take place and that no new patents are filed without prior knowledge of the Ministry. Being MicroMachine advocates translates that Section 2 attempts to prevent other alternate forms of treatment from being developed.
Section 3: Section 3 is in charge of drug enforcement, and is similar in scope to the US' DEA. Section Three utilizes combat trained personnel and investigates personnel in its operations. Since all agents are cross-trained, they can engage in either activity. Section 3 answers to the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Section 4: The “Rangers”, as they are also known, constitute the commando force of Public Security. More modeled after the British force than the American one, the Section 4 Rangers are small, lightly armed and armored, elite troops usually air-dropped into a hostile situation to deal with. The Rangers are not meant to be used as standard infantry and are not affiliated with the JSDF. Rangers, initially, were amphibious raiders, sent ashore in small groups to hit an enemy installation and then depart as they had arrived, by sea. Eventually, this evolved to include air interdiction as well. Their missions involved moving in fast and light, never being bogged down with heavy weapons. Rangers only take what they need to succeed on a mission, often only taking small arms and machine guns. The practice of using full-cyborgs became popular because of the impact a single cyborg could have in a combat situation. Because Rangers would move in and out quickly, the need to operate long times between servicing would not be an issue. They also often operated with therm-optic camouflage. Bateau was transferred to Section 9 from Section 4.
Section 5: Unknown.
Section 6: Section 6 contains all investigations, combat and special operations personnel used by The Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This section is highly secretive and is deeply rooted in espionage and covert operations. Comparative to the US' CIA or the British MI-6. There are no (official) full-cyborgs in S-6. Section 6 answers directly to the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Section 6 deals with jurisdiction issues outside the country’s borders.
Section 7: Unknown.
Section 8: Unknown.
Section 9: Section 9 (AKA: Koukaku Kidoutai) is the Ministry of Internal Affairs counter-terrorist, cyborg crimes, and assassination squad. Section 9 is a paramilitary organization, and most of its members are full cyborgs. It is no coincidence that Section 9 resembles the German GSG9 (Without a doubt, the most extensively trained and equipped counter-terrorist squad on the planet), and like each GSG9 agent, each S-9 member is extensively trained in combat, anti-terrorism and investigations. When a terrorist incident occurs it is S-9's job to either stop it, or investigate the aftermath and find those responsible. Public Peace Section Nine is an elite domestic anticrime unit tasked with preemptive and aggressive prevention of crime. Their duties include response to serious cyberbrain crimes, protection of foreign national VIPs within Japanese borders, investigation of wrongdoings of those in public office, investigation of high profile murder cases and top secret assassinations. They are called out to deal with those situation and crimes that the national police cannot. This unit is cleverly headed by Daisuke Aramaki while tactical command is the responsibility of the very talented Motoko Kusanagi. Recruitment for S-9 is mostly done from the special forces of the GSDF. Typically the most talented full cyborgs with tactical and investigations training are offered positions in Section 9. Occasionally S-9 will recruit from the police, which is where Togusa came from. Section 9 is less than 6 years old. The payroll of Section 9 is done through a dummy security company, to which technically, everyone involved, except for Aramaki, is employed. S-9 has access to a wide range of equipment. They are allowed to carry their choice of sidearm and a variety of SMGs and assault rifles are provided for them. S-9 also employs the use of therm-optic camouflage (as does S-6 of the PSB and S-4 of the Rangers) and has access to Tachikomas and later, Fuchikomas
J A P A N E S E S E L F D E F E N S E F O R C E
Nearly 240,000 strong, Japan's military excels Britain's in spending and manpower although they are prohibited to possessing nuclear weapons. A prohibition on war is supported by the Japanese government themselves and declared in their own constitution. They are also not allowed to be deployed outside of Japan…at least in original theory. After World War III, the SDF did expand their reach to beyond their borders. The only real exercise of this new muscle occurred when the SDF was used in ground operations across the sea in World War IV.
The Defense Agency and the SDF is basically the same thing. However, the term Defense Agency refers to the administrative organization responsible for management, while the SDF is used to mean the actually military arm that conduct activities for the defense of the nation. The SDF fall under control of the civilian Defense Agency, subordinate to the prime minister. Unlike the Ministry of Foreign Affair, JDA is not a full-fledged ministry. Rather, it is an agency, a part of the Prime Minister’s Office. Not only is it of lower bureaucratic standing, therefore, but also it has less control over its own fate than do full ministries. Thus, of the 10 bureaucratic appointments to JDA, at least four are assigned from other ministries. This situation is the result of a deliberate effort to ensure continued civilian control.
The overall organization is called the Defense Agency rather than the Ministry of Defense. The armed forces were designated the Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF), the Maritime Self-Defense Force (MSDF), and the Air Self-Defense Force (ASDF). All SDF personnel are technically civilians: those in uniform are classified as special civil servants and are subordinate to the ordinary civil servants who run the Defense Agency. There is no military law, and offenses committed by military personnel- -whether on base or off base, on duty or off duty, of military or nonmilitary nature--are all adjudicated under normal procedures by civil courts in appropriate jurisdictions.
According to the original basic policy for defense in 1957, the nation's security would be achieved by supporting the United Nations (UN) and promoting international cooperation. Japan's national defense policy had been based on maintaining the 1960 Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security with the United States, under which Japan assumed unilateral responsibility for its own internal security and the United States agreed to join in Japan's defense in the event that Japan or its territories were attacked. Government policy held that the SDF would be developed only to repel a small-scale, limited invasion and that the nation would depend on the United States to come to its aid in the event of a more serious incursion. Against a nuclear threat, Japan would also depend on the deterrence of America’s nuclear arsenal.
This all collapsed after World War III when the United States broke in two and could no longer maintain that defense. The destruction of Tokyo via nuclear device more than finalized this deal’s breakdown. However, Japan was able to show strength in its own non-aggressive deterrence. The Japanese Miracle—Micromachines designed to remove radiation form effective areas—helped starve off the fear of nuclear attack, reducing the need for an American Nuclear shield. The UN still maintains its cooperation with Japan but the SDF did expand their charter to increase their military’s power. This allowed Japan to being the power it is today. The SDF still did no operations outside their own borders unless in cooperation with the UN. This occurred in both World War III and World War IV, the last with some heavy controversy, as the SDF’s involvement in the Peninsula was more complicated and detrimental.
The GSDF defends against ground invasion and threats to internal security, be able to deploy to any part of the nation, and protect the bases of all three services of the Self-Defense Forces. The MSDF meets invasion by sea, sweeps mines, patrol and survey the surrounding waters, and guard and defend coastal waters, ports, bays, and major straits. The ASDF renders aircraft and missile interceptor capability, provide support fighter units for maritime and ground operations, supply air reconnaissance and air transport for all forces, and maintain airborne and stationary early warning units.
Japan Self Defense Forces (JSDF) |
The Defense Agency, as part of the Office of the Prime Minister, is required by Article 66 of the constitution to be completely subordinate to civilian authority. Its head, the director general, has the rank of minister of state. He is assisted by two vice directors general (vice ministers), one parliamentary and one administrative; the Defense Facilities Administration Agency; and the internal bureaus. The highest figure in the command structure is the prime minister, who is responsible directly to the Diet. In a national emergency, the prime minister is authorized to order the various components of the SDF into action, subject to the consent of the Diet. In times of extreme emergency, that approval might be obtained after the fact.
