Kilamandaros

"definitely aren't the only superpower" I meant oops.

I won't put too much thought into international relations and politics as this is unlikely to affect the players, at least in the early game. Though having a Chinese stealth team show up to steal Japanese nanotech secrets would be a pretty awesome 'oh shit' moment in the middle of an Edgerunner mission.

Keep in mind - Japan might be high-tech and mighty, but the rest of the world haven't been asleep for the previous half of a century, and there should be entities that do rival Japan. Even if you assume Japan is the mightiest national entity on Earth, there are always going to be pretenders trying to improve their standing by stealing Japanese secrets or undermining Japanese plans...

Oh yea they definitely the only superpower - I'm thinking China as a big rival who are really keen to get their hands on the Hoist.

Definitely appreciate all the help putting the setting together I've finished putting together my timeline overview of Japan's history in the setting. As you say it may not actually affect the campaign or players that much but it's certainly useful for me as GM to understand the background and motivations of both the Japanese imperial regime and wider ruling body.

Please feel free to poke holes in what I've written in terms of lore gaps, terminology, clashes with Cyberpunk style etc. I am eager to receive criticism. I am resolved however to scale up the population, even if this seems implausible by modern maths of population available etc. I will happily go with 'science fiction = more' as my reason if need be. Obviously when Cyberpunk 2020 was developed in the 80s and 90s 11 million in Tokyo (or 5 million in Night City) seemed like a lot whereas its 3.5 x less than what we actually have in 2020 Tokyo.

Anyway, hopefully what I've put together explains some of how such a large city could come to be in the setting. Have nicked some ideas from other settings including Android, Blade Runner, Shadowrun etc. It ended up a lot longer than I thought it would be, but really just a reference document for myself though I may share parts of it with the players - here it is anyway:

~

Before the fourth corporate war in the early 2020s, Japan was one of the world’s dominant superpowers. Following their crushing defeat in World War 2, the Empire had slowly clawed its way back into economic and political power; driven by its incredible technological growth and innovation. The Megacorporation Arasaka also began to emerge onto the world stage, absorbing numerous other companies to become a vast international conglomerate. Once the great collapse hit North America and the Western World, Arasaka quickly capitalised, expanding their portfolio into the gaps left by countless liquidised mini-corporations and securing a stronghold across multiple western industries. Cybernetics, Corporate Security, Automotive, Banking, Defence & Arms manufacturing – there were very few areas the Japanese giant did not hold a monopoly.

This corporate invasion of US soil was never going to end well. Millitech, one of the few American mega-corporations to have survived the collapse, and one of Arasaka’s biggest competitors, took the invasion of their turf personally. For nearly two decades, the two conglomerates engaged in a shadow war, both trying to sabotage the other’s position in the global market and disrupt their operations wherever possible. This culminated eventually in the 4th Corporate War, where the battle left the shadows and into open hostility. The world shook as the two titans duelled, their conflict raging across the planet and the virtual reality of the NET. The climax of the war came as a tactical nuke caused a chain explosion in Arasaka’s Night City US headquarters, obliterating a large section of the city city and effectively crippling the megacorporation’s ability to continue its Western operations. The Japanese Emperor himself intervened, ordering the government to take full control of Arasaka, nationalising its operations and assets before the war caused a catastrophe that would herald the apocalypse. Millitech had emerged victorious, though there was little reason to celebrate – the war had left both Megacorporations, and their respective countries, in ruins. The world’s economy was also in tatters, with countless millions left starving and homeless. Even the NET had been left a digital wasteland, ravaged by destructive viruses and renegade code. And just as it had after the Second World War, Japan found itself having to rebuild anew from the ashes…

Yet the Japanese people, and the Empire that governed them, were resilient. A decade after the war had ended, much of the damage had been repaired and Japan’s standing, and economy was slowly beginning to rise back up in the world. Even the Arasaka corporation began to recover, though much more constrained and regulated by the Emperor and Japanese government. Kei Arasaka, Saburo’s eldest son, took the reins of the company, issuing the promise that Arasaka would only focus on the prosperity of Japan and not get caught up in petty conflicts with ‘lesser’ nations.

