Treaty of Manila
With the war finally over, delegations from the former belligerent nations gathered in the Philippine capital of Manila. During the sweltering heat of the summer of 1980, diplomats squabbled and schemed to forge a lasting peace while satisfying their national interests.
Japanese Government
Having been instrumental in removing Hayashi and the corporatists from power, Emperor Nobuhito managed to enter into the Manila negotiations from a position of relative strength. Nevertheless, the peace treaty imposed several harsh conditions on the Japanese government. Japan was forced to apologize and accept blame for starting the war. The corporatist Kobushi party was permanently banned, and a new constitution providing for free multiparty elections was to be drafted. Nearly two dozen individuals were handed over to an Allied tribunal to be tried for war crimes. Japan was also saddled with a sizable indemnity of 75 billion British Pounds.
Military Restrictions
As in India, several limitations were placed on the Japanese military. At Manila, the Chinese delegation pushed for full demilitarization. Representatives from the British Commonwealth and the LAR however, wished for Japan to be able to defend itself against an ascendant China. After a series of tense negotiations an agreement was finally reached. Japan was prohibited form ever possessing nuclear, biological, or chemical weapons. The Imperial Navy was banned form operating aircraft carriers and limited to 150,000 tons for the next 30 years. The Imperial Army was capped at 500,000 troops including reservists for a similar length of time.
Territorial Changes
The Treaty of Manila made several important changes to the map of East Asia, essentially dismantling the Japanese Empire. In Southeast Asia, the Kingdom of Siam returned to its pre-1972 borders. Japan was to evacuate all South Pacific islands that belonged to the British Commonwealth before the war. Hainan, Formosa, Japan’s Antarctic territory, and a host of smaller islands including the Parcels and Senkakus were ceded to the Technate of China. Korea became an independent state for the first time in over 80 years with elections scheduled for 1982. After considerable debate, the United States gained control over the Bonin Islands. President Stewart was initially reluctant to gain any territory for her country’s part in the war, but the high price paid for the islands and their usefulness as a buffer for the Micronesian Territory changed her mind. One of the most contentious issues of the conference was the fate of the Ryukyu Islands. Despite never being captured during the war, the Chinese sought to annex all of the Ryukyu and Daito Islands. Britain, which wished to have something to show for its efforts in the Pacific, also made a claim for them. Eventually, a compromise was reached where the islands would remain part of Japan but be demilitarized. Over the years, many in China would view that the Western powers cheated them out of the Ryukyu Islands.
Spheres of Influence
As worked out in the Cape Town Conference during February of 1977, China gained a massively expanded sphere of influence after the war. By the end of the year, Vietnam, Laos, and Kampuchea had all declared themselves technates. Despite falling in China’s new area of influence, the United States and Britain fought hard for Korea to have a chance to pick its own government. Many in the West hoped that China would respect the Korean people’s decision when they went to the polls in 1982.
The World following the Treaty of Manila
September, 1980