The internal bureaus, especially the Bureau of Defense Policy, Bureau of Finance, and the Bureau of Equipment, are often headed by officials from other ministries and are the main centers of power and instruments of civilian control in the Defense Agency. The Bureau of Defense Policy is responsible for drafting defense policy and programs, for determining day-to-day operational activities, and for information gathering and analysis in the SDF. The Bureau of Finance is instrumental in developing the Defense Agency budget and in establishing spending priorities for the Defense Agency and the SDF. The Bureau of Equipment, organized into subunits for each of the military services, focuses on equipment procurement. Before any major purchase is recommended to the Diet by the Defense Agency, it has to be reviewed by each of these bureaus.
Below these civilian groups is the uniformed SDF. Its senior officer is the chairman of the Joint Staff Council, a body that included the chiefs of staff of the ground, maritime, and air arms of the Self-Defense Forces. Its principal functions are to advise the director general and to plan and execute joint exercises. The three branches maintain staff offices to manage operations in their branches. Although rank establishes echelons of command within the SDF, all three branches are immediately responsible to the director general and are coequal bodies with the Joint Staff Council and the three staff offices.
The Defense Agency’s main office houses nearly 7,000 agency personnel with eight organizations. The complex has five wings.
A-Wing is the home of the military's central nervous system, hosting the Joint Staff Council and the Staff Offices for each of the three branches of the Self-Defense Forces (SDF) - Ground, Maritime and Air. The wing has 23 floors, 19 of which are above ground. The four basement floors house the central coordination center. Atop the wing are two heliports where large helicopters can land.
B-Wing hosts the SDF's communications corps and contains a massive, 220-meter-high communications tower.
C-Wing is home to intelligence divisions. The two buildings each have eight floors and four basements.
D-Wing houses the Defense Facilities Administration Agency and the Defense Agency's Central Procurement Office.
Japan Ground Self Defense Force (Nihon Rikujyo Jieitai): The largest of the three services, the Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF) operates under the command of the chief of the ground staff, based in the city of Ichikawa, east of Tokyo. Strategy is determined by the nation's elongated insular geography, its mountainous terrain, and the nearness of the Asian mainland. The terrain favors local defense against invasion by ground forces, but protection of the approximately 15,800-kilometer coastline of the four main islands would present unique problems in the event of a large-scale invasion. Potentially hostile aircraft and missile bases are so close that timely warning even by radar facilities might be difficult to obtain. Maneuver space is limited to such an extent that ground defenses would have to be virtually in place at the onset of hostilities. No point of the country is more than 150 kilometers from the sea. Moreover, the straits separating Honshu from the other main islands restrict the rapid movement of troops from one island to another, even though all major islands are now connected by bridges and tunnels. Within each island, mountain barriers and narrow roads restrict troop and supply movements. The key strategic region is densely populated and highly industrialized central Honshu, particularly the area from Tokyo to Kobe. Japan has many places suited for landing operations and is geographically located close to neighboring countries on the continent.
It was extremely difficult, or practically impossible, for Japan to have enough defense capability to repel all troops from the sea in the events of World War III. It incurred enormous and unbearable costs building up a defense capability for the predicted attack. Remarkably, the invasion 
failed to take a foothold, which lead to the use of Nuclear weapons later. The ground element was neither equipped nor staffed to offer more than a show of conventional defense by itself. However, the determination of that staff escalated the will to stave off the invasion. Antitank artillery, ground-to-sea firepower, and mobility improved and surface-to- ship missiles came to bear to push back the enemy’s campaign. The number of uniformed personnel was insufficient to enable an immediate shift onto emergency footing. Instead, the ratio of officers to enlisted personnel was high, requiring augmentation by reserves or volunteers during the crisis.
Because of population density on the Japanese islands, only limited areas were available for large-scale training, and, even in these areas, noise restrictions were a problem. The GSDF tried to adapt to these conditions by conducting command post exercises and map maneuvers and by using simulators and other training devices. In live firing during training, propellants were reduced to shorten shell ranges. Such restrictions diminished the value of combat training and troop morale. This changed after World War III. After the Japanese Miracle swept over Tokyo, reducing the radiation to a safe background level, the remnants of old Tokyo were split. Half became converted into part of one of the refugee camps while the other found itself the new urban training ground. Noise restrictions were relieved and training continues to the day there.
Japan Maritime Self Defense Force (Nihon Kaijyo Jieitai): Two kinds of operations are conducted by the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force [JMSDF] for the purpose of defending Japan: securing maritime traffic and securing Japanese territory. For Japan, which relies on foreign countries for the supply of almost all energy and food, the influence to national life is quite serious in case that maritime traffic is cut off. It can also be said that the impact to the world economy is significant in such case. Therefore, the JMSDF must be able to secure maritime traffic against attack by enemy submarines, surface ships and aircraft by effectively combining each operation such as surveillance, escort and defense of ports and straits. In case of aggression that aims at territorial occupation, it is necessary to stop it at sea in order to prevent direct damage to the territory. For that purpose, the JMSDF, in cooperation with the JGSDF and the JASDF, contributed to the defense of Japan during WWIII by destroying enemy surface ships, aircraft, and laying mines around the expected landing zone.
The nation is vitally dependent on maintaining access to regional and worldwide shipping lanes and fishing areas, but it is incapable of defending the sea routes on which it relied. Its energy supplies came primarily from Middle Eastern sources, and its tankers had to pass through the Indian Ocean, the Strait of Malacca, and the South China Sea, making them vulnerable to hostilities in Southeast Asia. Vulnerability to interception of oceangoing trade remained the country's greatest strategic weakness.
The large volume of coastal commercial fishing and maritime traffic limits in-service sea training, especially in the relatively shallow waters required for mine laying, mine sweeping, and submarine rescue practice. Training days are scheduled around slack fishing seasons in winter and summer--providing about ten days during the year. The MSDF maintains two oceangoing training ships and conducts annual long-distance on-the-job training for graduates of the one-year officer candidate school.
Japan Air Self Defense Force (Nihon Koku Jieitai): The Air Self-Defense Force detects invading aircrafts and missiles quickly and destroys them as far from Japan as possible. The ASDF has the capability for vigilance and surveillance and quick counterattack against invading aircrafts and missiles. The ASDF possesses aircraft 
control and warning units consisting of a network of radar sites and airborne early warning capable of surveillance throughout the air space in and around Japan on a continuous basis.
The ASDF maintains an integrated network of radar installations and air defense direction centers throughout the country known as the Basic Air Defense Ground Environment.
