Nejiro
Honor Duty Benevolence Loyalty Respect Courage Honesty Righteousness
{trespassers may be shot, survivors will be prosecuted}
Founders Agreement Mission Statement: To ethically advance our economic security, to maintain our defense, preserve our resources, and enrich our community culturally and academically.
Crown (political title Chiji {Governor}): the ultimate administrator, arbiter, and enforcer of the Founders Agreement, the fount of Judicial and Parliamentary authority.
Ichizoku {clan}: a group of people united by actual or perceived kinship, for material, emotional, and economic assurance, a secure way for extended complex 'family' groups to maintain community, equality, and culture, within which members behave in a close and mutually supportive way
Ko Ichizoku {small clan}: Parliament's primary method of attracting groups of skilled and knowledgeable settlers in the early days of Nejiro's founding, it worked to a truly satisfactory degree. Twenty five ko ichizoku were formed in twenty years, fifteen of those still exist today. Soon many of the residents of Nejiro desired the amenities of a ko ichizoku, and the procedures for creating a ko ichizoku were amended. Now in addition to an invitation by Parliament and/or the Crown, the prospective ichizoku may use a process similar to becoming a citizen with some significant additions. The group must have a 35% ratio of Nejiro Citizens, the founding and potential leadership members of the group must pass written and oral language, etiquette, and civics tests, the group must complete a background and security check, with interview process, the group must deposit a 350 million Ryu guarantee with the Imperial Bank of Nejiro (this will serve as the basis for a line of credit as well as collateral for loans to establish the ko ichizoku, it is deposited into an interest bearing fund and several accounts to cover ichizoku expenses), the group must take the oath of Allegiance to Parliament and vow to uphold, protect, and defend the Founders Agreement, the group must petition to, and interview with the Monsho Saibansho {heraldic court}, if approved the Crown may bestow Letters patent granting the provisional status of Ko Ichizoku, Delm, and Matrona. The new Ko Ichizoku then has a ten year probationary period to prove themselves capable of meeting their obligations.
The following are the Ko Ichizoku obligations:
Leadership - the group must establish the leadership and hierarchy positions of the ichizoku, and must also decide how these positions will be filled in the future. The ichizoku may choose matrilineal or patrilineal inheritance; election and term limits, if any; or appointment by a previously identified party within the ichizoku; or any combination thereof. Positions may be created as needed, but the positions of Delm, Matrona, the Militia Commander, and Founders MP must be decided before the petition is presented to the Monsho Saibansho.
Delm, the leader of the ichizoku, keeper of the safety and prosperity of the ichizoku. The Delm is responsible to and for the ichizoku. The Delm is responsible for the arbitration, enforcement, and administration of the Founders Agreement, and for the communication, and implementation of Parliamentary Edicts and Mandates on the ichizoku landhold and properties. The Delm is responsible for assuring all the ichizoku obligations are met. The Delm is responsible for the supervision of the external facing affairs of the ichizoku (for example defense, survey, infrastructure, public safety, energy, transportation, commerce, diplomacy, emergency management), and revenue collection.
Matrona, keeper of the happy, healthy ichizoku. Responsible for the mental, physical, and spiritual welfare of the ichizoku membership. The Matrona assumes management of the ichizoku ie and the principle family household(s), supervises mediation between members, and is responsible for the internal facing affairs of the ichizoku (for example education, public health, budget, community enrichment, culture, faith, traditional trade, finance, logistics, agriculture, environment). In the last several decades society has evolved to no longer expect the Matrona to be the Delm's spouse or relative, nor are they expected to be female.
Militia Commander, leader and administrator, of the volunteer or professional organization that protects the resources of the ichizoku, especially the members. They supervise the design, construction, and maintenance of any ichizoku fortifications. They must ensure there is proper equipment, supplies, training, and discipline. The ichizoku must allocate at least two percent of its budget for equipment, supplies, and training the militia.
Founders Member of Parliament {MP}, the ichizoku voting seat in Parliament, their primary duty is to act in the national interest, in a manner outlined in the Founders Agreement, but they must also advocate for the ichizoku, and assure that the interests and needs of the members of the ichizoku are well represented and taken into account.
Spokesperson, advises the ichizoku leadership on public affairs and news media, helps to maintain a positive public image, manages internal and external communications, manages the spread of information between the ichizoku and the public, and makes public announcements. The position may be created at any time the ichizoku leadership feels it is necessary.
Advisory Council, a group of individuals who meet on a regular basis to support the effective functioning of the ichizoku, and offers input and advice to the ichizoku leadership. The group may be established at any time the ichizoku leadership feels it is necessary, or whenever the body of the membership feels it is necessary. They are usually formed from the leadership of the subordinate families and senior members of the primary families. {in general, non lineal families are subordinate families; the families and groups that are adopted into the ichizoku are subordinate families; families who are present at the creation of the ichizoku who do not take the ichizoku name as a surname, usually for brand and recognition purposes are subordinate families; primary ichizoku families are the perceived kin groups present at the creation of the ichizoku and who have taken the name of the ichizoku as their surname (ichizoku name, family name, identifier), lineal family of the inherited leadership of the ichizoku - primary family members generally get a larger portion of budget surplus, and are considered senpai - some primary families do keep their original surnames and use the ichizoku name just as a title, in the European style formal manner, but they are in a small minority}
Commerce - the ichizoku is responsible for establishing legitimate, viable businesses and trade to ensure the prosperity of the ichizoku.
