Japan (ジャパン) is a Japanese manga written by Buronson and illustrated by Kentaro Miura. It’s a story about a yakuza, deeply enamored with a television reporter, follows her to Barcelona, Spain, where she is producing a segment on foreign perceptions of the Japanese people and their self-image. During her presentation, she draws a historical parallel between modern Japan and ancient Carthage, arguing that the Carthaginians were annihilated by the Romans due to a similar cultural mindset—one that prioritizes economic dominance over military strength, ultimately leading to defeat. Suddenly, an earthquake strikes, and the group—comprising the yakuza, the reporter, and several university students—is transported into the future by the spirits of Carthaginians.
In this dystopian era, rising sea levels have submerged the Japanese archipelago, forcing its people to disperse across the globe. Many have settled in Europe, now under a repressive dictatorship, where they face persecution and enslavement. With Japan erased and its people oppressed, the yakuza, driven by his devotion to the reporter, envisions a resurgence: he believes that if the scattered Japanese unite and resist, they may reclaim their homeland.