The Air Self-Defense Force (ASDF) is the major aviation arm of the SDF. It has an authorized strength of over 47,000 and maintained some 46,000 personnel and over 330 combat aircraft. Front-line formations include three ground-attack squadrons, nine fighter squadrons, one reconnaissance squadron, and five transport squadrons. The Air Self-Defense Force possesses 28 fixed ground radar sites in 28 locations throughout the nation. The 12 fighter squadrons consist of nine interceptor units and three support fighter units. The main mission of interceptor units is to intercept intruding aircraft, while that of support fighter units is to counter landing invasions, and to support from the air the GSDF and MSDF units fighting against invading forces as necessary. The ground-to-air missile units of the ASDF counter air invasion together with the fighter squadrons. The ASDF maintains six ground-to-air missile groups for the air defense of each area of political, economic and strategic importance
Security Council: The Security Council is presided over by the prime minister and includes the ministers of state specified in advance in Article 9 of the Cabinet Law; the foreign minister, the finance minister, the chief cabinet secretary, the chairman of the National Public Safety Commission, the director general of the Defense Agency, and the director general of the Economic Planning Agency. The chairman of the Security Council also can invite the chairman of the Joint Staff Council and any other relevant state minister or official to attend. The Security Council addresses a wider range of military and nonmilitary security issues, including basic national defense policy, the National Defense Program Outline, the outline on coordinating industrial production and other matters related to the National Defense Program Outline, and decisions on diplomatic initiatives and defense operations.
J A P A N E S E L O C A T I O N S
Akihabara: The world's biggest electrical equipment town. The name Akihabara is now world-famous. More than 350 electrical appliances, cybernetics, and electronics shops of all sizes are located in a small area around Chuo-dori Avenue, in the west of Akihabara Station. In recent years, the main trend has shifted from general home electrical appliances toward the new world of the cybernetics. Many residents speak English, Chinese and Korean.
With many service centers and the showrooms of major manufacturers, as well as duty-free shops and various events, the town is attractive in the eyes of visitors. Among these events, the Denki-matsuri Festival, held in summer and winter, is the biggest, a great chance for good shopping that you should never miss.
Aeropolis I & II: The old city in Niihama West sector is enormous. However, as expansion continued, this area grew less and less desirable for construction. At first, it was saturated with industrial pollutants. A large section of Nihama’s old-city would become a Refugee Releif Sector. The Refugees refused to move into the heavy polluted area and it was abandoned. Even though the industrial pollutants of the old city had long since been removed with MicroMachines, no one has attempted to rebuilt and repopulate this area. The area was still next to a Refugee sector and looked ugly with old, tattered buildings.
In a vain attempt to inject life back into the old city and stimulate repopulation and investment opportunities, Megatech began a very audacious project to build a Geofront in the west sector. It would be the twin of a similar construction in the East, Aeropolis. Like its sister, Aeropolis II would feature a subterranean development topped with a massive tower complex rising over 100 floors above the ground. However, even though Aeropolis I proved a success, Aeropolis II failed and construction was halted. Officially, according to the Megatech consutrction committee, Aeropolis II is only in delay status and eventually, work will resume…eventually. Many belive it was a stupid structure to buikd there in the first place as it stood 90 floors higher than anything else around it.
However, most forgot about its exsistence until the Human Liberation Front staged a terrorist act in Aeropolis II using its abandoned but still functioning nuclear reactor.
Artificial Intelligence Research Agency: Located in Newport, the AIRA is a group investigating reports of spontaneous ghosts forming in usually Ghostless AI and conducting experiments to create one themselves. So far, they have never found an occurrence. By current date, the only thing that can create a ghost is a human being. However…the new Neurochips by Kenbishi, installed in Tachikomas, when exposed to massive amounts of stimuli, added to the fact that one of the chips was damaged by the use of natural oil, encouraged one model to develop the bare basics of a ghost.
Bertarve: Bertarve is located at the southernmost tip of the island of Etorofu. Etorofu along with Kunashiri, Shikotan, and the Habomai island group were occupied by Russia from 1945 until the end of WW III. In those days, Bertarve was a Russian city and the location of a Soviet sub base. When Russia withdrew and returned the Northern Islands to Japan, they set demo charges and buried the sub base. In recent years, Bertarve has grown up quite a bit. There are still many Russians that live in the area, but many Japanese have moved back in. Corporate Support for this area has been high due to its strategic northern location, and most major corporations operate branch offices in the area. The city's major problem is crime. With little time to change over police forces and to get an adequate system in place, Bertarve has fallen victim to a skyrocketing crime rate. The city has become a haven for wanted criminals, gangs and spies working on Russian targets. A thriving black market operates here, and due to the corruptibility of local police, it goes on in plain view in a large street market style setting. If it is illegal, and you want it, you can find it here.
The geography of Bertarve is quite interesting. The city is built at and around the base of Mt. Bertarve, which is about 4,500 meters high. The skyscrapers block out a lot of the view of the mountain. Some of the larger buildings are over 2 kilometers tall. From the center, the city sprawls out eleven kilometers each direction. There are major shipping ports situated on all sides of the city making it a major Japanese port. Etorofu is connected to the other islands and the mainland by the Tohoku Maglev train. As far as social geography goes, the rich live high in the towers above the poor who wander about the streets. With aerial walkways connecting many of the towers, the rich never have to come down to ground level.
Like Newport City, Bertarve is extremely dense and driving a car here is a hindrance. Most of the streets are filled with people, and for most of them, the preferred method of travel is walking. A Maglev runs through the city as well as a major mega-highway, both of which connect Etorofu to the other islands.
Bertrave is the key location of the Etorufu route.
Cabinet Intelligence Agency (CintAg): An organization recently formed that, under the Chief Cabinet Secretary, mainly serves to collect and analyze foreign intelligence and to sometimes manipulate public opinion. They formed after the last war when pre-war intelligence agencies and the former Bureau of Defense Policy merged.
Dream Island: How deceiving a name it is. Yume-no-Shima, Dream Island--the landfill of the Tokyo metropolis--expanded after the third war to encompass an area four times its original planned size. A very large recycling plant still exists there, among the dunes of garbage.
Etorufu Route: Ports all operate substantial security to prevent contraband or prohibited technology from leaving Japan or to prevent weapons or terrorists from entering. However, a hole exsists in the transport route through the Northern Islands. This became known as the Etorufu Route—a smuggling passage connecting Japan with Eastern Russia. Anything illegal in Japan owes its existence to this security gap. Most of the Smuggling is controlled through Bertrave and estimates indicate the money that passes through this city measures in the millions.
The city is also home to Spring-8, the largest third-generation synchrotron radiation facility in the world. It provides the most powerful synchrotron radiation currently available. The Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute (JAERI) and RIKEN (The Institute of Physical and Chemical Research) started construction of Spring-8 in 1991, and with support from Hyogo Prefecture, universities, research institutes and industry, completed the construction and opened the facility in October 1997. Since the completion of the facility, management, operation, upgrading of the facility, user service, and R&D on SR science and technology have been performed by the Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute (JASRI), which was designated by law as the sole institute for the management, operation and development of Spring-8. At Spring-8, many researchers from around the world are making efforts to unlock the secrets of nature using synchrotron radiation as the key.
Harima Science Garden City is a major part of the Nishi-Harima “Technopolis” plan. This allowed Hyogo Prefecture to become the leading prefecture in Japan in the fields of science and technology. Megatech and Kenbishi Heavy Industries both use the city for a test bed for their prototypes.