Transportation - the ichizoku is responsible for the construction, maintenance, and safety of ground, air, and water traffic; the construction and maintenance of highways, bridges, tunnels, roads, railway spurs, stations, landing strips, ports, waysides, pedestrian walkways and crossings, tolls, signs, and lights at national standards on the landhold; the ichizoku is responsible for the establishment and maintenance of public transportation throughout the landhold.
Education - the ichizoku must establish infrastructure, administration, instruction, scholarship, and maintenance of public schools and libraries, physical and digital, from day care to bachelor degrees, at the national standard on the landhold.
Defense - the ichizoku must organize and maintain a militia, voluntary or professional, to ensure the safety of the residents and resources of the landhold at a national standard. The ichizoku must use at least two percent of its budget to maintain the militia to the national standard. The ichizoku are prohibited from engaging in combat against other ichizoku.
Public Safety - the ichizoku must establish, organize and administrate the services of law enforcement, fire and rescue, emergency management, and weather reporting organizations at the national standard; or contract them for the landhold. The ichizoku is responsible for constructing and maintaining bunkers and/or shelters that the residents may use to shelter from severe weather, raids, or combat.
Public Health - the ichizoku must establish, organize and administrate public health clinics, emergency clinics, and ambulance services to the national standard, or contract them for the landhold.
Utilities - the ichizoku is responsible for establishing or contracting clean water, power, communications, and sanitation services at national standards for all residents, public works, and businesses on the landhold.
Civil Service - the ichizoku is responsible for establishing, managing, and maintaining the infrastructure from which the Ministry of Civil Service may operate to offer and maintain services on the landhold such as veterans affairs, licensing, exams, inspections, safety education, legal services, elections, social welfare, public television and radio etc., the ichizoku retains a percentage of all fees for services offered on the landhold.
Community Enrichment - the ichizoku is responsible for the establishment, management, and maintenance of public squares, parks, playgrounds, sports fields, public institutions, community centers, venues for entertainment, sport, art, culture.
Revenue Collection - the ichizoku is responsible for organizing and maintaining a system to collect the proceeds from ichizoku income sources to support the budget and prosperity of the ichizoku, which may include taxes from personal income, business income, corporate income, property, sales, excises, severances; lotteries; licenses, leases, rents, tariffs, fees, tolls, interest, dividends, and grants. Three percent of the Ko Ichizoku Income is taxed by Parliament in lieu of property tax of the landhold.
The following are the Ko Ichizoku benefits:
Landhold - 650 sq. km of lands set aside by Parliament or occaisonally the Crown for the establishment of ichizoku, to use and develop as they need within the guidelines, statutes, and regulations of the Founders Agreement.
Charter - the ichizoku may charter villages, industrial parks, and towns on the landhold.
Seat - the ichizoku is granted one voting seat in the Founders House of Parliament. Delms (if they do not already occupy the seat) may observe any open session of Parliament they choose, and any closed meeting they have clearance for.
Shizokugyo {clan house row} - to maintain ongoing relationships in the areas of political alliances, trade, and cultural ties the ichizoku is granted ten acres of land in the city of Yousai in Shizokugyo to establish a residence.
Legislation - the ichizoku may write and enact local legislation as long as it does not contradict the Founders Agreement Declaration of Human Rights, or preempt the Founders Agreement statutes, ordinances, or regulations.
Magistrates Court - the ichizoku may organize and maintain a Magistrates Court at the national standard. All Citizens have the right to appeal to a higher Court.
Taxes - the ichizoku may levy taxes, and tariffs, as long as it is current in the payments of its own.
Colors - the ichizoku has the authority to posses, use, and display unique kamon, hanko, seals, badges, flags, and banners registered by the Monsho Saibansho. The ichizoku may also register a unique kimono and/or tartan pattern.
Budget Surplus - legitimate surplus is portioned out to the ichizoku emergency fund, the ichizoku slush fund, the hierarchy of the ichizoku, the Matrona, the Delm, the members of the ichizoku as tax free income.
Credit - the ichizoku receives higher interest rates at Nejiro banks and financial institutions, it also receives preferred loan rates from Nejiro banks and lending institutions due to the initial guarantee.
Audience - the Delm and/or the Matrona may request an audience with the Crown to air grievances or to discuss issues of import to the ichizoku.
Members - the ichizoku may invite and adopt individuals as members at will, the ichizoku may invite and adopt subordinate families and/or groups at will.