Tokyo, which had been devastated by the war and economic ruin that followed, became the hub of Japan’s Empire once more. Already one of the largest cities in the world, development began to expand on a monumental scale. Japan’s nano-technology program had advanced to incredible levels; with programmed nano-machines able to construct skyscraper-sized structures in mere weeks. Mitsubishi-Koryidansu-JAB, one of the rival conglomerates that had profited from Arasaka’s fall, led the way in these exciting innovations, expanding their Automotive industry into the new Orbital-Space sector, knowing that the earth’s supply of raw materials were rapidly dwindling. With colonies established on Mars & the Moon since the early part of the century, commercial space mining was already receiving significant investment from various nations across the globe. However, the logistics issue of bringing significant quantities mined ore to the planet’s surface once mined had restricted any real progress.

And so MKJ began one of the most ambitious projects in human history. Using a new grade of nano-hives able to withstand the pressure of high atmosphere and even the vacuum of space, development began on the largest structure ever created, rising up from central Tokyo to dwarf even the five-kilometre high headquarters of Arasaka. Five years later, in 2051, construction was complete; the massive edifice so tall it disappeared into the stratosphere high above. There it connected to a second construction, which had been developed in secret: a huge orbital station, purpose-built to allow space-borne mining vessels to dock and unload their cargo. The structure’s purpose was now revealed; able to transport vast amounts of mined material down to the surface, revolutionising the Space-Mining industry and solving one of the biggest issues affecting a world that was expanding far beyond its resources.

The Empress Jinkyoku herself arrived to open the colossal space elevator, named the ‘Hoisuto Kido’ or ‘Orbital Hoist’ – she announced that this would signal a new age of prosperity for the people of Japan and wider Empire. ‘Tokyo has risen from the ashes,’ she exclaimed to the audience of billions watching around the world, “A Phoenix born of the spirit, resolve and inner fire of our people. This great city I now name ‘Neo-Tokyo’, heralding the coming of a new age – of peace and prosperity for all. No longer will Japan be cut off from the world behind the archaic boundaries of our Empire – all will be welcome to live here and share in the bounty of this, our new civilisation!”

And the Emperor’s promise was well delivered. Japan’s borders opened, and before long millions of settlers were arriving in Neo-Tokyo, gazing up in awe at the Orbital Hoist that rose from the city like a pillar into the heavens. With the world’s ecosystems collapsing due to climate change and natural food supplies dwindling from unsustainable overpopulation, the offer was a lifeline for so many who otherwise faced starvation. The Ito-Yokado Corporation had long been working on its synthetic food program and cities across Japan were now fully self-sustainable, as natural foods became a luxury for the rich.

Indeed, many of those from around the Western Pacific Rim were already refugees – much of South East Asia, Indonesia, the Philippines & many other Island nations had been rendered largely inhabitable due to rising seawaters as the polar ice caps melted. Seawalls had already been constructed by the Takenaka Corporation around Tokyo and other Japanese cities in the mid-2030s, in anticipation of the catastrophic effects of a rising Pacific Ocean, so offered the refuge so many sought.

More living space would be needed. With a virtually infinite amount of raw material coming down through the hoist, the Nano-hives worked like colonies of termites, raising vast structures across the city and demolishing any older architecture to make way for kilometre-high skyscrapers and hab-blocks. By 2061, Neo-Tokyo had become the world’s first mega-city with a population of one billion residents. For many, the Hoist represented a symbol of hope; of humanity reaching towards the stars and abandoning the shackles of a dying world, and so they came...

In return for the gift of a new life to so many, the Japanese Empire – and the many Megacorporations under its banner - now had access to a vast workforce, filling the colossal Manufactories, Corp operations & various Infrastructure developments across the city, including the Hoist itself. Japan’s economy boomed, once again rising to become one of the world’s dominant superpowers. Even the Arasaka corporation had returned to some of its former glory, though nothing like the Megacorp that had dominated the world in the early 21st century. At Empress Jinkyoku's command, the Government now enforced tight regulations across all Japanese corporations, ensuring none of the Zaibatsus could ever expand beyond Imperial control again.