Kyushi: Kyushi is now the national capitol of Japan
Newport city: Newport is a c onstructed Island, built off the Shinhama ward of the Tokushima Prefecture. Newport City became a major city for trade, international relations and foreign affairs. The city was built in the early part of the millennium when issues of space started arising. There was generally not much of an urban metropolis in the Tokushima area before the port was opened in the 1990s. The area prospered, and its residents grew exponentially. In the early 2000s work began on the floating metropolis that is now known as Newport City. The city has become one of the thriving new metropolises of the new millennium. Although New Tokyo and Osaka are still very important cities in Japan, Newport City has become the significant international city. Major international corporations have their headquarters here, and many political conferences are now held here instead of in New Tokyo. As for the city's geography itself, it is built in an almost fortress-like fashion. The biggest corporate towers loom ominously in the center of the floating section, while thousands of smaller buildings surround them. An inner waterway surrounds the middle section. This waterway branches off into smaller canals that wind around parts of the city. The second ring is made of up large shipping piers (which are equipped to handle the largest sectional cargo ships) and warehouses. The rest of Shinhama, which is on land, is known as "Old Town." The northern areas of Tokushima are more spread out, and it is here where you find large estates and traditional pagoda style architecture.
There are many mega-highways that lead to the floating section; unfortunately, once you are on the island it is nothing more than a hindrance to drive a car. Newport City is very dense and heavily populated, so the best ways to get around are by the elevated train system, the electric busses or by boat (provided you are going somewhere on the canal).
New Tokyo / Old Tokyo: Rebuilt after the majority of the old one was destroyed in a nuclear blast, New Tokyo rests closely to its predecessor and expanding so close its on the verge of reintegrating it again. When it occurs, Old Tokyo may be ready to be inhabited again. 24 hours a day, machines continually tear down and rebuild the landscape, trying to raise the ground level to bring the majority of the area from below the sea. The radiation thankfully, has been removed thanks to the Japanese Miracle. To this day, Old Tokyo remains a staunch reminder of how close the world came to destroying itself. Currently, what remains dry of Old Tokyo houses millions of homeless and those who wish to remain off the grid. It is known to have a very lucrative black market for weapons and cybernetics.
Niihama City: In Niihama prefecture, Niihama grew to immense size. Section 9 calls Niihama City home. It is also the location of the very well known Nihima University and the Niihama School of Medicine and Dentistry Medical College where the Nano Manufacturing Department resides.
Ostrov Islands: Japan claims ownership of several islands north of Hokkaidô. These include the two southernmost Kuril Islands, Ostrov Iturup (Etorofu-jima) and Ostrov Kunashir (Kunashiri-jima), as well as Shikotan and the Habomai island group. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) took control of these islands from Japan after World War II ended in 1945. Since the USSR dissolved in 1991, Russia has administered the disputed islands. After World War III, Japan seized control of these Islands under no protest. The resident Russian population was allowed to remain as immigrants, and many of them accepted the situation on Ostrov Iturup, the most populace of islands. Clashes still occur between the different ethnic groups on the Ostrovs. Several abandoned Russian military bases sit still, unoccupied. At least two navel bases were also abandoned and even an underground submarine dock. Several corporations like Sagawa shifted facilities onto Iturup, moving onto the old base facilities. A Geofront was also constructed there. Because of the massive immigrant population, and the precarious political position of the islands, several black markets exist, especially on Iturup.
Refugee Relief Sectors: After World War III and World War IV, a massive shifting of population occurred all over the globe. Hundred of thousands of non-Japanese citizens found themselves on Japanese soil, either from a failed invasion, or fleeing from their own countries. Many, those with applicable skills and training and advanced cyberbodies, were permitted visas. Others gained full citizenship, leading to the more colorful demographic of Japan’s society. However, hundreds of thousands still remained. The Special Refugee Treatment Act was formed and locations around Japan (mostly no-man land and old radiation zones cleaned up after the Japanese Miracle) were set aside and fenced. The Refugees were permitted to live independently in these zones. However, they could not enter Japan without proper permits or Visas. In many ways, these Sectors became autonomous nations, under no leadership, with no way to support themselves. None of the people in these sectors wants to return to their countries (if they existed), so they remained…for years.
There are five residential refugee relief sectors in Japan. Mostly with Chinese refugees. One is located in Niihama. The largest one in Kyushu is better known as Dejima Camp or Dejima Island. Another sits in Kanto and the other in Shinjuku—where part of old Tokyo resides in the camp. The last is in Nagasaki. Homeless people, with nowhere else to go, often hide in Refugee Relief Sectors. These sectors often supply a cheap labor force to major cities like Kyushu. Dejima Island stands out from other districts. Unlike other districts, which recycles other facilities, it was a floating industrial island, built only for its purpose, connected to the mainland, by a very long bridge. This bridge remains the only passageway and method of wired communication between the island and the rest of Japan.
| ' Tohoku Final Defensive Perimeter Proposal' Confronted by the coming final battle on the mainland, and heeding the increased calls for a military stronghold that would act as a pivot point in the tactically unfolding north, we hereby redesignate the test facility that is under construction as part of the scientific and technical preservation policy from the 'Tohoku Scientific and Technical City' to the 'Tohoku Final Defensive Perimeter.' The facility's supreme commander will be placed under the jurisdiction of the Premier and the Dense Ministry. It sounds respectable when you call it scientific and technical preservation at the behest of the state, but in face, investigation reports put the number of people there, including the scientists and technicians forcibly evacuated there to work on developing new weapons during the war, as well as their families, in excess of 9000. Its perimeter is surrounded by mountain forests, it is walled in by the dam embankment, and the transport to the nearest town. Hanamaku Industrial City, is a single monorail line run by the JGSDA. This is not an evacuation; this ought to be called house arrest by the state. After the war, the liberated scientists have all kept silent and avoided all discussion pertaining to the Tohoku Final Defensive Perimeter. Perhaps this is because it reminds them even now, six years after the war, of the bitter lives they led, bound by the chains of fears of the military. |
Tohoka Autonomous Region: The Tohoka Autonomous Region is a section of Japan largely ignored, and thus became somewhat independent since the last war. It is camouflaged from air and space. This region was known to be a refuge of scientists operating on several advanced technologies including MicroMachines. Japan still considers the TAR part of their nation and when the scientists of TAR developed a technology which (with the proper patents) could yield a massive monetary injection,
| Inaugural Address 'Autonomous Regional Director Inaugural Address' We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed with certain unalienable rights that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Those to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any form of government becomes destructive to these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it. It is their rights of citizens to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security. The foundation of the new government is to be laid on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness. Nor have we been wanting in attention to our Japanese brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. Yet again, however, the citizens of Japan have failed to listen to calls based on justice and ties of common kindred. We, therefore, the representatives of the Tohoku Autonomous Region, in General Congress, assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the name, and by the authority of the good people of the Tohoku Autonomous Region, solemnly publish and declare, that as a free and independent autonomous region, this Tohoku Autonomous Region of right ought to be a free, independent economic zone. As the Tohoku Autonomous Region, we declare our independence and are henceforth-absolved form all allegiance to the Japanese government. And for the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor. Toshimi Tagami Tohoku Autonomous Regional Director |
Japan stole the patent and robbed TAR of its insurance. This technology was MM Rice, which cured the majority of the food problems across the world.
Optically camouflaged in aerial and satellite imagery, all that shows is a giant dam that boasts a large water capacity. In reality, it is a special JGSDA facility that was constructed to safeguard intellectual assets. With the war now over, work has begun to return it to its original dam form. 1987: Construction begins on dam structure. 1995: Construction is completed. 1996: Converted to 'Tohoku Final Defensive Perimeter Outer Wall' without the dam structure undergoing a test filling. 1996: Construction begins on the Rikuu dam as the Tohoku Final Defense Perimeter, which is to form the outer wall of a JGSDA facility. 2000: Primary construction complete as Tohoku Final Defense Perimeter. 2002: Converted to JGSDA FACILITY TO SCIENTIST EVACUATION POINT. It employs noted scholars and engineers of all fields from Japan's corporations and learning institutions. Research begins on military engineering and increasing the food supply. 2026: With the end of the war, the decision to close it down. Other than certain people, withdrawal begins. 2028: Dismantling operation begins. Prostheticized refugees are brought in as a work force. Although it lies in the mountainous region of New Hanamaki City, it is off-limits to unauthorized personnel under the pretext of water supply security.
Type: concrete gravity dam
With an investment of 400 billion yen in operating funds, it was built as a multi-purpose dam, with such goals as flood control, conservation, irrigation, and hydroelectric power.
A closed ecosystem was artificially produced in the deep underground sector of the Tohoku Autonomous Region to conduct cultivation experiments on MM-rice. The experiments were expected to produce high yields, even in a variety of weather and natural environments, but the project ended with the death of head researcher Kei Yazawa.
'Autonomous Region Charter.' With pride and duty in our hearts as citizens of the Tohoku Autonomous Region, utilizing the knowledge cultivated by our forebears and the essence of hard-won technology our goal is to work for peace on this world; Item: We shall cultivate strong bodies, hearts, and profound knowledge. Item: We shall build cities where the consideration of heart touching heart may be found. Item: We shall utilize astonishing knowledge and technology to restore world peace. |
K N O W N E V E N T S & I M P O R T A N T P O I N T S
Blindfold Ivan: It refers to the MO of hacking into the Public Security Network of the IR-System and cutting out just the images from the moment abduction takes place. The abduction involves women, usually young, and usually in the public circle. They are smuggled out of Japan, where their organs are sold on the black market. The reason there are no witnesses in spite of the fact that they disappear in the middle of busy areas is likely because the eyes of passerbys were hacked to “blindfold” them.
Cyberbrain Sclerosis & The Laughing Man |
China/Taiwan Alliance: A treaty formed in response of the Security Pact between Japan and the American Empire.
Cyberbrain Sclerosis: 2019--At a time when cyberbrain implantation was just becoming common, a certain cyberbrain disorder of mysterious origins caused a stir in the medical field. Sections of the brain that received cyberbrain implants gradually hardened and eventually lead to brain death. The disorder was later named cyberbrain sclerosis. While the probability of getting this disorder was not high, anyone with cyberbrain implants was susceptible. Since no cure had been found, it was ranked along side tuberculosis, cancer, and HIV the incurable diseases of the 20 th century. In terms of specific symptoms, slight memory loss is the disease’s preliminary warning sign. As the illness worsens, symptoms include deterioration of speaking ability, incompatibility with external memory storage units, and severe memory deficiency. Eventually, those afflicted will face brain death, or so it was thought. While it was possible to delay the symptoms’ progress with appropriate treatment, it was believed sclerosis itself could not be cured, causing a momentary yet considerable panic within the cyberbrain-implanted population when the disease’s existence was first disclosed to the public. As if they had entirely forgotten that they cheerfully advertised the advancement and application of cyberbrain technology in the past, various media began to indulge in their customary off-the-point and delayed criticism of high-ranking government officials who retired to posts in cyberbrain manufacturing companies.
Concurrently, the public jumped on the bandwagon, resulting in the creation of many anti-cybernetics organizations represented by groups such those belonging to the Human Liberation Front and those advocating the resurrection of return-to-nature movements.
The Murai vaccine, which was developed by Dr Murai Chitose, suppresses Sclerosis. However, medical experts at the time consisted largely of MicroMachine treatment advocates. The vaccine treatment developed by Dr. Murai was conceptually behind the times, and the majority felt that allowing his research would delay completion of the concurrent research on MicroMachine treatment. Perhaps because of such concerns, approval of the Murai vaccine was delayed. Dr Murai, who hoped for the approval of his vaccine treatment until the very end, died an unfulfilled death in February 2021 at age 68, without witnessing the decision of the drug evaluation committee. However, in April 2021, the Murai vaccine was suddenly 
approved for special use by select individuals, after initially being rejected. This approval was not made public, and patients who used the vaccine do not officially exist.
Pressured by the public for a rapid response, the government announced a new treatment involving MicroMachines in order to pacify them. The publicized treatment did not have a significant effect, and many questions remained. However, the media dashed off to search for the next scandal after burying a few scapegoats, and the public forgot their problems with customary alacrity once the media dropped the subject matter. As a result of such routine work, the hysteria over anti-cybernetics movements consequently subsided. But the past of CS and the existence of Murai did not die in 2021. Even now, there are those who are interested in the situation.
Enter the Sunflower Society--a Non-Profit Organization that supports individuals who file suit against the government and large corporations. They demanded disclosure of information on the Murai vaccine and those who have received the vaccine from government agencies on multiple occasions in the past. However, the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare used the Individual Privacy Act as a shield to reject their demands.
Cyborg Anti Discrimination Law: After membership in the Human Liberation front gained popularity, the Government discovered anti-cyborg crime increased substantially. Some cyborg refugees during the war discovered their sacrifice to augment themselves backfiring as some had trouble procuring employment upon returning home. To combat this effort, the Cyborg Anti-Discrimination Law was formed to deal with this new form of intolerance. Since its formation, Cyberization has reaches such a common point in the world, the law is somewhat soporiferous.
Echelon: The largest electronic spy network in history, run by Empirical America, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, they capture telephone calls, faxes and e-mails around the world. Echelon is estimated to intercept up to 5 billion communications every day.
Geofront: A deep subterranean development. The TAR is a Geofront. Geofronts are also known to be the Headquarters of major corporations. Bertrave features more than one. They are often virtually self-sufficient so some of them in the world have dubious sovereignty. They always have some form of self-sufficiency. Almost all of them run off their own nuclear power plants. Sometimes Geofronts are also the titles of power plants themselves.
Ghosts & Shells: The term Ghost, began circulating sometime after World War III but the origin dates back to early decades of the last century. It refers to an individual's mind or essence of being…their soul perhaps—although that term is somewhat of an antique in this day since the soul denotes spirituality while the ghost is a subject of science. Its what differentiates a human being from a robot. Regardless of how much the biological is replaced with cybernetic, a ghost retains its humanity and individuality. Usually, such a term, separating it from the Shell, was meaningless. One was their Ghost in their Shell. Separation could not exist. That is not longer the case. One could exist without a shell. And shells could exist without Ghosts. The Shell refers to the body, organic or unorganic.
| Toshimi Tagami |
One could even transfer of a ghost from one body to another. Existing without a proper Shell (even the basic rudimentary forms like brainboxes) results usually in degredation. A consequence of Ghosts and Shell separation arose in criminology. When a criminal is convicted of a crime, a technical analysis is done either determining if the crime was committed due to material defects in the biological or the cybernetic systems in the criminal brain. If a mechanical defect arises, said defect is repaired and the convict is released. If the crime results from the individual's ghost, the process becomes more invasive. Anything from personality reprogramming to full ghost erasure can occur. If the Ghost contained itself in a prosthetic body, the body would usually be sold off for parts.