Yet with such prosperity, came a risk of cultural extinction. Having already suffered significant issues with a decreasing population throughout the last century, the Japanese way of life was in peril of being swept away in a tide of multiculturalism. The Emperor wanted a Japan that was no longer stuck in the past and open to those of every race and creed – but he still wanted Japan. There was also pressure from the Zaibatsus and the upper echelons of nobility who felt their country was being invaded by the foreign tides, and xenophobic tension was already being felt on the city streets.

So it was that the government passed the Act of Hokori (pride) in 2061 which sought to protect the culture of Japan. The Japanese language would remain the country’s primary tongue (though English was still tolerated) – all settlers would be required to learn Japanese as part of their immigration and other Asian languages were explicitly banned from public display. The only currency to be accepted across Japan would be New-Yen - though foreign trading was still permitted. Furthermore, traditional Japanese architecture would be protected and even brought in from abandoned villages in rural Japan. Skyscrapers and other megastructures could be found topped or integrated with Pagodas or Temples, the delicate curved roofs standing out from the harsh concrete and metal edifice. These often served as penthouses for the super-rich in the city, almost entirely made up of Japanese nobility and Zaibatsu elite, for under the Act of Hokori those of true national descent would be given total priority. This covered everything from pay, tax, food allowances – even human rights. The Japanese government became like the Shogunate of old, ruling over the lower classes of the immigrants and poor - even the ancient Bushido traditions of the Samurai began to return. Senior government officials, military commanders and even Zaibatsu executives began appearing in public in ceremonial armour or with katanas hanging from their hips.

Further to this, a series of secret projects had been authorised in by the Emperor in the early 2030s, to ensure the survival of the Japanese genetic code, despite external influence and an ageing population. The Rakuzen Medical Corporation began focusing on improving existing technology for genetic cloning & genegineering from their vast laboratory complex in Neo-Tokyo’s tech sector. Whilst all details of the project were shrouded in strict secrecy, a significant increase in the indigenous population through the 2050s began to be noticed, especially in Tokyo. Some reports indicated a 500% increase of Japanese children aged 0-10 across the prefecture from 2040 onwards. There were rumours of other projects coming out of the Rakuzen laboratories as well; whispers of Synthetic Replication and Androids – expanding current Cybernetic technology to incredible new levels, though any claim was yet to be proved…

The Act of Hokori and indeed the various projects instigated by the government had been very successful in keeping the Japanese nationality and cultural influence alive, however it had in turn created a rift between the racial elite and the countless millions living in the city below them. It was not long before the downtrodden masses began to speak up against their Shogunate overlords, questioning the Act of Hokori and their unfair treatment. It was then another ancient Japanese tradition began to return to the fore – Ninjitsu. Any dissident that spoke up across the city began to disappear quickly and mysteriously. Rumours of dark shadows moving through the night and flashes of chrome steel were commonplace. The government of course denied all knowledge, yet the threat of being visited by teams of deadly Cyber-Ninjas was enough to drive any plotter or revolutionist underground.

Now, in 2065, Neo-Tokyo stands like a vast concrete beehive, thousands of mega-spires crowding around the central pillar of the Orbital Hoist. Flying cars speed between neon-lit skyscrapers and along aerial freeways, as Zaibatsu Corporate execs watch from their thousand-storey balconies. In the streets below, the common folk jostle together in overcrowded squalor, battling to the front of synthetic food dispensers, trying to make ends meet in the shadow of the Imperial regime. Neon lit symbols mark the entrance to hidden NET running lairs, ripper-docs or cyber-clubs, where Edgerunners, criminals and dissidents meet away from the watching eyes of government forces of Arasaka private security. The Yakuza and offshoot Japanese gangs rule over the city’s underworld, though plenty of immigrant gangs have arrived to challenge them for a piece of the pie, their deadly conflicts largely ignored by the Empire as long as they stay away from the more prominent parts of the city. One thing is clear, Neo-Tokyo has quickly become an Edgerunner’s paradise - for there’s always a contract that needs working or a favour to earn. Around every corner there’s a fortune to find, or if not the end of a gun…

I hear you friend, and appreciate the maths behind your point – however we’re assuming that we’re following our world’s timeline, whereas I think you have to allow for some element of Dystopian Science Fiction to separate the fictional world from our reality. Obviously I’m new to the Cyberpunk setting but the timeline seems very different from world war 2 onwards, with massive advances in technology, city sizes etc.