Incident at Shunuiji State: In the year 2024, when the nations were exhausted from the fourth world war, the American Empire called the deployment of UN troops to the Peninsula where internal conflict still continued. That action triggered Self Defense Force Deployment—the first time leaving Japanese territory. The American Empire started its resurrection as the world’s dominant power by using the deployment as a way to obtain excavation rights to the Uranium mines in the Northern Peninsula from the Unified Government. Japan could not refuse the UN, considering how enthused it was about wartime military procurement. Thus, this became the first trial for the SDF, which has been able to avoid actual combat throughout two world wars, aside from the recapture of Nemuro. The Prime Minister at the time, fell to a terrorist bomb.
The Government had strict control of the media in order to suppress domestic opinion and decided to deploy the PKF (a Commando unit comprised entirely of full Cyborgs) to Shunuiji State, which was thought to be relatively safe. The agency in charge of this disinformation campaign was the current Cabinet Intelligence Agency’s predecessor, the Cabinet Press Agency. At the time, Shinuiji was a Special Administrative Region and a trade center, making it exempt from attacks. But after the unified government was established, the remnants of the defeated people’s army chose as their battlefield a rural area about twenty kilometers west of Shinuji. The altitude was high, making it ideal for guerilla warfare. Soon after the cyborg infantry arrived, it was decide that two units would be deployed as a counter0gureilla punitive force, so they began moving into the frigid mountains. This was the first time units were equipped with hybrid cyborgs on the battlefield, but the PKF-issue hybrid cyborgs would not have experienced much discomfort, even while advancing through snow in –20 degrees Celsius weather. At the time, the main infantry was on heightened alert after receiving an intelligence report that the last elite troops of the people’s army were plotting to attack Shinuiju State. The PKF Company was to circle north, around the enemy and launch a preemptive strike. However, on the way, the platoon found a refugee camp along a river on the border that was not mentioned in the intelligence report. The camp was being looted by the soldiers of the people’s army who had, essentially, become bandits. Seeing this happen before their eyes, the platoon was spurred into combat by moral indignation. While there were only thirty of them against one hundred and twenty soldiers, the fighting quickly reached a conclusion. The platoon was a group of elite with cyborg bodies, while those who were attacking the camp were mostly unarmed and starved, even if they were former soldiers.
After that, the PKF received several reports on the People’s Army, but that was their only actual combat. They were forced to stay on alert due to the extreme cold and the possibility of a guerilla attack at any time, but for the main infantry positioned back in the city, the tension was not that great. But after a while, a problem surfaced in the platoon camp out in the farmland. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. The experience of having massacred people in their first fight, not to mention the fact it was very uneven, began to eat away at the young soldiers. Those who still had their original lungs and other organs tried synthetic alcohol and hashish that has been brought in by refugees, desperate to escape the nightmarish flashbacks of the massacre. When order gradually began to break down in the SDF, the Japanese media pelted them with insensitive comments. The massacre at the refugee camp had not reached the media due to censorship, but their criticism of the man’s behavior was all the more severe because of it. In addition, their freedom was restricted by the policies designed to prevent the men’s disgrace from reaching the media. They were even barred from returning to Japan. The refugee camp massacre near the border leaked to part of the media and a false rumor that is have been executed by the JSDF began to circulate. The farmers vehemently condemned the JSDF and demanded an explanation. However, under media censorship, neither the young soldiers, nor their superior officers could defend themselves. Three months later the remaining members of the People’s army surrendered and the JSDF was clear of all further obligations. Everyone in the media stopped talking about the massacre after that.
THE QUOTE "I thought what I'd do was, I'd pretend I was one of those deaf-mutes…” The passage continues: “That way I wouldn't have to have any goddamn stupid useless conversations with anybody. If anybody wanted to tell me something they'd have to write it on a piece of paper and shove it over to me. They'd get bored as hell doing that after a while, and then I'd be through with having conversations for the rest of my life." |
Japan / I.A. Security Pact: Japan used the muscle of the Japanese Miracle to encourage a Security Pact with Imperial America where IA was the sword, Japan was the shield. They could use the
deterrent of nuclear weapons and the Japanese miracle against other nations. This cooperation has been seen as a good idea and bad idea to members of Japan’s hierarchy, who believe Japan may loose its drive for independence if the Security Pact goes through.
Japanese Miracle: A swarm of MicroMachines capable of removing radiation from the environment found itself dubbed the Japanese or Asian Miracle (depending on who you ask). Japan was able to regain its status as a superpower after the implementation of the radiation dispersal removal method. Japan is the only country with the technology to remove harmful radiation--a muscle they flexed during the last war and used at the end of World War III. There is a reference to an Asian Miracle. It is assumed this is the same thing and not a different use of same technology in a different arena. Japan hoped this would gain equal, if not superior footing with the American empire.
| Fuwa's Genetics Research "The Development of Joint Engineering in Applied Entomology' - Takeru Fuwa In this research, I make theoretical preparations for various arrangements in order to make practical use of applied Entomology, which was derived from the development of technology to exterminate harm insects that spanned the end of the 19th Century to the beginning of the 20th Century. Applied Entomology had its beginnings in the field that was established and formed by the development of technology to eradicate the Rocky Mountain Locus, which were swarming the 1870s America (now Imperial America). However, it was made more complicat4ed by the appearance of MM technology, which didn't wait for this century to appear, and the current main focus is on the research and development of new technology that makes use of the bodies of insects. On the other hand, Joint Engineering is a key ingredients of the master/slave mechanism which are indispensable in Armed Suit (powered exoskeleton) development. These mechanisms, the aim of which at first was to mimic human movement, are fast reaching their limits in controlling the sort of multiped powered exoskeletons that are currently in use. And thus, my goal is the development of a next-gen master/slave mechanism that is more natural and does not put an unnecessary load on the human control system by taking the organic functions of insects, multiped organisms occurring in the natural world, and replicating them with micromachines on a genetic level. Applied Entomology and Joint Engineering. The fusion of research taken from both fields by means of micromachines is research that hints at new capabilities in the control systems of complex, multiped machines which are likely to appear in the near future. I foresee many difficulties in pursuing this merged research that is as yet untapped, but I believe that it will surely yield results that will be valuable for the future of humanity. Takeru Fuwa, Niihama University (Applied Entomology ) |
Laughing Man: Youth and subculture have iconified the logo of the Laughing Man, the most widely known case of corporate terrorism since the last war. It all began with the kidnapping of Serano Genomics’ CEO, Ernest Serano. Soon, after six major MM companies were blackmailed. The symbol of the Laughing Man is widely known. The case and details of the origin and identity of the culprit is not.
MicroMachines: Also known as Nanites, the technology around subatomic machines changed the world forever. Huge advances in science and industry occurred because of MicroMachines. Many diseases became extinct. Food problems ceased being an issue. The original breakthrough—its time and patent ownership—fell into the annals of history, somewhat forgotten. Now, almost all major corporations have branches dealing with MicroMachines…at least those who are not totally dependant
on that technology. It can be joked that MicroMachines are more abundant on the planet than insects. At first, they were designed to cure genetic defects in animals. This later evolved when cybernetics became more than just a supplementary technology. Nanotechnology allowed perfect grafting of circuitry into the organic, opening the doorway to a ever expanding highway of cybernetics, leading all the way to the full prosthetic bodies available today. None of the cybernetics on the planet (from replacement limbs to cyberbrains to full cyborgs) would be possible without MicroMachines. All robots (big and small) owe their existence to them. They cured virtually all disease, ended hunger, and even destroyed the pollution clouding the biggest cities (although the inhalation themselves did offer a temporary risk to certain sensitive lungs). MicroMachines removed the radiation from destroyed areas.
When philosophers talk about the age-old legends of the Philosopher’s Stone or the Fountain of Youth, they all agree mankind found it.
MicroMachine measure 1/1000000 of a millimeter. Micro Machines can root themselves so much in a subject’s brain, they can never be removed. Ones that die simply take up space. Not even inserting more MMs can remove the dead ones safely without damaging the brain cells around them. This is considered not a problem given the size of MM in accordance to the brain around them…sometimes its just better to leave them there.
Meguro Recapture Operation: During the invasion, naval vessels attempted a mass landing across the northern island. Even though Nemuro is the largest known conflict occurring on Japanese soil, most still consider Meguro a conflict of equal footing. Meguro’s capture occurred soon before or after Nemuro (it is never detailed). Unlike Nemuro, where the enemy never gained a foothold, Meguro became the setting of a major urban battle as the enemy had rooted themselves in the city. Meguro City's remarkable geographical feature is a hilly landscape with many steep rises and descents, despite its location on the east coast.
'Declaration of MM-rice Terrorist Act' (Tohoku Autonomous Region Declaration of Independence) |
MM-Rice cured the world food problem. Rikuu-132, its technical term, was made by the TAR (Tohoka Autonomous Region) and when the scientist that created it, Yazawa, died, Japan filed for patent rights under orders from the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries. The residents of the TAR did not approve. They do not recognize Japan’s authority over them but could not get headway with the UN that did not recognize their status. Certain more radical members of the TAR resorted to terrorism to make their case known. The rise in recent years of consumer unease regarding MM agricultural products due to the general distribution of improper produce, is troubling. Awareness of consumer food safety is growing on a worldwide scale, and even abroad, movements to reorganize food safety administrations are increasing their activity. Due to climbing patent costs, the number of products that can only be dealt in by economic superpowers is climbing. Expensive patents are an evil practice, and hunger countermeasures utilizing MM produce is a rocky road. Movements calling for copylefting or patent reductions from a moral standpoint are becoming more active in many countries aboard. With calls for copylefting on the one hand, activity to preserve micromachine technology and copyrights as intellectual property rights continues unabated. MM-Rice Terrorist Act: When initial attempts to secure independence from the Japanese Government failed, members of the Tohoku Autonomous Region committed to terrorism. This involved a subtle plan to distribute tainted MM-rice laced with a Cellular Suicide Program built in to high-class restaurants around Japan. This procedure developed for many months until the terrorist plot was finally revealed with the ransom letter released by the TAR. Kei Yazawa, who had been one of the suspects, died many years before the operation, and the introduction of a virus into the MM-rice was entirely orchestrated by Toshimi Tagami, the Autonomous Regional Director, and formerly known as the 'Choreographer.' Toshimi Tagami entered into a prosthetic body of the same make as that of Motoko Kusanagi with the intent to cause personal disturbances with Section 9, but due to Batou's discovering the preserved corpse of Kei Yazawa and realizing the facts of the matter, her plan was foiled, and the attempt at confusion also ended in failure. With the dispersal of the MM-rice source code that occurred automatically upon the death of Toshimi Tagami, a vaccine was developed in short order, and the case was wrapped up without a single person falling victim to the tainted rice. Assuming for the moment that Toshimi Tagami had succeeded in her personal disturbance of Section 9, she would have retreated to Niihama as a member of Section 9 after destroying all evidence by leaving Motoko Kusanagi behind and sinking the Autonomous Region. Having become Motoko Kusanagi, we may assume that she would have conducted intelligence operations within the government and military to avenge her younger brother, Kei Yazawa. Nemuro Landing Operation: Nemuro city and port are located in the most northeastern end of Hokkaido. It is the capital city of Nemuro Sub prefecture. The city has an estimated population of 55,056. It is a city with a history, since Adam Laxman arrived from Russia to negotiate with Japan for the first time in 1792. Exchanges with Russia have been fostered in the form of the removal of a measure that regulates Russians' entry, and by visaless exchanges with residents in four northern islands. In 1994, it signed a sister-city agreement with Severo-Kurisk, Sakhalin, Russia, which is deeply related to Nemuro through their main industry, fishery. Nemuro played a very important role as a base of international exchange, especially with the northern region. All seemed well for the small town.
…then came the invasion. A major attempt during World War IV where a rival nation attempted a landing in Japanese territory occurred in Nemuro. The city’s name now became synonymous with the Nemuro Landing operation. The JSDF deployed as fast as possible to the area of Hokkaido. The town was already overrun. The fighting grew long and gruesome on both sides. Eventually, the Japanese forces retook Nemuro. This probably occurred before the SDF had permission to leave Japanese territory…to go on the offensive. Almost every single solider in reserve was called to Nemuro. Most members of Section 9 participated in this operation.
Neurochip: Robotics forever changed when Dr Asuda of Kenbishi developed a revolutionary AI known as the Neurochip. It allowed Ghosts to inhabit Cyberbrains without any organic content. It raised the question as to what defines a human if there is nothing organic remaining. The existence of the Ghost would be reason enough. Some theorized that if a Robot or an AI would ever develop a Ghost, it would be with the help of the Neurochip. As a brain center of Robots and AIs, the Neurochip never gained popularity, possibly because of the fear that robots would, in fact, develop ghosts. Asuda believed that if the Neurochip was only given basic instructions, given time and input, allowing itself to grow, that it could indeed create the very basic parameters of a ghost. However, Asuda could not secure the patents and lost the designs to his employer Kenbishi. They then developed the Fuchikoma & Tachikoma, intelligent tanks equipped with Neurochips. When one Tachikoma was given natural oil, it damaged its hardwired instructions, allowing the Neurochip freedom to write its own code. This allowed Asuda’s dream to become a reality and the Tachikoma was the first robot to gain the basic skeleton of Ghostline.
Ostrich Meat: Ostriches are only bred for meat purposes. They have become the cattle of the 21 st century.
Paralympics: Properly speaking, the Paralympics is the other Olympics held for people with physical disabilities. However, in the modern age of 2030, the competitors are people with prosthetics. And somewhere along the way, the Paralympics became mainstream and the Olympics, where non-prostheticized people gathered, was reduced to a decorative traditional event. The realization of physical abilities that far surpass normal strengths also inevitably implies a change in the nature of sports. Considering the physical abilities of a prostheticized person, there are records certain to be set in track and field events that cannot compare to those of the Olympics.