The same is true of many other dystopian settings; Blade Runner’s Los Angeles had 120 million people by 2019 (and flying cars), likely double or triple that by the 2049 movie - a full 116 million more than LA of our 2019. Yes 1 billion pushes it up another notch completely, however I don’t think it’s unfeasible. With climate change and global warming forcing people away from dying ecosystems in the countryside and into overcrowded cities to avoid starvation.

You definitely have a good point about Japanese culture declining from mass immigration, which I think is definitely worth considering, as there’s no way a resurgent Empire would allow this. I love the whole Bushido/Samurai/Ninja theme returning in a dystopian world which will definitely feature in my campaign. Perhaps this is where the Cloning/Genetic intervention technology can come in as the Emperor seeks to ensure the survival of Japanese tradition in the face of such a changing world?

Which raises another question – is there any record of who the Emperor/Empress would be from 2020 through to 2077? Thought I read somewhere about the first Empress?

Well billion(s) may be ambitious but certainly the world's first Megacity with a population of 1 billion by 2060. And yes that is the conundrum - how does its population grow 950 million in the space of 40 years?

A combination of reasons, linking to the added conundrum of how the hell could Japan build and support a city for that many people?

I like the idea of synthetic/cloned humans making up some of the population, though I feel this would only form a small percentage of the population, maybe 10% to avoid it becoming a dominant theme.

I am working on the timeline explaining the rise of Neo-Tokyo and will aim to post later today.

Awesome! Thanks so much for the input and help guys, super useful. I will definitely check out all the sources you mentioned.

Obviously the Cyberpunk Red sourcebook may change things but I am definitely going to be increasing the scale of what I've seen in 2020 - I want my Neo-Tokyo to be much more of a Megacity than the likes of Night City which is described as a mere 5 million residents in 2020, I'm thinking billions.

Love the Deep Space Mitsubishi idea, by 2065 I'm thinking Space will be a serious business frontier, especially for mining as there's simply no way the earth's resources could sustain or even construct such large cities.

I'm putting something of a written timeline together (more for my benefit than the players) and will share once it's done so we can see if there's any major holes in the setting before I start working on the specifics of the story etc.

Cheers!

Hi guys,

Newbie to Cyberpunk here - veteran D&D Player/DM of many years but have been itching for something different so decided to give Cyberpunk a go. Will be looking to start my campaign in August, hopefully once the new ruleset for Cyberpunk Red comes out (apparently August 1st).

I have been reading and watching a lot around the old 2020 setting, and really falling in love with the atmosphere, background and general vibe - it really seems like the perfect Blade Runner-esque setting. Also love the D10 system from 2020 and hope they use that as a base for the rules in CP Red.

One thing I'm not ken on however is Night City, I'd much rather base my game in a much more unfamiliar location where I can put more of a stamp on things rather than somewhere that has had 40 odd years of source material plus an upcoming AAA video game to flesh out. Obviously this comes with a lot of its own challenges as without all the source material I may have to start from scratch in building the location.

Have been looking around the web for anything of interest on Japan in Cyberpunk, specifically Tokyo. I understand Japan would be in a state of recovery after Firestorm and the partial collapse of Arasaka corp. I would be looking to set my campaign sometime before 77 as to not get caught up in whatever happens with the new plot development, probably around 2065, so Arasaka may have been able to recover somewhat by then - or perhaps rival Japanese corps may have taken the opportunity to rise above them?

So if anyone has any background info on Japan in Cyberpunk or specifically Tokyo (from any era of the game) I would be very interested and very appreciative of reading. Got a few months to prepare so I can commit to a certain level of world building but obviously any background info there is would be super helpful for this!

Many thanks for reading!