Project Sunset: The last World War spread to the corners of the globe. The American Empire pulled out of South America early, but not before engaging in some of the most vile practices known. In their final days, the CIA concocted operations to make enemy countries lose their will to fight. They sent Guerilla teams into enemy territories, settle in, make friends with the local population, and then have them killed in atrocious way to demoralize their allies. Many members became mentally unstable afterward. Some went completely psychotic and continued their killings after the War ended.
Prosthetic Refugees: This refers to the unavailingly prostheticed humans from injuries incurred during wartime. They are given refugee status by the UN or a Non Government Agency (NGO). This is another term of the Refugees in the intern camps around Japan. They have been a source of some trouble.
Refugee Relief Fund: Japan took in 3 000 000 Refugees after the end of the last war. Since then, there has been substantial money set aside to support them. As time, progressed, however, their burden was felt increasingly by the government and people. Many attempted to find work but most still live off sucking the tit of government. Discrimination ensued. Some of these members are those who fought for the Japanese governments while others are immigrants, captured after the war concluded and had no home to return to as their home ceased to exist.
Obituary Takeru Fuwa July 12, 20xx. Prof. Fuwa had a high regard for the military applicability of applied entomology, and, saying, 'I undertook Armed Suit development because insects are so valuable for the basic research of joint engineering.' He contacted the American Empire and Alliance, heedless of the danger, and even after the war was declared over, he apparently turned down offers of 'protection' from regional police bureaus and Self Defense Army related people, saying, 'The war's over,' and lived an unguarded life. |
Refugee Special Treatment act: The agreement on the benefits the Refuges from the war would gain. However, this act was repealed by the new Prime Minister in 2032 before any supplementary acts were introduced. It was not released if the refugees would be granted Japanese citizenship. This caused quite stir when it occurred. Of course, the RSTA was originally conceived as a temporary measure and was never meant to extend as long as it did. The problem remained of what to do with the 3 000 000 refugees in the five camps around Japan. Currently, Refugees are limited to the camps and are not allowed to leave without special ID. Some have gotten jobs but are treated somewhat like paroled inmates while outside. They get to live and have a job outside the camp but Refugee officers make sure they know that could be pulled at any time. Some have gained Japanese citizenship. However, this is rare unless a refugee offers a usable skill to the outside world. Applicants wanting Ids or Permits (let alone citizenship) must pass mental and physical exams. The majority of Refugees have some form of cybernetic implant. Worn and well out of service, the often fail the minimum requirements for functionality. Those that try to escape are either killed or deported.
The Security Pact: In2033, the Japanese Prime Minister avoids an assassination attempt before meeting representatives from the American Empire to re-negotiate the Security Pact.
Sensory Perception Wire Tap Act: When cyberization became commonplace, the police discovered basic hardware wiretaps obsolete. The Sensory Perception Wire Tap Act allowed law enforcement personnel to tap into human sensors, like audio and sight, for surveillance. Of course, judicial permission was still necessary for evidence to be properly entered in court.
World Summit Terrorist Attacks: 2028-2030. A terrorist group called "Angel Wing"
planted bombs on glass skyscrapers in Shanghai, Moscow and Paris to protest against nations making decisions for the rest of the world. The acts are related to the damage cause by raining debris.
WWIII : Very little is known about the events that occurred during the turn of the new century. What is known is that the split of the United States as it was known for two hundred years occurred as a side effect of this war. Empirical America formed from the Southern States. By this data, it becomes clear that American, in fact, lost that war, but with whom or for what reasons, remains unclear. Japan was also involved in the war but in a background status, and never committed SDF forces to actual combat. Some evidence points that the war occurred in Eurasia. Nuclear exchanges occurred in the Asian sphere. The process of removing radiation was referred to as the Japanese Miracle. The only known casualty of this limited exchange was Tokyo Prefecture, which was destroyed to the extent that the majority of it sunk below sea level. To this day, the deconstruction of the site continues. The arrival of the Japanese Miracle is said to have contributed to the American’s Empire waning power in this decade, due to the fact that nuclear weapons lost part of the their deterrent, the side-effect of nuclear fallout.
WWIV: World War IV goes by several names. Sometimes it is referred to as the Non-Nuclear World War IV or the Second Vietnam War. However, it is known that the conflict of the war centered on the Peninsula, thus the Second Vietnam War reference. In the end, Empirical America and Japan came out on top, victorious. The United Nations were also involved and it is believed that the Peninsular may be under a new Unified government. Japan, because of their treaty with Empirical America, never became involved in actual combat with the exception of Shunujii.
| Eichi Gotoh Although a researcher of little repute, his paper of 'Research on Autonomous Micromachines' was a clincher for him, and his research on radioactively cleanup, the 'Asian Miracle,' put his name on the map, making him a household name worldwide. After the Asian Miracle, those concepts that were debated in eccentric, bold moves, became the subject of scorn in academic circles as impossible and 'lacking common sense,' but Gotoh, who had stayed true to his research ideology, didn't let such talk from the outside change his attitude. He moved to the Tohoku Autonomous Region, which had hired him, and continued his research independently. With the end of the war approaching, he was hired as a visiting professor at a university in England, and his life was cut short in an accident on the flight to England. Years after his death, his state of theories was reappraised, and he is now called a 'genius before his time,' and prized as 'the authority on MM engineering' and 'a scientist of proud isolation.' |
Evidence also points that military flare-ups occurred in South America and Mexico during this time. Mercenary groups appeared in the hundreds, populated by remnants of armies once connected to nations that no longer exist. The increase in independent states and sovereign regions grew from the chaos that was the last thirty years. The planet remains more divided as ever and several locations exist in the planet where sovereignty falls into question—where no one is really sure who owns or governs what.
Zebra 27: Zebra 27’s political views are not perfectly clear as he had already established a career before joining the HLF and some rumors pointed he was hired on as their leader and did not join under common views. Zebra 27 made an illegal fortune as an arms dealer in one of the Africa's most densely populated nations, Burundi. He left his command in Bujumbura, the capital city and shifted his operations with the HLF to Japan. He is fluent in English, Japanese, French and Kirundi. His country origin is not known. In fact, since many intelligence experts, including Section 6 which had been tracking him, belived Zebra 27 changed his identity at least once, many doubt the current leader of the HLF is the same Zebra 27 from Burundi. Others belive they are the same since Zebra 27 did vacate from his dealings after a large shake-up in South Africa found his security lacking in his current occupation.
Todo está sacado de http://www.serenadawn.com/GhostintheShellRPG.htm. Una página que contiene documentación muy curiosa.
3 conexiones:
Joder que gran articulo, aunque demasiado largo para leer xD
Por cierto, a alguien le apetece jugar a ese juego de rol? xD
Venga, vamos a echarnos una partida (en cuanto sepa traducir una oración simple en inglés xD)
El artículo es fantástico, y en la página que se cita se puede bajar el libro entero para jugar en pdf (200 y pico páginas, está muy bien), pero no sé porqué estos americanos tienen la manía de escribir todo en inglés xDD
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